The next leg of our honeymoon was spent on Nantucket and what an amazing time it was. Originally we were only supposed to be there for three days, but ended up staying for five. In hindsight, we probably would have enjoyed spending our entire honeymoon on Nantucket. We absolutely loved our time there and are counting down the days until we can go back and visit.
The day we arrived in Nantucket was a long day of travel. We got up early and started our drive from Maine, taking the back roads and enjoying our drive. We eventually hopped on the ferry in New Bedford, Massachusetts. By the time we were waiting to board the boat, I was basically bouncing with excitement. While the ferry was a bit rough because of weather, the minute we got there any thought of a rough ride had left our minds. We quickly scuttled off of the ferry, retrieved our luggage and made the short walk to our Inn.
We were so excited for our first evening in Nantucket and couldn’t wait to explore this adorable new place. We set off for our first meal, hoping for something casual and easy. We found ourselves at The Rose & Crown, sitting by an open window that looked out on one of the main streets of Nantucket. We ate yummy burgers, watched the hoards of people as they walked by and listening to live music. While we were both tired, we were also so excited and spent the rest of the evening exploring the downtown area. Stopping into shops, admiring the sunset and really just taking it all in.
The next morning we slept in for the first time during our honeymoon and headed out for brunch. After wandering around for a bit we decided on Lemon Press, even though it was a bit busy. We luckily walked in right as two seats at the bar opened up. We spent brunch talking and joking and enjoying delicious, somewhat healthy food. We ate up every little last bite and couldn’t help but wishing we could transport this little restaurant home with us.
We spent the rest of the morning wandering through town and the local farmer’s market. We stopped and ogled at beautiful jewelry stands and and took in the amazing brushstrokes of local artists. We eventually found ourselves down closer to the peer popping in and out of the local gift shops. Picking up little trinkets for family.
That afternoon we were scheduled for an adventure that I had been thoroughly looking forward to: sailing. I grew up boating, but had never actually been sailing. I was excited to see Nantucket from a different viewpoint. We boarded the boat along with the others that were booked for the same time as us and headed out. It was windier and choppier than any of us could have predicted. We splashed through the waves and ended up getting soaked by the end of the ride because we chose to sit up front. Nevertheless, it was a sunny day and we were on the water, taking in the picturesque sites of Nantucket.
After spending the early evening drying off and warming up a bit, it was again time for dinner. We had actually made reservations ahead of time and were grateful we did. We walked just a couple of blocks down the road for our dinner at The Boarding House. We drank crisp and refreshing wine and dined on perfectly prepared seafood. The night was only made better by ending it with a trip to The Juice Bar. Of all of the guides, blogs and articles I had read about Nantucket, a trip to The Juice Bar was listed on every single one. We each got a double scoop, in order to squeeze in as many flavors during our trip as possible.
On our second full day in Nantucket, we had wised up a bit and headed out a bit earlier for brunch, deciding on or, The Whale. This was definitely the most bougie of our brunches, complete with fancy plating and decadent ingredients. We were so full afterwards that we felt the need to walk around for a little while, popping in and out of more little shops as we went.
Then it was time for one of my favorite parts of the week… bikes. Ahead of time we decided to make bike reservations for a couple of the days we were there. Even though I hadn’t ridden a bike in years, I was so excited to explore the island on wheels. We picked up our bikes, loaded up on sunscreen and water and were off.
We headed out of town and made our way to Cisco Brewers. To this day, we still talk about our afternoon spent at Cisco and how wonderful it was. Between the two of us we tried beer, wine and cocktails, enjoying each new thing we tried. We tried snacks from the food trucks on site and had the most delicious scallop roll of all time. We listened to live music and chatted with the people sitting around us. Leaving after several hours, it felt like we were on a high of good food, drinks, music and vibes.
We weren’t quite ready for our little adventure to be over so we continued on our path to the beach. Taking in the serene country side as we went. We made it to the beach and just sat there and admired the view and the water and talked about life. On our way back into town we took a bit of a detour. Stopping by Bartlett Farms to pick up some yummy prepared food, fruit and chips for the next day. It was just about the cutest little country store I had ever seen.
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As soon as we got back to the Inn all we wanted to do was nap and that was exactly what we do. For two people that hadn’t biked in years, that was a lot of biking all in one day. Eventually we got up and got dressed and were starving for some dinner. We hadn’t made a reservation but were hoping it was early enough in the night that we would be able to get in somewhere. We took a chance and walked to Cru and put our name in. Somehow after 15 minutes we got a text that our table was ready. We sat down at our little outside table and had one of my favorite meals of the trip. Right on the water, watching the sunset as we eat. Chowing down on hush puppies, calamari, lobster rolls and salmon. It was a perfect end to a perfect day.
The next day was a day filled with bike rides and scenery. We ended up biking close to 20 miles, circling around almost the entire island. Stopping at the beach to relax, take a break and listen to the sound of the waves. We attempted to find the Sankaty Lighthouse and were unable despite our many tries. And we rode our little bikes until we could barely peddle any more.
That night we were wiped, but wanted to make sure we made it to Galley Beach before the end of our trip. We walked out there taking in all of the adorable little Nantucket houses on our way. Miraculously we were able to find a little table in the bar area of the restaurant, where we were able to watch the sunset over the water. Once the sun set it was a bit chilly and we headed back to our room. We snacked on the food we had picked up the day before and watched HGTV. It was the perfect end to a long day.
On our final full day on the island, we started it off with another morning at Lemon Press. It was so good, we couldn’t help but going back for seconds. I still dream of their burrito bowl to this day. After we ate every bite of our breakfast, we headed across town (which is all of like six blocks, lol) for a trip to the Whaling Museum. If there is one thing you should know about me, is I am a sucker for a museum. I loved learning about the history of the island, the nuances of whaling and the things that make Nantucket unique. The rest of the day was a rainy one. Spent curled up in bed reading and watching TV, only breaking for some dinner at Brotherhood of Thieves.
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And just like that, our time in Nantucket was over. We left the next morning. I felt a little melancholy as our ferry departed, even though we were headed for New York City. I will forever cherish our time in Nantucket. Until next time, friends… CML
WHERE WE STAYED
WHERE WE CONSIDERED STAYING
The Cottages at the Nantucket Boat Basin.
WHERE WE ATE
Cru.
