Nantucket

6.16.2023 – 6.19.2023 || Nantucket | Massachusetts

Nantucket is about a 90 minute direct flight from Washington, DC which is one reason why it has been on my list for a long weekend trip. Three nights and two full days was just enough time to get a feel for Nantucket but not enough time to fully explore the island or relax at one of the many beaches. I planned our itinerary around restaurants and things that I read about in Elin Hilderbrand’s books. Check out where we stayed, what we did, and where we ate in Nantucket.

Where we Stayed:

We picked 21 Broad for it’s central location in town and it’s proximity to the shops, restaurants, the wharf, Jetties beach, and more. It felt like staying at someone’s modern beach house without having to share a bathroom. We enjoyed sitting on the front porch and the rotating breakfast spread each morning.

What we Did:

On Saturday, we explored downtown by the wharf and surrounding streets. There are many boutiques, gift shops, restaurants, and sights to see. The gray shingles, cobblestone streets, and gorgeous hydrangea bushes and roses are truly Nantucket.

After exploring downtown and with shopping bags in tow, we walked down Beach Street about a mile to Jetties Beach for lunch at Sandbar. It was raining so the main event was lunch at the beach. Even in the rain we got a feel for the expansive beach and sand dunes.

After lunch we took a different route back to downtown via Hulbert Avenue and headed for Brant Point Lighthouse. It was an overcast day but people were out surf-casting or just taking in the views.

On Sunday, we took the Wave bus from downtown to Siasconset. The bus ride was $3 a person one way and took about 20 minutes. We headed to the ‘Sconset bluff walk which essentially is a footpath that runs through backyards and offers scenic views of the ocean. The sky was threatening to rain again, but we managed to get to the Sankaty Lighthouse at the end of the path and back to town in a little over an hour. Pictured below are my favorite houses in town and along the path.

After the bluff walk we took the Wave bus back downtown and got in line for the free shuttle to Cisco Brewers, a Nantucket based brewery that has live music and food trucks. This was THE place to be on a Sunday but fortunately we got there early to get a seat. We enjoyed a few hours there before heading back to 21 Broad.

Elin Hilderbrand’s newest book, The Five-Star Weekend, was released a few days before our trip. She was off island on her book tour while we were in Nantucket, however, I came across a signed a copy at Mitchell’s Book Corner. This is the epitome of a Nantucket souvenir! Reading a signed copy of the book while sitting on a porch in Nantucket was pretty sweet.

Our last morning in Nantucket was nearly a bluebird day so we took one more opportunity to walk around downtown and the wharf before heading to the airport.

Where we Ate and Grabbed Drinks:

In order from morning through evening

Born & Bread – we initially went here for coffee before we realized that 21 Broad served great coffee. While we were there we had to try their signature sourdough bread. They aren’t wrong when they say “eat good bread”, the avocado toast was a great way to start the day unless you stay at 21 Broad and have access to their breakfast spread.

Sandbar – located at Jetties Beach, is a great spot for a casual lunch at the beach. We enjoyed some oysters, a lobster roll, and a grilled fish sandwich (not pictured).

The Juice Bar – despite the name, this is THE place to get ice cream in Nantucket. Be prepared to wait in a line that wraps around the block. Luckily we didn’t have to wait too long mid-afternoon to grab a freshly made juice and pistachio ice cream.

Cisco Brewers – we arrived a few minutes before they opened and had no problem grabbing a prime spot in the shade at one of the bars near the stage. We grabbed guacamole and halibut ceviche from the 167 Raw stand and sampled some of the Cisco beers, frosé, and a painkiller (their version of a piña colada). There were 4-5 food truck options and stands to purchase beer, wine, and cocktails throughout the main courtyard area. Most people gravitated to the live music after grabbing something to eat and drink.

Sister Ship – located at the Faraway hotel, this was a great spot for happy hour and people watching on Friday night after checking into 21 Broad.

Languedoc Bistro – located across the street from 21 Broad. A long-time go-to French restaurant was a perfect start to the weekend with oysters and lobster. They serve bread with chunks of roasted garlic that comes from a bakery in Connecticut. I need to find that bakery! Overall, a homey vibe good for date night or a family meal. To top it off, the service was great too.

Cru – located at the Straight Wharf. Cru has a prime spot right on the water at the harbor. I had high expectations for Cru after reading Elin Hilderbrand’s books and was not disappointed one bit. We ate in the stylish dining area next to the bar and had great views of the water and everyone coming and going. The oysters and shrimp from the raw bar were a perfect start to the meal before enjoying halibut and lobster diavolo. The service was great which also helped to make it a really memorable experience.

Brant Point Grill – located at the White Elephant, overlooking Children’s Beach and the harbor. I wanted to love this but it fell short for a few reasons. The food was good, the star of my meal was the tomato panzanella salad with burrata. I may be a tough critic after our trip to Italy, but the lobster ravioli special was on the heavy side and had too much going on.

The ambience was lacking. We were sitting on patio furniture in an enclosed patio with plastic sides. Instead of harbor views, we had a view of workers disassembling a tent and dance floor from a wedding the night before. The service was also lacking as they brought our entrees out while we were still eating our appetizers. I would skip Brant Point Grill.

That is a wrap for how we spent three nights and two days in Nantucket. Overall, it was easy to get there, easy to get around, and easy to find something to do. The hardest decision is where to eat as there are so many options and limited time.

Question: What is your favorite way to spend a day, a long weekend, or a week in Nantucket?