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chris del
07-31-2007, 1:18 PM
In August My wife and baby will be making the trip from Toronto Canada to see family in the Boston area. I though it would be nice to spend 1 or 2 nights of our vacation in Nantucket.
Can anyone give me advise on where to stay, where to eat. what to see??? How does one evev get to Nantucket? I assume a fairy ride? How long a trip is it? Cost?

Thanks in advance!

Chris

Bob Moyer
07-31-2007, 1:24 PM
Chris,

Here is a great place to start

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g29527-Nantucket_Massachusetts-Vacations.html

http://web3.steamshipauthority.com/ssa/

http://www.oldedartmouth.com/daytrips/theislands.asp

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/nantucket/0110010002.html

David G Baker
07-31-2007, 1:35 PM
I would be careful riding a fairy and stick to riding a ferry, you will get to where you are going much faster.
(SORRY, I COULDN'T RESIST) I will stand in the corner now and go to bed with out dinner.

Rob Russell
07-31-2007, 5:07 PM
Wow ... where to start?

LOML and I used to spend time on Nantucket every year. Starting in the late 80's (1988 or 1989) through 1997, we went every September. We love it - the last tie we wre out there it was for 3 weeks from mid-Sept through the 1st week of Oct.

Talking with some folks, the island has changed - money has torn down a bunch of the quaint places and built larger vacation homes.

There are 2 ways to get to Nantucket:
- ferry (and several choices - high speed=1 hr/slow = 2.5 hours)
- fly

Do you want to take a car out because of the baby stuff? If so, it's $360 for the ferry and you are stuck on the slow boat. Reservations are a must and by this time, most sailings are sold out. If you really want to take your car, you'll need to check with the Steamship Authority to see when you can get your car over and schedule accordingly (can do that online).

If you can pack all the stuff you need for the baby and rent a car on the island (best way to see all the different parts of the island and be able to spend time where you want to), that will be cheaper. Ferries typically sail from Hyannis. Passenger tickets are about $30 for the slow boat and $60 for the high-speed. That means driving down to Hyannis and parking your car ($5-10/day). You can fly from Boston to Hyannis for $266/person. It's about a 1 1/4 hour flight.

I'd stay at one of the B&B's. The Jared Coffin is right downtown near much to walk to and very nice, also pricey, but has the charm and ambience of an old Nantucket Inn. If you go, have lunch at The Brotherhood and try their cheddar cheese soup. The places out there have New England Clam Chowder contests and hotly debate whose is best.

August will be a very busy time out there. If you're going, I'd fly or sail, rent a car for 1 day to get around to all the differents spots. Traffic downtown will be bad - you'll want to walk.

You can easily spend $1000 to go out for a couple of nights with transportation. If you go, I would spend 2 nights. That way you'll have a better chance to see some of the historical things like the whaling museum and other aspects of Nantucket's heritage.

We loved Nantucket and miss our trips out there.

Rob

Tim Morton
07-31-2007, 8:20 PM
In August My wife and baby will be making the trip from Toronto Canada to see family in the Boston area. I though it would be nice to spend 1 or 2 nights of our vacation in Nantucket.
Can anyone give me advise on where to stay, where to eat. what to see??? How does one evev get to Nantucket? I assume a fairy ride? How long a trip is it? Cost?

Thanks in advance!

Chris

If you have never been to the cape, then I might suggest going to the cape this year, and then if you fall in love you could then make reservations next year to go out to Nantucket. IMO the Cape is a better first time visit and gives you a great ocean weekend. And with the baby it would be for me more relaxing knowing you are an hour from boston at any time instead of being stuck on Nantucket if anything happened. a night in Nantucket will run you more than $500 in august, compared to $250 in the cape.

chris del
08-01-2007, 12:37 PM
Gentleman. Thanks for all 4 of you that took the time to give me some good advise.
The links from Bob were helpfull, and helped me realize how pricey Nantucket is!!!!! I think we may plan on staying 2 nights on the cape somewhere, and maybe make a day trip by ferry to Marthas Vineyard.

Regards,

Chris

Bob Moyer
08-01-2007, 12:55 PM
Chris,

You may want to check out this B&B, near Woods Hole and I believe they are infant friendly.

http://www.woodsholepassage.com/

Greg Cuetara
08-01-2007, 10:13 PM
Chris,
I was going to suggest that if you really want to go out to an island you head over to Martha's Vineyard. Overall you will get an island experience but at less than half the cost. I finally made my way over to Nantucket this year and it was nice just much more expensive than the Vineyard. I have been down to MV for the past 5 or 6 years every summer for a week...finally decided to change it up and went over to Nantucket this summer. I think Tim is right though about just staying on the cape. There is a lot to do and lots to see while still on land with your car. The cape cod baseball league has some great games (pretty much the best collegiate baseball players are asked to come to the cape and play ball during the summer) You could also make your way out to P-Town...I have heard it is a beautiful area. Also just taking a walk along the cape cod canal and watching the boats can be fun.

If you do want to head over to MV for a day there are a few ferries out of downtown Falmouth, MA which go right over...a little easier to get into and out of than the steamship authority and a little quicker also..check out the Martha's Vineyard homepage....there are busses all over the place and they are easy to take.

good luck and have fun,
greg

Rob Russell
08-02-2007, 6:58 AM
Our last season out on Nantucket, we took the ferry over the MV for the day and spent the day driving around and checking out MV.

IMO, the 2 islands are rather different. with very distinct characters. MV is clearly larger and more like being on the Cape. Nantucket is much more quaint, has a slower pace and has more of a the nautical/old whaling feel to it.

Doyle Alley
08-02-2007, 6:38 PM
I hear it is a great place to learn a few limericks.

Carl Eyman
08-02-2007, 8:12 PM
To paraphrase Commodore Vanderbilt when asked how much a yacht cost "If you have to ask the cost you can't afford it." I think the same applies to Nantucket.

You might run into his "Normness" there, though.

Craig D Peltier
08-03-2007, 11:29 AM
Gentleman. Thanks for all 4 of you that took the time to give me some good advise.
The links from Bob were helpfull, and helped me realize how pricey Nantucket is!!!!! I think we may plan on staying 2 nights on the cape somewhere, and maybe make a day trip by ferry to Marthas Vineyard.

Regards,

Chris

I worked on the fairy , oops mean ferry to Marthas Vineyard for several years.
Theres also a great B&B across from the carousel (maybe thats where the fairy is:D ) in Oaks Bluff. IMO this is the best town.They have shopping, eating etc, a carousel,arcade, beach and the gingerbread houses, Vineyard haven where some of the boats come in is a dry town an not much going on.
Edgartown is nice but its realy just a few restaurants and hotels.

Wow good cloudy memories of that island!
I do remember gas being the prices they are today in MV about 12 years ago!