My 2026 Labor Day Adventure

   As summer draws to an end, I spent Labor Day at the Jersey Shore, enjoying a beautiful sunny day on my first holiday off in a while. My adventure began in Cape May County with a visit to the Cape May County Park & Zoo at 707 US-9 North, Cape May Court House, NJ. cmczoo.com.  Cape May is the only zoo that is free of charge, and it accepts donations only in the form of money & equipment for its animals.  

    In 1942, Cape May County donated a 40-acre wooded area that was once a plantation owned by the Matthews family. By 1978, it had transformed into a zoo within Park Central, and today it’s home to 250 species and 550 animals.  In February 2010, a North American blizzard destroyed the Bald Eagle habitat, and the zoo has since rebuilt it.  The Walter Trettin Snow Leopard Habitat was built and finished in 2016. In 2024, a man named Charles Muller, a frequent visitor to the zoo, made the largest single donation in the zoo's history: $ 1.4 million.  As for the zoo's reputation, TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice voted it the 13th best in the US, and it was named the 3rd best in 2012. In recent years, they added Tree to Tree Adventure Park, where you can zipline, net, Tarzan swing, and go on other fun obstacles for ages 7 and up. 

            My next stop took me to Rio Grande, NJ, to a charming winery called Hawk Haven Vineyards, located at 600 South Railroad Ave. hawkhavenvineyard.com. Owned by a married couple, Todd and Kenna Wuerker, Hawk Haven has been in the family since 1940, when Todd’s grandfather moved from Germany to Cape May to start a family. Over the years, the land has transformed from cattle to vegetables to vinifera grapes, but the dedication to quality and passion for excellence have remained as constant as the hawks that glide above. In 1997, Todd planted a few acres of vines across the street where Hawk Haven tasting room sits today. In 2007, Todd & Kenna signed documents to form the first (of many) LLCs together and started making wine under the Hawk Haven label.

    They both went to California to do research and opened the tasting room doors on Memorial Day weekend of 2009. They worked hard every day in the tasting room, splitting their time between winemaking, the vineyard, marketing, and accounting. Hawk Haven has grown today into a 20-acre vineyard with almost as many grape varietals planted, now up to 5,000 cases.  Hawk Haven offers intimate spaces for private events, daily premium estate wine tastings, rosé & sparkling wine tastings, estate wines by the glass, pre-made gourmet cheese, charcuterie, and cans of hard cider for purchase. 

    

             Ok now my next stop in Wildwood takes me to an adorable lighthouse called Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, located at 111 N Central Ave, North Wildwood, NJ. herefordinletlighthouse.com.

Hereford Inlet has been around since the 17th century, originally used by whalers to haul and butcher their catches. As coastal shipping through the inlet grew over the years, so did the number of shipwrecks. The lighthouse, located on the south side of Hereford Inlet, marks the passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Intracoastal Waterway linking Maine to Florida. First lit in May 1874, it was designed by chief draftsman Paul J. Pelz, who also created the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. For 40 years, Hereford stood in its original spot, weathering storms, rains, high tides, and strong winds. In August 1913, a powerful storm damaged its foundation, prompting a move 150 feet west to where it stands today. On Friday, June 1, 2018, a historical marker was placed at the original site during Anglesea Day. Over the years, grants from the NJ Historic Trust and the NJ Department of Transportation have supported its maintenance, repairs, and upkeep.

   In the back, a beautiful garden flows into a concrete walkway that leads to several beach spots ideal for relaxing and swimming with family and friends.

    For my next stop back to Cape May, of course, Cape May Brewery, located at 1250 Hornet Rd, Rio Grande, NJ. capemaybrewery.com. In 2011, two guys named Ryan and Bob helped put NJ on the map with their brewery. They offer a variety of rotating craft beers and have a charming shop where you can buy merchandise, including shirts and hoodies, as well as take-home cases of their beer. You can bring your own food or enjoy offerings from the various food trucks they host. On some weekends, they have live music and/or other fun events for everyone. By the way, if you do the sampler flight beers, you can buy a souvenir glass with your flight.

  My next stop takes me to an Alice in Wonderland-themed winery/farm, and they make the best Dole Whip sangrias that taste like orange creamsicles. Yummy! I'm talking about Willow Creek Winery & Farm, located at 168 Stevens St., Cape May, willowcreekwinery.com. This 50-acre, 2,000-year-old winery farm is nestled in the heart of Cape May. Willow Creek's tasting room seats 300, is open daily and year-round, and offers wine flights of estate-grown wine and sangria by the flight, glass, or bottle, pairing your drinks with gourmet charcuterie boards or a delicious meal from their full menu.

    Willow Creek also offers group tours, romantic getaways, and private, elegant celebrations like weddings and birthdays. If you and your significant other don't want to stress over a high-priced wedding, you can book one of their romantic elopement packages. Oh, and did I mention the Dole whips are to die for, with either white or red sangria and your choice of vanilla, orange cream, or both together, that taste like an orange creamsicle. 

     For my final Day trip destination, I drove back to Downtown Wildwood to a huge brewery venue that makes great craft beers, cocktails, and pub food. The place is Mud Hen Brewing Company, located at 127 W. Rio Grande Ave., Wildwood. mudhenbrew.com.  Opened in April 2018 by local restaurateur Brendan Sciarra, who refurbished a Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership and pays tribute to an old 1883 locomotive train called The Mud Hen, which traveled from Cape May Courthouse to Anglesea to Wildwood across shaky marshland tracks, constantly getting stuck in the mud during high tides. Sciarra chose the name Mud Hen to honor the resilient "I think I can" working-class spirit that first brought curiosity seekers and beachgoers to Five-Mile Island.  Mud Hen is open year-round, pet-friendly, and features a live music venue called Station House, plus main dining areas, fire pits, roll-away doors, and a private event space for birthday parties, anniversaries & wedding receptions. They are also the first craft brew pub to expand into a prominent hospitality brand known for brews like the 1883 IPA, alongside seasonal festivals like Henstock. Mud Hen also serves cocktails and makes delicious pub-style food like wings, burgers, and sandwiches, hot and cold.

        

        That's my Labor Day travel for now. Make sure you follow, comment, and spread the word about my blog, and as always, only time will tell where I go next. Be adventurous and happy travels.

JerzyP😊🍷🍺🍴🚗