Day Tripper | A New Way to Explore Cape May
Revolution Rail repurposes old railroad tracks to take guests on adventures through nature in Cape May
“ADVENTURE is out there!”
This iconic line from the Disney and Pixar blockbuster, Up, may have been proclaimed by (spoiler alert) the story’s villain, but he does kind of have a point.
There’s always an opportunity for an adventure in life – you just have to be willing to find it.
Or, in this case, let the team at Ocean City Magazine give you a little bit of help. And that’s just what we did in this issue, finding a new adventure out in nature, perfect for these crisp, cool autumn days.
It’s not every day you can find a new way to encounter nature.
But in nearby Cape May, there is a unique experience that gives visitors views that can only be seen from a very specific medium.
And no, I’m not talking about hooking a billion helium balloons to your house so you can float over to Paradise Falls – that would be very cool, but ridiculous. Instead, enter Revolution Rail Company, a railbike company that uses orphaned railroad tracks to show off parts of nature that would normally remain unseen.
“The part of the island you see on a RevRail tour, you can’t see any other way,” Jake Cuomo, general manager of Revolution Rail, said. “They go directly through the salt marsh. You cant see these parts of Cape May unless you take the tour.” The railroad tracks hes referencing lead to the swing bridge over the canal which was damaged during Hurricane Sandy and never repaired. The tracks were previously used for things like the Santa Express and Valentine’s Dinner – but between the mid-2010s and 2020, they were out of commission.
Now, if you’re anything like me, you’re wondering how exactly a railbike works. While it does invoke similarities to your standard four-person surrey, it actually couldn’t be more different.
“No, it’s much casier than that!” Jake said when asked if it was as similar to pedal as a surrey on the Boardwalk. “The bikes are very lightweight. They re mostly aluminum, they re geared to be approachable by people of all ages. The tracks are pretty flat, not a lot of grade at all!”
Oh, and when Jake says they’re meant for people of all ages, he really means people of all ages.
“Were very family friendly, no age restrictions whatsoever” he explained. “We had a two-week-old in a BabyBjorn, and last summer we had a 100-year-old woman. When I say zero age restrictions, I mean zero age restrictions.”
The tour begins at the rail station located behind the Welcome Center at 609 Lafayette Street. Bikers are given the opportunity to use a two-person bike for $90 or a four-person bike for $170.
Price is per bike, not per person. The tour is four miles round trip with a few stops along the way. The tracks end at the Cape May Canal and the tour guides talk a little bit about World War II and the history of the area, including, of course, some history of the railroad tracks themselves. The other noteworthy spot is the Garrett Family Preserve where riders are given the chance to walk around and learn about the wildlife in Cape May, specifically what makes this area so special in terms of bird and butterfly migration.
Adventurers are invited to bring picnic baskets with snacks and drinks – yes, even canned cocktails can be enjoyed along the route. The only rule is no glass bottles.
From soup to nuts the whole journey takes about 90 minutes. The tour can be booked online at revrail.com.
There are standard tours that run throughout the day every two hours or so, but they also offer twilight tours and full moon tours, too. For the full moon tours they light up the bikes and pedal out of the station at 9pm and head out to the canal.
“We watched the moon rise, that was really great,” Jake recalled. “For that tour we do stuff a little different. We talk about the Jersey Devil and pirates.
We spend probably an hour at the canal roasting s’mores, telling stories and watching the moon go up.”
It really is a unique experience and it’s only a short drive down to the Cape. In fact, the originality of the adventure is what Jake likes best.
“I’s such a unique activity for people to do,” he said. “I’m passionate about showing people a good time, showcasing the area. That’s what drives me.
Being able to do that for our guests.”
So, next time youre thinking about hiking your comfort trail and seeing a sight you’ve seen a thousand times, consider seeing something you’ve never seen before. Check out Revolution Rail – they’re the only activity like it in the state and it runs through a part of the county you’ve likely only seen in pictures.
And let’s face it: It’s a heck of a lot easier than finding enough helium and balloons to turn your house into an aerial ship. So, as Ellie Fredericks said in a posthumous note to her husband Carl from Up, “Thanks for the adventure, now go have a new one.”
For more information visit RevRail. com and follow them on social media @RevRailCo.
By Anthony J. Mazziotti III