Sunset Beach Gifts

This is one of my absolute favorite places in Cape May, perhaps of anywhere. After coming since childhood to dig for Cape May Diamonds and see the Concrete Ship (and shop in the stores), I finally had a chance to see the nightly flag lowering ceremony and then the sunset a short time afterwards, and I can honestly say it was like checking off a critical item on my bucket list. What an incredible experience! It was truly the highlight of my vacation this year. The flag ceremony is poignant and moving, and I hope to one day have it done for my recently deceased father who was a WWII Naval veteran. Likewise seeing the sun set off the horizon, with the Concrete Ship in the fore ground, is incredibly beautiful. You do need to arrive early as it gets very crowded and most of the parking fills up well before events start (plan on being there by 6 p.m. or earlier). As we were waiting, we ended up browsing in the gift shops (which are really nice) and then walking on the beach to look for Cape May diamonds, but next time (yes there will be a next time!!) I plan on bringing our beach chairs and setting up a little picnic on the beach which is seems many others do. This is a must do when in the Cape May area.

As a kid, I appreciated digging for what I thought were diamonds. As an adult, it’s still kind of fun looking for pretty stones. But it’s everything else that makes this perfect… it feels like small town America during the flag lowering. It’s moving to see everyone with hands over their hearts during the Anthem, and then listen to everyone clap when the sunset is complete. Kids run around, gleefully showing their finds, couples snuggle on benches, families camp out on blankets. It’s a welcome sense of community, in a time when so many have become cynical.

Truly amazing place to see the sunset.
Their dedication ceremony and the way everyone gathers on the beach had me in awe.

A beautiful place! Unfortunately it was a bit cloudy which blocked the actual sunset, but the atmosphere and the sun shining off the water a couple hours earlier were stunning. Kids liked digging for Cape May «diamonds,» and climbing on the rocks. There was a really nice memorial service for about 10 minutes prior to sunset.
Definitely arrive a couple hours earlier to get a great spot. Search for the pods of dolphins not far off the coast and wave to the tourist boats! Beware of jelly fish in the water!

I wish I could give this beach more stars than just 5. I am an absolute sucker for beautiful sunsets. I really enjoy photographing them and this beach is the perfect spot to see a gorgeous sunset with no obstructed view. Not only can you potentially see an amazing sunset, this beach comes with quite some history. The lighthouse is nearby, and there is a sunken ship about 100 feet off the shore. From my understanding there are also some old railroad tracks that just resurfaced recently. The parking lot is small, but during the summer you will have to find a parking spot on the side of the road before you get to the beach. There are a few stores to shop at and an eatery with an oceanfront view. I love taking road trips here to see the sun setting. The only thing I don’t like about the beach is that you are stepping on rocks and not sand, so it hurts my feet like crazy! If you walk further along the beach you will walk on sand, but not right when you enter the beach. All in all I love this beach so much!

This should be 100 stars. And the owner is God. Everyday there is a great sunset, some he might hide for himself. And for the encore, come back the next day. During the summer there is a flag retirement ceremony that is great. I do have one Major is those who can not give the respect to OUR country during the ceremony
A must see!!!

Sunset Beach is one of my favorite places in New Jersey… and the entire world. Cue dramatic undertones.
Seriously, though. What could you possibly hate about this beach… other than the facts that it’s a little painful to walk on and you can’t swim in the ocean? Who wants to swim in the ocean anyway? That «water» is disgusting.
I love that there’s always something new to be found here. Most recently, century-​old railroad tracks just casually surfaced ON THE BEACH. I mean, really? How often does that happen? (I haven’t actually researched this. Perhaps it does happen. Nonetheless: Awesome!)
And if you grew up in Jersey and didn’t dig for diamonds here, you simply missed out. Go drive down the shore right this instant and go stick those hands of yours in the rocky sand. Now. I don’t care if it’s cold outside!
I’ve been to this beach when it was 20 degrees outside … a trip that lasted for about 20 seconds but was still great. I celebrated my 18^th birthday with a group of friends here. I’ve taken past dates here to «see the sunset» because, you know, it’s Sunset Beach and who in NJ hasn’t taken part in that cliché plan at least once?
To sum up Sunset Beach: The place is just gorgeous. It’s the best. I will take a day trip to this beach no matter the season.

