Labor Day Weekend: Ten Things to do in Stone Harbor
Occupying the lower portion of bucolic Seven Mile Island, Stone Harbor is a summer lover’s delight! A quiet borough that attracts a docile community of vacationers, it’s a true treat for the senses. Many visitors arrive shortly after Memorial Day and stay until the end of the summer, Labor Day weekend. Others come just to celebrate the holiday. So, if you’re making your way to Stone Harbor for Labor Day, here’s a list of activities you may want to consider.
1. The Beach – Why else do you go to the seashore? For the sand and surf, of course. Don’t let the summer slip away without spending some extra time enjoying the water and lounging on the clean, golden sands of Stone Harbor.
2. Birdwatching – Before you know it, our feathered friends will be heading south. So take a trip to the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary and explore this 21-acre nature preserve, established way back in 1947. Experience a freshwater meadow and a maritime forest as well as a ton of species of birds.
3. More Nature – If you just can’t get enough of natural Stone Harbor, check out The Wetlands Institute, where you can catch some peace and quiet as well as learn lots about the seashore ecosystem. Kids love touching the live animals and you’ll want to be sure to have your camera ready. Terrific end-of-summer activity!
4. Shop Downtown Stone Harbor – There’s a wonderful shopping area in downtown Stone Harbor, where you’ll find more than 100 stores that peddle all sorts of high- quality wares, including several art galleries. And because many of them shut their doors in the wintertime, you’ll be able to take advantage of fabulous sales on Labor Day weekend.
5. Visit the Stone Harbor Museum – It may look unimpressive from the outside, but this little museum provides interesting displays and exhibits about the town’s past and present including a great section about sailing in Stone Harbor. Schedule a visit!
6. Take a Dolphin- or Whale-Watching Cruise – Though Stone Harbor doesn’t have its own whale- or dolphin-watching cruise, neighboring towns like Wildwood and Cape May do. Make reservations, gather up the family, and head out into the ocean for a chance to spy these amazing creatures in their natural habitat.
7. Girlfriend Day – Ladies unite! It’s time for some end-of-summer pampering. Stone Harbor boasts a handful of excellent day spas where you can join your BFFs for hot stone massages, body wraps, and invigorating facials, and perhaps even consider a new hair style for the fall.
8. Splurge on a Fancy Dinner – While Stone Harbor has its share of casual eateries, it’s also home to a number of top-notch full-service restaurants that allow you to dine in style, even at the beach. So grab your sweetheart or leave the kids at home and head out for steak or seafood with a view of the beach. Divine!
9. Catch a Fish – Charter a fishing vessel and make your way out into the waters that surround Stone Harbor for your last fishing excursion of the season. The angling is pretty exciting in this part of the state, and though it’s never guaranteed that you’ll catch anything, there’s a pretty good chance that you will.
10.Fly a Kite – The uncrowded beaches of Stone Harbor are an excellent location for kite flying, especially in the early evening, when the breezes are gentle. Many stores in the downtown area sell kites, in case you didn’t bring one along.