Imagine moss-colored wicker rockers, sandy wooden floors and railings with gingerbread detail, beautifully worn cast iron flower pots overflowing with vibrant red geraniums and the sounds of distant seagulls floating in the warm summer air. Now smell the comforting aromas of freshly roasted coffee mixed with fresh raspberry cream cheese tarts floating from inside the elegant dining room decorated with a massive 12-person dining table along with a mahogany side bar.

“Good morning Mr. Smith. Breakfast is served in the dining room or if you’d like, you can enjoy it out here on the front porch, whatever you like.”

And so begins the day at the Bedford Inn Bed and Breakfast in Cape May, New Jersey, one of the historic inns that can be found among numerous well-maintained inns in this quaint Victorian town. The Bedford Inn offers 9 guest rooms, each named for a particular person that meant something special to the former owner.

Virginia’s Suite offers true antique furnishings that range from a high-back Victorian king bed to a marbletop walnut bureau to a clawfoot tub in the room’s private bathroom.

In Lauren’s room, soft, flowing lace curtains dance in the soft breezes of the summer season or the windows can be shaded and the air conditioner turned on from the units provided in each room. It would be easy to let the day slip by relaxing on the front porch sipping tea and having a nice conversation with your significant other or by sinking into a king-size mattress while finishing up the last few chapters your most recent book.

But just outside the Bedford Inn lie numerous vacation attractions that are hard to resist. The expansive beach is just one block away and offers guards at each block. The charming boardwalk offers typical but welcome summer fare including a fudge shop and ice cream and hot dog stands along with a well-maintained and clean arcade. And when you day at the beach is over, the Bedford Inn provides outdoor showers complete with fresh towels and a clothes line to dry out your bathing suit if you wish.

There’s no shortage of shopping in Cape May and you can find anything from an expensive tiffany-style lamp to T-shirts and flip flops on the Washington Street Mall, also just a few blocks within walking distance from the Bedford Inn.

Pearle’s is an upscale boutique on the mall that will entice any female shopper with its beautifully displayed window presentations of sleek silver jewelry paired with a sheer black sundress and vibrant turquoise blue handbag.

If it’s trinkets you’re shopping for, the Whale’s Tale is overflowing with Victorian-style objects and you’ll be serenaded with their selection of the day’s soothing music. The kids will be enthralled by the toy shop with its variety of candy, Webkinz and beach toys located near the newly renovated Catholic Church, Our Lady Star of the Sea.

If you’d prefer not to break out your sneakers and walk the town, which is highly recommended since parking is in short supply, bike rentals abound and you can either ride solo or take the family all together in a four-seated bike complete with overhang to protect you from the sun’s rays. Shields Bike Rental has been a long-standing bike rental operation and is located in the heart of the town just a few blocks from the beach so getting there is not complicated.

Shopping, biking, beaching – what more could you ask for from a vacation at the Bedford Inn?

How about fantastic dining? While a bit pricey, Cape May restaurants offer the best in fine dining.

Tisha’s is located directly on the boardwalk with a fantastic view of the ocean from your table. Immense window-doors open up onto the back porch to let the fresh salt air drift over each and every table in the restaurant. And because the entire restaurant is flanked by these enormous open doors, there isn’t a table in the house with a bad view.

If it’s more intimate dining you’re looking for, Louisa’s on the mall provides a small, warm atmosphere with only about 12 tables in the entire restaurant. Nightly specials are delicately written on the chalkboard and be sure not to miss the desserts at Louisa’s. They are some of the best in the town.

The Washington Inn is located more in the historic district of the town and requires jackets for the men. But don’t consider it stuffy at all. You can eat in the inner dining room alongside the fireplace or sit on the relaxing side porch while enjoying fantastic entrees.

After a day enjoying all these wonderfully exciting activities, you can take comfort in the serene environment you’ll find back at the Bedford Inn. Gas-fueled lamps envelope the street in warm light. There’s barely a sound at the inn other than the soft music playing from the dining room and the tick of the clock over the mantle in the parlor.

Your Victorian bed awaits you with freshly laundered linens and cozy warm blankets. What a nice way to end the day and slip away into a restful sleep at the Bedford Inn.

If you’d like to learn more about this cozy and inviting destination, please visit http://www.bedfordinn.com/ or call the current owners, Archie and Stephanie Kirk, at 609-884-4158.

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Alesha Corwin writes about travel, vacation homes and the Bed and Breakfast industry. To explore additional information about vacation home rentals, visit: http://www.findvacationrentals.com/

Follow Alesha on Twitter @AleshaCorwin

When was the last time you stayed at a bed and breakfast (b&b) on your vacation? If the answer is never, I am about to introduce you to one of the most underutilized vacation resources. Otherwise, I am about to tell you how you can get the most out of your vacation, by asking a few simple questions.

