2 Days of Charming Coastal Living in New Jersey
There’s something nostalgic about little coastal towns off-season that’s enchanting. That kind of home away from home feeling, but in a place that makes you feel like you’re somewhere special. One such place is in my home state of New Jersey. Recently, I had the chance to experience a two-night getaway to Wildwood, New Jersey - somewhere I hadn’t visited since I was a child and it brought back all of those familiar feels.
WHERE TO STAY IN WILDWOOD, NJ
Casa di Amici
The more I travel, the more I learn to appreciate staying in properties that are privately-owned. The love and personality behind personal touches throughout this kind of space are an experience all their own. I like to think about how owners took the time to think through how to make a place feel like home for someone else, if even they’re only there for a short time. Those are the things that make privately-owned home stays special to me and the reason why I decided to stay at Casa di Amici.
Earlier this year, Casa di Amici - a family-owned and beautifully restored 142-year old Victorian beach home, opened its doors in the heart of Wildwood. A year-round rental property, Casa di Amici is only a 3-hour drive from New York City, making it the perfect excuse to trade city life for coastal life in nearby New Jersey. The charm of this historic home was brought to life by Cherry Maggiore (aka Christine Escribano), owner and lead designer for Casa di Amici, who used color inspiration from her favorite beaches around the world to modernize each living space.
Though the home is meant to be shared with lots of loved ones (up to 24 of them!), my partner and I had all 4,200 square feet, 8-bedrooms and 4-bathrooms to ourselves for a couple of nights. Besides it still being warm enough to enjoy the 600 square foot in-ground pool, our favorite part was soaking in the 6-person hot tub in the evenings while looking up at the stars. The outdoor showers quickly became my only showers and taught me they’re something I don’t want to live without in a permanent home.
When we first arrived, we were delighted to be greeted by a playlist of hand selected songs intended to bring a smile to anyone’s face walking in that door. In the kitchen we came across a welcome gift with Casa di Amici pasta and sauce, along with a bottle of wine. Later that night, that became our dinner and it was one of the best home-cooked pasta meals we’ve had (and of course the wine didn’t disappoint). Upstairs in the master bedroom by the office we found a greeting, personally welcoming us to the home on the white board. Just another moment where we felt the time and effort that had been taken to prepare for our arrival.
Honestly, Casa di Amici is a place you need to experience yourself, but I hope the video and images below give you a sense of the home. For a couple of glorious days it was our playground and we can’t wait to be back one day with family and friends.
Casa di Amici
143 West Leaming Ave.
Wildwood, NJ 08260
Book your stay on Vrbo (Property # 2202203) or Airbnb. Follow Casa di Amici on Instagram @casadiamici143 and Facebook @CasaDiAmici143
Sneak Peek Video of the Home
The Grounds
Welcome Gift
Personal Touches
My Favorite Spaces Around the Home
WHERE TO EAT IN WILDWOOD, NJ
There are plenty of great places to eat in coastal New Jersey, but here are a few we tried and recommend.
The Surfing Pig
This was one of our first stops. The pineapple & jalapeno margarita, oysters and a view of the dock quickly threw us into coastal life gear.
The Surfing Pig
231 W 10th Ave.
North Wildwood, NJ 08260
@thesurfingpig
MudHen Brewing Company
Wildwood’s only brewery serving up to 12 rotating craft beers on tap brewed on the premises.
MudHen Brewing Company
127 W Rio Grande Ave.
Wildwood, NJ 08260
@mudhenbrew
Two Mile Crab House
The sunset here was spectacular (and so were the tuna poke nachos).
Two Mile Crab House
1 Fish Dock Rd.
Wildwood Crest, NJ 08260
DAY TRIP TO CAPE MAY, NJ
Day Trip to Cape May, NJ
The city of Cape May is located at the southern tip of the New Jersey Cape May Peninsula. America’s oldest seaside resort, Cape May is known for its high concentration of Victorian houses. We took a stroll around the shops at Washington Street Mall and then made a stop at the Cape May Lighthouse.