They have a veggie burger. Garden burger brand. Five stars for location! It’s a beautiful area, nice view, Cape Map diamonds and mini-​golf nearby. The place looks like a bit of a dive at first, but the food is surprisingly good, fries, mozzarella sticks and stuff. The staff is young, friendly, and helpful.
Cash only!

A great place to watch the sunset, of course! There is a piece of a concrete ship jutting out of the water a couple of yards off shore. he beach is rocky and uncomfortable to stand in bare feet. It also gets very crowded. There’s a grill with ice cream and a couple of gift shops with reasonable prices compared to others on Cape May. We couldn’t find a bathroom nearby until we stumbled upon a port a potty in a parking lot up near the look out tower. The view of the ocean and sunset are amazing. If you’re looking for a less crowded spot, take a ride to the Delaware Bay anywhere in the Villas.

Went tonight for the first time this summer! My boyfriend and I got there around 7:50 with the sunset happening around 8:10. Unfortunately there was a huge cloud so you couldn’t see the sun set completely in the water. However, we did witness a proposal and about 5 dolphins jumping out of the water!
forgot to bring our chairs/​blankets so that was a bummer!!! Def gotta remember those

Really awesome but super crowded. If your looking for a quiet romantic sunset this is not the place. We parked at least half a mile up the road since there were so many people. We were happy to have seen the sunset and we got a really nice photo together. Worth the trip.
Not a beach you want to hang out at during the day, there are no waves and the sand is mostly rocks.

So my boyfriend likes to plan little trips and surprise me. He took me here yesterday and I fell in love… with the beach! It was beautiful! The sunken ship is so cool and provides a little bit of history that I, of course, love. There were the families playing in the sand, fisherman looking for a bite, and romantic couples going for a walk. Best part– free parking!
Also, you can make a day out of it here. There’s a little café, two different gift shops And a mini golf course across the street. I’m telling you, it’s absolutely beautiful. I’m glad my boyfriend thought of this place. I surely won’t forget it.

Sunset Beach provides Cape May peeps a comfortable spot to enjoy a sunset. After all, this is New Jersey, right? So how many times, in New Jersey, can you actually watch a sun setting over the ocean?
The sunset is the main draw here. As sunsets go, it’s worth seeing once. I spent most of my life on the East coast but I will tell you nothing compares to a Pacific sunset.
The secondary draw is the wreckage of S.S. Atlantus, a former concrete ship (yes, things like this happen in N.J.) which sunk in 1926 a little more than 100 feet off the beach. Here’s the current view of the ship:
So if you come to Sunset, you can bring your camera but don’t bother with the swim trunks. It’s a memorable sunset and flag ceremony, and again, it’s worth seeing once. And if you have time, I suggest grabbing a round of mini golf or stopping at Fire Control Tower No. 23 for that tour to really round out your trip.

A quick and somewhat uncharacteristic (for me) review on this beach. Sunset Beach was the sole reason my family traveled to Cape May, NJ. We wanted our small children to experience the ocean for the first time, and most every review I could find said Sunset Beach was the best place in the country for that… we were not dissapointed.
Unlike other reviewers, we did not make it at sunset (funny, I know), but instead visited first thing in the morning, when the girls were on their best behavior. The beach is indeed rocky and somewhat littered with broken shell bits, but there is also a sense of calm I’ve not seen on many other ocean beaches. In the day’s first hours, the shore is lined with would-​be fisherman looking for a catch, and in several cases we watched them get it, hauling very large Drum fish from the waters. It was cool to see.
The shore glistens in the morning with little quartz crystals (known as Cape May «diamonds), but I notice that local artisians and early beachcomers steal them away quickly, so I’d bet by sunset there are that many left, but for us there were plenty, and we had a ball hunting for them. We also enjoyed looking out at the sunken concrete ship (although there isn’t much left these days), and hearing the locals tell stories about how it got there and the process it’s gone through to deteriorate.
The water was cool and clear, and we saw schools of horseshoe crabs riding the waves inland, which was also unforgettable for our little ones to witness (especially when we realized they are harmless /​wouldn’t pinch). Of all the vacation destinations I’ve been on, this little unknown beach on the tip of New Jersey will always remain my absolute favorite. If you are ever able, this one beach is worth the trip.