What Is A Bed And Breakfast?

For those readers who know exactly what a Bed And Breakfast is, please skip this section. You may be surprised that not everyone knows why a Bed And Breakfast would be better than a hotel room.

In the very simplest of terms, a bed and breakfast proprietor is usually someone who bought a big house and converted it into a full service hotel.

Most bed and breakfasts have one-, two- or three-bedrooms for rent. All rooms have either a private bath, private hot tub or both. Most b&b’s have a big screen hdtv in their rooms, with DVD players and movies to watch.

Bed n Breakfast proprietors provide three meals per day - often provided by a chef, either in the guest’s room or in the dining room.

Pampered Like Royalty

For the average b&b guest, there is no reason to every leave the bed and breakfast to enjoy ones’ self. Many couples choose the b&b vacation, to lock themselves away from the world outside and to be pampered in the manner of royalty.

But other couples want to get out and explore the world around them, while on vacation.

As a general rule, the bed and breakfast proprietor has a finger on the pulse of tourism, to a greater degree than any other person involved in the tourism industry.

The big city-sponsored tourism websites tend to only highlight the big traffic attractions that will bring the most people to their town on vacation.

City-sponsored travel websites are more focused on bringing more tax dollars to their city, so they are not going to pay much attention to those private affairs where only a dozen or so guests are expected to attend.

Bed and breakfast proprietors on the other hand tend to keep an eye open for smaller events that their guests would enjoy. Since B&B guests typically want to be pampered, B&B owners network with other small business owners to find out about those under-the-radar events that they believe their guests will appreciate and enjoy.

Examples Of Under-The-Radar Festivities

Some of the larger Bed and Breakfast establishments will feature wine-tasting parties for local vineyards. Generally, the only way that you will hear about a wine-tasting party is to call the vineyard in question, or to ask your bed and breakfast host.

Local art studios are always looking for ways to get guests into the building to view their art. Often, art studios host a party to show off local artists or other art collections. Art museums can typically turn to the city-sponsored travel websites to get the word out about their showing, but the smaller venues typically need to network with locals to attract an audience. The local B&B proprietors are usually one of the first contacts on the art studio managers’ calling list.

Charity events are a frequent attraction, which pampers all who come to visit. Very likely, your b&b proprietor will be the first to know about upcoming charity events and the benefits that attendees will receive, if they attend.

Private tours are another tourist attraction that usually escape notice of the larger tourism destinations, which your bed and breakfast proprietor will know about. On a recent b&b excursion, my wife and I were told of a private tour of a local haunted house. We enjoyed the haunted house tour immensely. Of course, a midnight tromp through any big old house might be scary, if you had never been there before.

A friend recently attended a bed and breakfast in Texas, and his host pointed out that the local town was having a parade that day. Had his b&b host never told him, he would never had known. He and his wife said they very much enjoyed the parade and appreciated the recommendation.

Extra B&B Attractions

If you are into the cowboy experience, several bed and breakfasts around the country offer horseback riding to their guests. In the morning, the horses will be brought in from the stables to take as many guests as would like to go for a ride through the nearby countryside.

A bed and breakfast I had visited last year said that they held a fashion show one weekend of every month and invited us to attend. Of course, that is not my cup of tea, but others might find that very appealing. Of course, it should be noted that the reason I was at that b&b that weekend was to attend a seminar on a subject in which I am very interested.

Hands Down, Bed And Breakfast Always Beat Hotels

When vacationing, the bed and breakfast experience will always top the hotel experience. Since learning about Bed And Breakfasts and Vacation Home Rentals, I have given up on hotels entirely, except for those unique situations where the accommodation is only needed for a few hours sleep and a shower.

For a planned vacation, I choose between a Bed And Breakfast and a Vacation Home Rental.

When I am traveling only with my wife or by myself, I usually choose the Bed And Breakfast, so that we can be pampered like royalty during our stay.

When I take the whole family on vacation, I choose a Vacation Home Rental. When traveling with the kids, I have access to a full house, with many bedrooms and a fully stocked kitchen, for the length of my vacation.

Never again will I try to stuff my family of five into a cramped hotel room for a week or weekend. And never again will I increase the cost of my travel by having to take every meal in a restaurant. At the B&B, we are served our meals, and at the vacation home rental, we have a fully stocked kitchen enabling us to prepare all of our meals as if we were at home.

Improve Your Travel Experience - Ask Questions

So the next time you go on vacation, ask your bed and breakfast proprietor about those under-the-radar tourist travel ideas that only they will know about. You might be surprised to learn something new and exciting.

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Jeb Maxwell writes about travel, the Bed and Breakfast industry and the vacation rentals by owner industry. To find more info about B&B’s visit: http://www.findbnb.com/