Hailed as "A Top 100 Event in North America," the 37th annual Victorian Week is Cape May's 10-day extravaganza of tours and events that celebrate the Victorian lifestyle.

There are Victorian dinners and fashion shows and plays and house tours and lectures.

The bed and breakfast inns fill up and the restaurants book up. Clearly, there are many people who are very interested in how things were done in the past. Some folks even dress the part.

It doesn't hurt that October is just about the most beautiful month of the year at the Jersey shore - blue skies and sea, white sand and peace and quiet.

Are these visitors really interested in Victoriana or are they really interested in the wonderful October weather?

One thing's for sure - with all the Victorian festivities, make sure you fit in at least one house tour or lecture or fashion show, along with all those lovely beach walks and long lunches and bike rides to the Lighthouse.