It doesn’t matter if you’re crossing the Delaware Bay for a day trip or as part of a long-distance journey, your Cape May-Lewes Ferry experience will be one to remember. Each day, hundreds of passengers travel from Cape May in New Jersey to Lewes in Delaware on this ferry system, which runs 365 days a year.
Since 1964, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry System has operated, and daily, three different ferries travel the 17-mile route between Cape May and Lewes. Delaware River and Bay Authority operates it, and it has two terminals with three vessels. The ferry run along Route 9 (US 9), and it bridges the Delaware Bay-Delaware River waterway before it reaches the Atlantic Ocean. It is constructed similar to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel further south that crosses the Chesapeake Bay across Virginia.
It takes about 85 minutes to travel from Cape May to Lewes. There are multiple trips daily, and you can take a roundtrip voyage in around three hours if you are planning an outing. Since there is no assigned seating, you can wander the vessel and see what you like.
During your trip on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, you’ll find snack bars and gift shops on board, so there’s plenty to look forward to if you get tired of the views. Apart from that it has wheelchair accessibility, lounges, restrooms, comfy seating, to name a few.
You can park for free at both the Cape May and Lewes terminals. You can park your car in Cape May’s terminal parking lot by standing in the far right-hand lane when you enter the terminal grounds. Moreover, overnight parking is also available, but you need to register your license plate number at the ticket counter in the terminal, or at the police department after reaching Cape May or Lewes.
The boats can carry up to 100 cars, including RVs, trailer-towed vehicles, and even big rigs occasionally. It is also possible to take bikes and motorcycles on the ferry.
Tickets & Schedule
Tickets are in high demand, so reservations are very helpful to fulfill a comfortable voyage. It is possible for passengers to book online, or by calling customer service in the hours of 8am to 4pm, seven days a week. For reservations, you must know the length of your vehicle (unless it is a standard car, truck, or van), the number of passengers including the driver, and your credit card number. An email address and mobile number are also required so that they are able to contact you if your booking changes before the departure date.
The charges for bookings are made to credit cards at the time of booking. There are no fees associated with rearranging a booking. If you cancel a booking, a non-refundable cancellation fee of $6 will apply per one-way and $12 if the booking is round-trip.
As for ferry schedules, the same are available at www.cmlf.com. The connecting points are Wildwood, Stone Harbor, Avalon, Ocean City and the rest of the Jersey Shore with Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Sussex Shores, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, Ocean City, MD, and destinations throughout Virginia. The popular ferries include MV Delaware, MV New Jersey, and MV Cape Henlopen.
With the difficulty of finding a parking space in Cape May, it is no wonder that the Cape May-Lewes Ferry is becoming a popular mode of transportation. With this option, you don’t have to worry about finding a place to park, pay for a shuttle or deal with the hassles of traffic. Due to these factors, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry is considered one of the best modes of transportation that people use.
Addresses & Contact
The Cape May Terminal has its address at: 1200 Lincoln Blvd., North Cape May, NJ 08204. As for Lewis Terminal, it is located at: 43 Cape Henlopen Dr. Lewes, DE 19958. For queries or complaints, you can reach the customer service at 1-800-643-3779 or customerservice@drba.net.
