Stone Harbor, NJ

Stone Harbor sits along the southern half of Seven Mile Island in Cape May County, right next door to Avalon. With fewer than 800 year-round residents, it feels like a peaceful, upscale coastal town for most of the year. Things pick up considerably between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when summer residents and visitors arrive from Philadelphia and throughout the region to enjoy the beaches and bay.

ATTRFamartin / CC BY-SA 4.0

Everyday life centers around the walkable 96th Street shopping district, which is packed with local boutiques, ice cream shops, and casual restaurants. Outdoor spaces like the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary and the nearby Wetlands Institute offer quiet spots to explore, while the back bays are ideal for kayaking and paddleboarding. Families with school-age children share resources with neighboring Avalon, sending elementary and middle school students through a joint district before heading off to high school on the mainland.