Some new Cape May tours for 2009

Cape May innkeepers and owners open their doors to the public for a sneak peek inside their magnificently restored Victorian gems during Cape May’s Spring Festival, April 24-May 3, co-sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC) and the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May.
New for 2009, Cape May’s History Detectives Tour on Saturday, April 25 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. will have you donning your thinking caps. Uncover history’s mysteries in several Victorian homes and inns while searching for clues on this self-guided tour, and turn in your clues sheet for a chance to win prizes.
Step inside Cape May’s private residences, which are not normally open to the public during Private Homes Tours on Saturdays, April 25 and May 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Homes featured on the tour range from the Victorian era to the 21st century. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Cape Islanders Questers.
On Saturday, May 2 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., enjoy the new Victorian Tour & Tales, and encounter costumed Victorians as you stroll the streets of Cape May’s Historic District.
Learn about the city’s history and architecture and visit a selection of inns, where owners or guides will share their stories.
Tour the Cherry House, a beautiful Federal-style house, built in 1849 by Lemuel Leaming, and named for the Cherry family of Philadelphia.
The home at 637 Hughes St. has been lovingly restored and furnished with antiques. Each room is a treasure chest of cherished family mementos, and hand-painted murals throughout are a reflection of the owners’ lives as well as the home’s seashore heritage.
Tours are offered Fridays, April 24 and May 1, and Sundays, April 26 and May 3 at 1:30 p.m.
Get into the “spirit” of spring with the Historic Haunts Combination Tour, offered Fridays, April 25 and May 1, and Saturdays, April 26 and May 2 at 7:15 p.m.
Board a MAC trolley for a tour of some of Cape May’s regal Victorian residences, reputed to host more than the living.
Then take a guided tour of the historic (some say haunted) Physick Estate at 1048 Washington St. with a discussion of Victorian spiritualism.
New for 2009, the Artists and Studios Tour on Sunday, April 26 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. takes a spin on the traditional house tour.
Meet West Cape May’s talented artists and tour their studios while each artist presents and demonstrates their medium including oil painting, stained glass, jewelry making, graphic design, silk screening, pottery, and more.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit the West Cape May History Committee.
Tour the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate at 1048 Washington St., Cape May’s only Victorian house museum. Spring Festival debuts the Estate’s new theme for 2009, “HERstory: Women in the Victorian Era.”
Dr. Emlen Physick will be “in” on Saturdays, April 25 and May 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Meet the good doctor on the grounds of his Estate and enjoy self-guided tours of the Estate.
Tours of the Estate are offered daily during Spring Festival, April 24-May 3, times vary.
For information about MAC’s year-round schedule of tours, festivals and special events, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, or visit MAC’s website at www.capemaymac.org.