Cape May or Philadelphia?

Cape May has the beach on its doorstep: a continuous strip of lifeguarded sand along the promenade, quieter stretches at the Point, and Cape May diamonds to hunt for at Sunset Beach on the bay. In summer you can walk from your room to the water.

Philadelphia has no swimming of its own. A beach day means a drive to the Jersey Shore, Cape May included, through heavy weekend traffic. That makes the sea an occasional summer outing rather than a daily habit.

Philadelphia is the better place to eat. It has its own repertoire of cheesesteaks, roast pork sandwiches and hoagies, two great markets in Reading Terminal and the Italian Market, and bring-your-own-wine dining rooms across East Passyunk and Fishtown, with cooking that runs from Vietnamese to modern American.

Cape May's strength is narrower: scallops, flounder and oysters from its own fishing fleet, eaten at dockside shacks or in Victorian dining rooms, and long breakfasts on the porch. Beyond the seafood, the choice thins out to fudge and ice cream, and in winter many kitchens close.

Philadelphia offers days of serious sightseeing. There are Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the Georgian streets of Society Hill, the Impressionists at the Barnes Foundation, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the ruined cellblocks of Eastern State Penitentiary.

In Cape May the culture is the townscape itself: a whole landmark district of gingerbread cottages and hotels with long porches, plus the Emlen Physick Estate and the lighthouse climb. It is lovely to stroll or tour by trolley, but a day or two covers it.

Neither is a clubbing destination, but Philadelphia gives you a proper night out. There are warehouse bars and craft-beer halls in Fishtown, cocktails around Rittenhouse Square, the long-established Gayborhood, and a student crowd that keeps weekends busy.

In Cape May an evening means a cover band in a hotel bar or a drink near the pedestrian mall, and most people are in bed by midnight. If you want a louder night, you have to drive to the Wildwoods.

Cape May has the more distinctive outdoors. Sitting at the tip of a peninsula makes it one of North America's great bird-migration sites, with hawks and monarchs pouring through Higbee Beach in autumn, and in summer the harbour boats are close to certain to find dolphins. The land is entirely flat, so the activities are marsh boardwalks, kayaking and cycling.

Philadelphia's green side is a good asset for a city rather than a reason to visit. It has the wooded Wissahickon gorge, the Schuylkill River Trail running out towards Valley Forge, and the Poconos at the edge of a day's reach for proper hiking.

Philadelphia sits on the Northeast rail corridor, so New York, Baltimore and Washington all make easy days out by train. Lancaster County's Amish country, Valley Forge and Longwood Gardens are all close, and Cape May itself is one of its outings.

From Cape May the choice is smaller and mostly needs a car. There are the Wildwoods' boardwalk, Atlantic City, and the pleasant ferry across Delaware Bay to colonial Lewes. Philadelphia can be done from Cape May, but it makes a long and tiring day.

Both work well with children, but in different ways. Cape May is a beach-and-bike vacation, with lifeguarded sand, surrey rides on the promenade, crabbing on the bay, dolphin boats and a free county zoo up the road, though some B&Bs in the historic district do not take small children.

Philadelphia is a museum vacation. There are the giant walk-through heart at the Franklin Institute, the Please Touch Museum for under-eights, dinosaurs at the Academy of Natural Sciences and the country's oldest zoo. It copes better with rainy days and children curious about history, while Cape May is simpler for toddlers who just want sand.

Philadelphia is easier both to reach and to move around. Center City's flat grid puts Old City, Rittenhouse Square and the museums on the Parkway within walking distance, and SEPTA's subway, regional rail and airport train cover the rest, even if they are a little rough.

Once you arrive, Cape May is simple on foot or by bike, because the historic district, the promenade and the Washington Street Mall are close together. But there is no passenger rail, parking is a headache, and the Point, the zoo and the wineries all need a car.

Philadelphia has the more substantial shopping: national brands and boutiques on Walnut Street, independent shops in Old City and Fishtown, the old diamond trade of Jewelers' Row, the huge King of Prussia mall half an hour out, and no sales tax on clothing. Cape May offers a pleasant browse along the three blocks of the Washington Street Mall, through bookshops, antique dealers and taffy shops, which fills a wet afternoon and not much more.

Neither is cheap, but Philadelphia makes a budget go further. The founding sights are free, a cheesesteak makes a filling lunch, and bringing your own wine to dinner keeps the bill down.

A summer stay in Cape May costs more, with premium B&B rates, minimum stays, beach tags and paid parking. Coming in spring or autumn, or staying in the Wildwoods, brings the cost down.

Philadelphia is far ahead. It has the Philadelphia Orchestra on the Avenue of the Arts, opera and ballet at the Academy of Music, which dates from 1857, recitals by Curtis Institute students, the Walnut Street Theatre, and small jazz clubs that keep the city's soul history alive.

Cape May's offering is modest but suits the town: a professional theatre company in a converted church, historic American drama, a long-running chamber music festival in late spring and summer concerts in Convention Hall.

Cape May is the more restful place, as long as you avoid summer weekends: rocking chairs on the porch, afternoon tea in guesthouse parlours, slow bike rides, sunsets watched from the bay and a few hotel day spas. Philadelphia is quicker and gruffer, and rest there means a hotel spa, a Korean-style bathhouse in the suburbs or a quiet hour in the Wissahickon gorge. Neither has a bathing tradition of its own.