Posted July 30, 2009 by Amy Westervelt
With its sand dunes, bike paths, and lobster rolls, Nantucket offers the quintessential American summer holiday. The bonus? Once you get there and pay for your hotel, everything you'll want to do is within a reasonable budget. Hit the beach, take in the island's natural beauty, and see lighthouses for free. And when hunger strikes, low-cost favorites like clam chowder, local bluefish, or lobster rolls will keep even the fussiest foodies happy.
Play
Biking: Bring or rent a bike and head out from Nantucket Town's center west along the Madaket Beach Trail to Dionis beach, known for its dunes and mild surf. In the late afternoon, hop back on your bike and pedal to the end of the trail for a spectacular sunset at Madaket Beach. Bikes are available for rent from Young's Bicycle Shop for $20 per day. Book online to get promotional deals.
Eat
Black-Eyed Susan's: For a sit-down meal, make like John Kerry and head to Black-Eyed Susan's (10 India St., Nantucket Town). Seafood is front-and-center on the menu at this popular and quirky bistro, but the chefs like to mix up the local bounty with global inspirations. Breakfast here is absolutely amazing, with options ranging from sourdough French toast with orange Jack Daniel's butter and pecans to large omelets stuffed with Portuguese sausage.
Stay
The Carlisle House Inn: Nantucket is overflowing with B&Bs, many of them very nice and most of them terribly expensive. The Carlisle House Inn offers the New England charm you'd expect with true value that is difficult to find. Its wood-burning fireplaces and canopy beds alone make it worth a stay; the fact that it's within walking distance to everything makes it an incredible deal. Room rates start at $165 a night in the high-season and include breakfast.
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(Photo: Olga Lyubkina/iStockPhoto.com)
Posted May 28, 2009 by Katie Blais
I am a recent Nantucket convert. As a born and raised New Englander, my family and I always ventured to Maine in the summer, the land of lobster and L.L. Bean, but recently I discovered Nantucket, (more specifically its big Figawi boat race over Memorial Day weekend, when the island turns into a big spring break party, preppy overload style with madras and critter pants galore). Regardless of my penchant for polo shirts and plaid, the island of Nantucket is gorgeous and I want to go back for a much more low-key weekend so I can bike the 14 miles of island, lie out on the beach, check out the whaling museum, and get my fill of seafood.
Thanks to JetBlue it might be a little easier to head back to the island. For the third year in a row JetBlue is starting up its Nantucket service. From now until September 8, starting at $79 one-way you can go nonstop from NYC or get super-easy connections via anywhere, from Chicago to Los Angeles. Fellow Bostonians like myself can book flights with JetBlue’s Cape Air service out of Logan (which also services Hyannis, Provincetown, and Martha’s Vineyard). It's a great idea for last-minute flight and long weekend getaways, and as a bonus you’ll beat that nasty Cape traffic!
What are you waiting for? Get your whale belts out, your Nantucket reds pressed, and hop on a flight.The summer is only so long!
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