With so much focus on the latest trends in shopping, restaurants, physical fitness and overall entertainment, Nantucket visitors can be tempted to search for ways to fill every moment of their time on island with activities. There is no shortage of options for young and old alike…an art class at Nantucket Artists Association, a Pilates class at Core Nantucket, lunch on the deck at Toppers Restaurant and then a social meet up at Cisco Brewery. All capped off with a family picnic at Ladies Beach followed by a stop at 3-WAY Scoops for ice cream for everyone before bedtime.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m an overzealous planner extraordinaire. I love a jam packed itinerary when I travel as much as my fellow sojourners. Nantucket has no shortage of places, people, food and organizations to leave our guests wishing they’d booked more time here. But (stay with me here), I would like to suggest that the very best things about Nantucket – the ones that will steal your heart and leave you reminiscing about this Grey Lady long after you’re gone, are the ones that are not on any community calendar and are FREE!
Make your way into downtown as the island is just waking up on any given morning. Slide onto a bench on Easy Street with your hot cup of coffee from Island Coffee and don’t move. I dare say you won’t be there long before Otis Redding’s lyrics about the “dock of the bay” will be playing in your head. There’s just something about watching the first ferries pull into the harbor and the water lazily lapping against the docks that makes you feel calm, introspective and one with the island. You will be tempted to stay put “until the evenin’ comes.”
On a different day, set your alarm bright and early, grab some sleepy loved ones and the family dog and head to Sconset Beach. A soft beach blanket, a thermos of your favorite hot beverage and hushed whispers as you wait expectantly for Madame Sunshine to pop her head up over the horizon. The experience takes my breath away every time. Knowing we’re some of the first people in the country to witness this extravaganza every day is simply the icing on the cake. If you’re still in need of just a little more “Nantucket wow factor” by days end, head to the sand in Madaket with that same beach blanket. Settle in to bookend your day by watching the sun that kickstarted your morning, leave you speechless as it dips into the water and paints a masterpiece across the south shore sky. Stick around a bit longer and encourage your friends or family to lie prone on the blanket with you and watch the stars begin to come alive in the Nantucket night sky. As you watch one fall, you can make a wish if you like, but by this point you may have just concluded the island has made all your wishes come true already.
Reach out and let us know your plans for maximizing your time on Nantucket this season. If you spot me on a bench with my earbuds in this Summer, it’s a good bet I’ve got Otis reminding me there’s no such thing as “wastin time” on Nantucket Island.