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CAPITAL REGION LIVING | DECEMBER 2016 | 3938 | DECEMBER 2016 | CAPITAL REGION LIVING

Nantucket is the conver-gence of sky, sea and land.The Nantucket Inn is theconvergence of family, funand casual sophistication.

You can get there from hereI am puzzled by the answers I have been

given to my nearly constant question abouttraveling to Nantucket from the CapitalRegion. Have you been? I ask. I would sayseven out of ten people I query say no. Yes,this is quite an unscientific poll yet it is a qual-ified one, as I only ask the folks who I knowlove to travel. If you are one of the individualsanswering no, you need to go.

The trip involves a drive to the ferry. Iwent from Hyannis on Hy-Line Hyannis (high-speed catamaran) but in the summer months,you can chose from a wider range of locationsfrom Harwich port on Freedom Cruise Line, on

a slower ship from Hyannis with the SteamshipAuthority, from Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyardon Hy-Line, from New Bedford on Seastreak,or from Woods Hole. The higher speed shiptakes about an hour to cross into Nantucketand is quite a comfortable fast journey, sowhat are you waiting for? There are also sev-eral major air carriers now going to Nantucket.

The summer months are a bit crazy on theisland and, honestly, planning a trip fromSeptember on into the winter months (the cli-mate is a mild one compared to ours) and anytime before school dismisses for the summerbreak allows you to avoid the crowded streets.The little island’s population swells by as muchas six times annually in summer and this pastseason was even more than six times. I cannotimagine the population larger than what I wit-nessed during the summer.

By going to Nantucket “off season,” youcan also avoid the hotel and inn minimums.True, you may sacrifice a seasonal restaurant

or two but, believe me, there are plenty ofexcellent choices still available.

What to do once on IslandNantucket is very old and the charm of

the island is, in part, because of tiny often cob-blestone streets.

The Nantucket Whaling Museum was ahighlight for me. The museum is of coursededicated to the history of whaling. It is run bythe Nantucket Historical Association and thishistorical association should be the model ofall others throughout the country. It isinvolved, dedicated and committed to inhabi-tants and visitors alike.

The museum offers visitors the opportu-nity to see a film written and produced byEmmy award-winner Ric Burns that I wouldhave paid for in the theater. It is that good! Itchronicles the effervescence of Nantucket’shistory. I certainly knew nothing of the island’spast. The film covers the original Wampanoag

Native American population and early Quakerculture to its international significance as thewhaling capital of the world and to today’srebirth as an art and resort colony.Unpretentious Nantucket during its whalingdays was the center of the universe. Do notleave this wonderful museum without seeingthe harbor views from the upper deck andstopping by its gift shop.

Three of Nantucket lighthouses wereoriginally built as directional tools. While wedo not need these navigation tools any longer,they are wonderful to see and photograph.Brant Point, Great Point and Sankaty HeadLighthouse are still standing gracefully, havingseen so much tragedy from the whaling days.Their locations offer exceptional views of themoors and the Atlantic Ocean.

Boating, fishing and water sports areplentiful with fishing excursions, beaches toromp on and sports of all varieties.

Nantucket by bus, bike, water, or on footwith an islander on hand to guide you is won-derfully entertaining. Whale sighting ships areaccessible to see the majestic creatures upfront and personal. Theater, film, music andnightlife for the adults and endless healthyoptions for the kids in the family also are avail-able to you.

Architecturally, Nantucket is so unique. Ichallenge anyone not to fall in love with thecolors and shapes of the houses along Vestal,Broadway and the Union Street area.

Island dining varies from fine dining tocasual and take-out, to wonderful bakeriesand gourmet markets for your beach picnicneeds. Dining on the beach is always extraor-dinary and the one of-a-kind sunsets even getwild applause each night. There seems to be a

fine dining restaurant on every street in down-town Nantucket, making the island a destina-tion for people who love food. A few of theisland's fine dining restaurants are open year-round, offering culinary treats during the deepwinter months, but most are certainly open forNantucket Daffodil Festival Weekend andclose between Columbus Day and theChristmas Stroll.

The holidays on Nantucket beginThanksgiving weekend with the annualChristmas Tree Lighting of more than 150 treesso the island is in full holiday spirit byDecember. You can also ring in the New Yearon the beautiful island with family activities,restaurant events, comedy shows, pajamabrunches and an unforgettable ball, all takingplace December 30, 2016 through January 2,2017.

The Nantucket Hotel & Resort is locatedin-town and within walking distance of beach-es, shopping, restaurants, and the harbor. Ittruly has to be one of the most family-friendlyhotels that I have ever seen yet it is elegant inevery way. The property was originally built inthe late 1800s but renovated entirely in 2012by the current owners. The rooms are seasidechic, soothing to the senses with wonderfulNantucket style. Our suite had a reader’s nookwith glorious views, a large living room withnicely appointed kitchen, and king bed with alarge whale pillow extending the width of thebed. There were burlap trunks and great stor-age for extended stays (who would want toleave?), a large bathroom with deep soakingtub and an enormous shower. The room wasperfect in design and functionality while beingdrop-dead gorgeous.

While I was unable to have dinner at the

resort, I did have amazing breakfasts that wereright out of the Mediterranean handbook onfabulous healthy breakfasts. As you can right-ly imagine, I also sipped cocktails on the wrap-around porch next to the porch fire pits. Boththe cocktail and the wine list were excellent.

The Nantucket Club at the Resort is a fit-ness and spa facility that offers yoga and vari-ous fitness classes; for the warmer weather,there are two seasonal, heated swimmingpools, an outdoor hot tub, and saunas. Thechildren even have their own pool and pro-grams.

If it is true that location is everything,then the Nantucket Hotel & Resort is every-thing and then some. Walk anywhere, whetherto local restaurants, historical sites or shop-ping, or simply stroll up and down streets thatyou will never forget and will hold dear in yourmemory for years to come.

Hint: Christmas time is an excellent timeto go. Like Nantucket itself, there are many“holiday happenings” at the Resort. Theseinclude the Christmas Stroll Weekend Special –December 1-4; a Post-Christmas Stroll & Pre-Holiday Shopping Special – December 5-18;“Season of Whimsy” Christmas & DecemberSchool Vacation Special – December 19-30;New Year’s Eve Disco Ball and Children &Teens Event Specials – December 30-January2. Do you love Elin Hilerbrand books? Therewill be a special three-day weekend withauthor on her hometown island of beautifulNantucket from January 13-16. Elin will giveyou an escorted tour of the island, as well as abook signing and wine and cheese party at TheNantucket Inn. Activities and meals are pack-aged for your convenience, as well.

Nantucket‘On island’ off season

NBy Vikki Moran

The Grateful Traveler

Photo credit: Nantucket Insider