There are good off-season reasons to holiday on the historic New England island haven of Nantucket.
Martha’s Vineyard has the Clintons and Hyannis Port has the Kennedy compound. But it’s Nantucket, another seaside retreat, 48km south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, that draws America’s new vice president, Joe Biden, for the Thanksgiving holiday year in, year out. Biden is onto something – while traditionally a summer retreat, Nantucket is at its best in the spring and autumn.
Ever since the 1920s, when a colony of actors treated the hamlet of Siasconset on Nantucket’s eastern shore (known by all as ’Sconset) as their personal playground, quietly wealthy Americans have been vacationing here. But the history of this tiny island – just 124sq km – goes much further back than that. Its heyday as a whaling port in the 17th and 18th centuries is maintained in the careful preservation and restoration of landmark buildings. The soda fountain at Nantucket Pharmacy still operates as a bustling lunch counter, and the old captains’ homes live on in their new roles as luxurious inns.
Today’s Nantucketers are mindful that their history is their lifeblood. A town ordinance calls for any newly constructed building to be covered in grey shingles, giving the island a uniform look that somehow escapes being twee. Although the “grey lady” effect does turn giving directions in Nantucket into a punchline: “Turn left at the grey shingled house” appears on manyA a bumper sticker and T-shirt.
The island is also big on natural conservation. By virtue of a two per cent real estate transfer fee, the Nantucket Islands Land Bank has acquired and protected around 40 per cent of the island’s land, most of it open to the public.
Like Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket is home to old money but, with the explosion of the housing market pre-2008, it has also seen the arrival of new millionaires. As business went upscale, locals worked hard to maintain the character of the island – and they have done an admirable job. With a refreshing lack of coffee and fast food chains, Nantucket is one of those places where you can’t help but side with the old-timers who wax lyrical about the way things used to be.
The best time to meet the locals is in the spring and autumn. Between Memorial and Labor Days (May 30 and the first Monday in September), the population of Nantucket swells from 10,000 to more than 40,000. Prices soar and tempers generally rise with the temperature and the number of cars on the road. Just ask a local cab driver or business owner. While their livelihood depends on the tourists, they are the first to tell you to come in the shoulder seasons, when traffic moves, locals relax, tables are available at the best restaurants, and the sun still warms the Atlantic enough for a quick dip. Visit off-season and you’ll not only save money, you’ll experience unique and casual New England hospitality.
Stay
The Cottages at the Boat Basin
24 Old South Wharf.
The Summer House
17 Ocean Avenue, Siasconset.
Shop
Antiques, scrimshaw (bone carving) and Nantucket Lightship Baskets abound, but browsing the boutiques yields more distinctive souvenirs.
Murray’s Toggery Shop
62 Main Street.
+1 508 228 0437.
Nantucket Natural Oils
5 Centre Street.
+1 800 223 8660 (Toll-free USA only).
Posh
18 Old South Wharf.
+1 508 228 6003.
Eat
In spring and autumn, take your pick of fine dining. Takeaway lobster dinners from The Nantucket Lobster Trap and AK Diamonds are a good bet if you’d rather picnic on the sand.
29 Fair – A Nantucket Bistro
29 Fair Street.
+1 508 228 7800.
Brant Point Grill
50 Easton Street.
+1 508 325 1320.
The Seagrille
45 Sparks Avenue.
+1 508 325 5700.
Drink
Top-shelf liquor and wine is easy to find, but don’t miss local beers Sankaty Light and Whale’s Tale Pale Ale (both Cisco Brewers).
The Atlantic Cafe
15 South Water Street.
+1 508 228 0570.
Brotherhood of Thieves
23 Broad Street.
+1 508 228 2551.
The Club Car
1 Main Street,
+1 508 228 1101.
See & Do
Stroll historic streets, hit the beach or go cycling.
Cisco Brewers
5 & 7 Bartlett Farm Road.
+1 508 325 5929.
Endeavor Sailing
Slip 1015, Straight Wharf.
+1 508 228 5585.
Whaling Museum
15 Broad Street.
+1 508 228 1894.
Source: Qantas The Australian Way March 2009