World War II Lookout Tower

A slice of World War II history. Giant gun towers manned and ready with big guns pointed at the Atlantic. It’s a hike spiraling up the stairs to the top but along the way are landings with cool exhibits. Foolishly I did this tower right after hoofing it up to the top of Cape May Lighthouse. needless to say I got a serious workout that day. It’s run by volunteer veterans (old timers with some stories! ;-)). A must do for WWII buffs.

This is a «must» visit for history buffs, really should be for everyone. I found it to be incredibly moving and poignant plus interesting and informative. To imagine that those young soldiers used to climb such a long, tall ladder to reach what we can now reach «pretty comfortably» by stairs is just amazing. The tower seems to be staffed with volunteers (who I suspect might also be vets), and they are incredibly lovely and willing to give generously of their time and historical knowledge. The stair ways up to the top are also filled with historical exhibits and memorials to the local WWII veterans. Go with a few dollars for the entrance (which is money well spent) and some patience to really soak in the experience, and you will not be disappointed. To make a day of it, I highly recommend you also wait around for the nightly flag lowering ceremony at nearby Sunset Beach. It’s a beautiful bookend to visiting the tower. As the daughter of a WWII vet, I am grateful for spots such as this which work to preserve this history.

Definitely worth the visit. The museum had lots of information points throughout — and many poignant tributes to soldiers. Each floor had something different and was equally interesting. The very top was the lookout, and included a personalized «tour» from a helpful fellow (can’t recall his name). He took some time to get to know us and gave us even more interesting history not only about the Lookout but about the town as well. This was a unique experience, and very much worth the trip.

This old fire control tower has to be the best-​kept secret in Cape May. To the passive visitor, these towers appear completely unremarkable, especially if you’ve ever driven the Delaware coastline. After I caught a glimpse from the lighthouse, I took a drive down Sunset with hopes of getting a tour.
As luck would have it, Fire Control Tower No. 23 was open and recently renovated. I spent about two hours here taking photos and talking to the workers. The stories are fascinating, and you get a lot of great views from up here, in particular the sunken concrete ship S.S. Atlantus:
What a crazy story! (My Cape May trip became a case of connect-​the-​dots as I then drove to Sunset Beach and, once there, learned about the alpaca farm. Crazy!)
This is just my opinion, but I felt the tower was worth a lot more than the lighthouse. And once you’re inside, the tribute to those who served is just overwhelming. It really makes you feel like your visit was well spent. I highly recommend it!