There's a particular kind of Shore summer that Cape May County does better than anywhere else on the East Coast. It involves a cooler that actually keeps the ice, sunglasses that can handle ten hours on the water, a beach chair that folds without a fight, and at some point, a fire on the beach after the kids are asleep. Getting those things right makes the difference between a vacation and a memory. This is our curated guide to the products worth investing in for a Shore summer done properly.
We've tested these across the beaches, bays, and back decks of Cape May County. Every product here earns its place in the kit.
The Shore standard. Keeps ice for days in direct sun, takes a beating on a boat, and doubles as a seat when needed. The 45-quart is the ideal size for a family day at the beach — large enough for lunch and drinks, compact enough to carry from the car. Available in a range of colors that actually look good on a deck.
For the morning walk to the beach or the drive home from the bay. The Rambler keeps coffee hot and iced drinks cold longer than anything else at this price point. The 30 oz. with the MagSlider lid is the sweet spot — sits in a cupholder, seals well enough for a boat, and is dishwasher safe. The Shore version of the everyday carry.
Built by anglers for anglers, Costa's polarized 580G glass lenses cut through surface glare better than anything else on the water. The Saltbreak frame is large enough for all-day comfort and lightweight enough to forget you're wearing them. If you're spending serious time on a boat or the beach, these are a legitimate investment — not a luxury one. Your eyes will thank you after the first day on the bay.
Where Costa is built for fishing, Maui Jim is built for living — the brand's PolarizedPlus2 technology enhances color in ways that make a Shore day feel even more vivid. The Peahi is a classic aviator silhouette that looks equally at home on the beach, the boardwalk, and the restaurant deck. One of the few sunglasses that genuinely performs in every context a Cape May summer throws at you.
The Shore short that does everything. Swim in them, hike in them, wear them to the outdoor bar at Stone Harbor without embarrassment. The 5-inch inseam is the right length — not board-short long, not uncomfortably brief. Quick-dry fabric, mesh liner, DWR coating that handles surf spray and boat wakes equally well. Buy two. You'll need two.
The fire pit that belongs on a Cape May County deck. The Bonfire 2.0's signature double-wall airflow design produces a nearly smokeless burn — which matters when you're sitting three feet from it on a warm evening. Lightweight enough to move, beautiful enough to leave out, and designed to handle the humidity and salt air of a Shore environment. The piece that turns a deck into a destination.
The brand that essentially invented the modern Shore aesthetic. The Summer Club shirt in a stripe or nautical print is the uniform of Avalon and Stone Harbor — appropriate for the boat, the clam bar, and the kind of dinner you make a reservation for. Lightweight linen-cotton blend that handles the humidity without wilting. The kind of shirt that looks better as the summer goes on.
The water bottle that the Shore runs on. TempShield insulation keeps water cold for 24 hours — genuinely, not marketing-copy genuinely — which matters on a 90-degree August day on the beach. The 32 oz. wide mouth fits ice cubes, is compatible with most cup holders, and comes in colors that photograph well for reasons we won't pretend don't matter. This is the easiest recommendation on this list.
For the visitors making the drive from New York, Philadelphia, or D.C. to spend a long weekend in Cape May — this is the bag. The Medium hits the sweet spot between a weekend bag and an overpacker's crutch. 360-degree spinner wheels handle cobblestone and boardwalk equally well, the laundry bag keeps sandy beach clothes separated, and the hardshell protects whatever you've brought from getting crushed in a shore house closet.
"Getting these things right makes the difference between a vacation and a memory — and Cape May County deserves the latter."
These are the products we return to every summer, the ones that earn their shelf space in a Shore house and their place in a beach bag. Each link in this guide is an affiliate partnership — when you buy through Cape May Current, we earn a small commission that goes directly toward funding local editorial coverage. The products are chosen first, the affiliate relationships follow. Never the other way.