The ferry across the mouth of Delaware Bay to Cape May, New Jersey, takes about eighty minutes and is a destination in itself. The terminal is north of town on the Lewes side of the canal. You can put your car on, or you can walk on as a foot passenger — Cape May is walkable from the New Jersey terminal via a connecting shuttle. Either way, the boat has a bar, an outdoor sundeck, and reliable views of bay traffic, lighthouses, and seabirds.
Crossings run year-round but most often in summer; fares are higher for vehicles than for pedestrians. Book ahead in July and August or you will wait an hour for the next sailing. For a day trip from Lewes, you can leave on the morning boat, eat lunch in Cape May, and be back in time for dinner.