Nantucket has plenty of great things to offer for the whole family, even in the off-season.
My family and I were recently invited to stay for a weekend on Nantucket Island. The island, just off the coast of Cape Cod is 14 miles long and 3.5 miles wide, and is a popular summer destination that has lots to offer during the colder months, too. The entire island was designated a historic district in 1966, and you feel transported to historic times the instant you set foot on the island.
After about a four and a half hour drive from our apartment in Queens, we arrived at the port in Hyannis. There we were able to check our bags and board the ship to Nantucket. The ride is about an hour long from Hyannis, but there’s a lovely view of the water and an opportunity to have some real fun on board. Our son had a great time “playing pirates” for the duration of the trip.
The outside of the Nanticket Hotel and Resort
The Nantucket Hotel
We were greeted at the dock by an employee of the Nantucket Hotel and taken via car to check in. Upon arrival my son immediately took notice of the vintage fire truck and bus parked outside. We were assured we would be able to take a ride at a later time.
My first impression of the Nantucket Hotel was that it was very family friendly. In the lobby there are board games, books, and DVD’s that guests can borrow and return at their leisure. There are also couches and chairs set up to feel like a cozy living room right in the lobby. The rooms are set up like mini-apartments with cozy décor and full kitchens. We immediately felt right at home.
There is also a restaurant right on site, Breeze, which was delicious and has a pretty sophisticated and equally delicious kids’ menu.
Eli playing with toys at the Kids Club
The Kids’ Club
In addition to appearing family-friendly, the Nantucket Hotel really does a great job of providing kids and families all the amenities they may need with the Nantucket Club. The Kids’ Club is right on site and there, local kids as well as visitors can play for a few hours in the morning, all while being supervised by counselors.
The kids program runs year-round, but extends to serve older children during the summer months. The evening program is also open during the summer months on a drop-in basis.
The Club also provides guests and members a gym membership and it is far and away the best hotel gym I have ever seen. I was able to squeeze in a quick workout while my son played in The Kids’ Club just steps away.
It also provided us with all the accouterments for making s’mores, which we roasted outside on a fire pit our second night there.
They day we left, the hotel manager, Jamie, took us to the port on the vintage fire truck. It was so fun and my son really had a blast riding on top in the open air. It didn’t even matter that it was cold.
The Brant Point Lighthouse
Getting Outside
The beaches were empty but just as beautiful in the cold weather as I imagine they are in the warmer months. We collected seashells and ran around on the beach in our jackets and boots. My son loved getting up close Brant Point Lighthouse and really enjoyed learning about its purpose. We did come in via ferry after all…. We then took a short car ride to Madaket Beach and once we got past the cobble stone streets I was surprised to see the sprawling farm land.
Despite it being the off-season many business and restaurants were open. We dined at The Brotherhood of Thieves, which was packed even in the off-season. It was also great being able to take advantage of the off-season sales. Many shops had their entire inventory marked 50 percent off or more! Even with the majority of the shops closed, it was delightful to walk around taking in the history and culture of Nantucket.
We can’t wait to visit in the summer!
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