Like other reviewers have mentioned, Sunset Beach is where many people go to see the sunset. There is a small parking lot, a restaurant, a gift shop, and a miniature golf course. The actual beach where Sunset Beach is located is not very good. There are so many rocks and seashells in the sand — not your typical beach sand. The beach itself is also not very big, but I guess it seems this way as it gets pretty crowded at sunset.
But…
By far and away, the coolest thing about Sunset Beach is the sunken ship. I am not sure how far off shore it is but it is a pretty cool sight to see. Someone mentioned that it had been there since either the 20s or 30s (personally, I have no idea). It’s not everyday you see a sunken ship and definitely rare to see in NJ. The sunken ship pretty much gives Sunset Beach all of its character. This place is definitely worth checking out at least once.

I can’t believe I only gave Sunset beach 3 stars. I must have just got back from Hawaii or something. Anyway it is at least a 4 star spot! If it was in NY it would be 5 stars easy.
And most of the California beaches I have been to are dirty and if not dirty on the sand at least the water is. Cape May beach water can’t be compared to California as it is cleaner and warmer.
The reason it is unique and nicer than NY sunset beach in the Hamptons is the Cape May diamonds.
I also have a link to explain what the ship wreck is in the pictures.

Sunset beach was pretty crowded when the sun began to set. At 5pm, when we got there, it was pretty quiet. The band was just beginning to set up and play.
We ended up watching the flag lowering ceremony – quite nicely done (except for the scratchy music). You guys have a band there playing, why not have the band play the national anthem and the Sousa march?
There are some gift shops and a eatery place where you can get food while you wait for the sun to set. There are no lifeguards at this beach so you are not suppose to go swimming— but dont tell all the kids in the water that.

Going to Sunset Beach is part of our summer vacation tradition. Imagine being on the East cost and watching the sun go down over the water. Every sunset we have witnessed has been spectacular. Bring your camera and you are sure to get some great shots.
During the Summer months there is an emotional flag lowering ceremony every evening that honors a fallen veteran.
There is also a nice mini-​golf course and 2 gift shops.
The outdoor diner is hit or miss. The hot dogs and onion rings are great, but a bit pricey. Avoid the burgers. Oh, and bring a lot of cash if you are going to eat there. No credit cards.

There are very few places on the east coast that one can watch the sun set over the ocean with no obstructions or land in sight but, Sunset Beach in Cape May is one of those places. The beach is actually a very narrow strip of land comprised almost entirely of pebbles making walking without shoes a painful process. Of the pebbles there are beautiful pure white ones and if you search hard enough you’ll find the very well known Cape May Diamonds. These are pieces quartz crystals that have been carried all the way down the Delaware river being smoothed along the way until it reaches this very beach. Pieces are very small and vary in size the largest being around the size of an adult’s tooth but most being the size of a baby’s tooth. The crystals are milky and translucent and can be polished until clear and even faceted for use in jewelry. Of course if you don’t want to go through that process the Sunset Gift Shop right by the beach has polished crystals (for about a buck a piece) as well as a whole range of affordable jewelry (both with the polished «diamonds» and with the faceted ones). In addition to Cape May Diamonds the giftshop also has all sorts of gifts as well as a small mini golf course and a grill across the street.
In addtion to the sunset, for the past 40 years there’s a flag ceremony held by the beach May through September. Every night they take down a different veteran’s casket flag in a patriotic ceremony. In addition to the ceremony the other piece of American history you’ll find at the beach is the hunk of concrete rising from the water right off the coast. This is the hull of the second prototype concrete ship, Atlantus, built in Georgia for WWI in 1918. During this time in American history there was a steel shortage so they experimented with making ships out of different materials. The concrete ship actually worked and 12 ships were put into service during the war. The Atlantus was owned by the government but was not one of the ships that was put into service as it was just a prototype and was used for commercial purposes in New England until it was decommissioned in 1920 (along with all the other concrete ships) and was towed to Cape May in 1926 were it ended up breaking free during a storm and eventually broke apart. The concrete shards aren’t much to look at and don’t resemble a ship anymore but it’s the interesting story behind it that makes it worth mentioning.

Pretty good place to go to cross off a few things off your to-​do list while in the area. The Atlantus or what’s left of it can be seen off the beach here. There is a flag ceremony where family of deceased verterans can have their flag raised. The ceremony takes place just at sunset. While you are watching the sunset, it’s a great time to check out the Cape May «diamonds.» Instead of buying them from the gift shop, it was fun trying to find my own diamond. The sand/​beach is pretty rough on the feet so make sure you have sandals on.
A five minute drive and you can find the lighthouse and WWII bunker, which I highly recommend if you’re in the area.