As summer winds down, I wanted to share more about our recent family trip to Nantucket. Traveling in 2020 certainly is very different due to the pandemic. Most of our original summer 2020 plans had to be canceled or changed, so we really appreciated that this family trip could still happen! Since we live in Connecticut, we could easily go to Massachusetts this summer without any travel restrictions.

The island has done such a great job keeping the COVID numbers down and keeping everyone safe. Don’t forget your masks if you visit Nantucket, there are designated mask zones that are mandatory including when exploring in town. 

We rented a house close to town. Our friend gave us her realtor, Kathy Sullivan, and she was so helpful. We definitely plan to work with her again. In the past, we’ve also stayed in hotels such as The Nantucket Hotel on the island.

We rented a Jeep from Hertz at the Nantucket Airport. We were so excited to finally drive onto the beach with the Jeep. We’ve always wanted to do it, and this year was the year to go for it…it’s such a game-changer! #YOLO 

We also rented bikes from Nantucket Bike Shop. They delivered the bikes to our rental house which was so convenient. There are so many great bike paths on the island, but our favorite one is the Cliff Road bike path. 

Despite COVID, there’s still so much to do on the island. The island has so many great beaches that are all beautiful. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Our favorites are Nobadeer, Madaket and Steps Beach. 

Charlie loves surfing. There are two great surf schools for lessons including ACK Surf School and Nantucket Island Surf School. You can rent boards and wetsuits from them as well. Charlie took several lessons and learned a lot from all the seasoned instructors! 

If you’re looking for more water sports adventures, we recommend Next Level Watersports for tubing, water skiing, wakeboarding, and kite surfing. Lots of fun for the whole family!

Nantucket has so much to offer when it comes to eating out. Here are our favorite restaurants in no particular order: Sandbar at Jetties, Galley Beach, CRU, Straight Wharf, Ventuno, Millie’s, and The Chanticleer. It’s important to call ahead in advance to make reservations. Due to the pandemic, the restaurants are all limiting their seating capacity so it’s key to plan ahead!

We love good coffee. Who doesn’t? Here are our favorite coffee places on the island: Espresso To Go, Island Coffee, Yummy, and Downyflake Donuts (best donuts too!)

Our favorite sandwich places are Something Natural and 45 Surfside.

Our favorite ice cream places are the Juice Bar and Jack + Charlie’s (both are in town).

There is plenty of great shopping to do on the island. If it rains, that’s one of my favorite things to do. Our favorite shops in town are Dudley Stephens, Milly + Grace, ACK 4170, The Sunken Ship, Eye of the Needle, Murray’s Toggery, and Beautycounter (of course!).

If you’re up for a good walk, head to historic ‘Sconset. The Sconset Bluff Walk is an amazing walking trail with some of the most breathtaking views. Hit Sconset Market after your walk for a drink, a snack or some local treats. It’s one of the cutest spots!

We decided on this trip to really try new things and say yes to things. I think maybe that’s why it was one of the best family trips we’ve ever had. We even stayed an extra day! Despite the pandemic, Nantucket is still magical. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s to learn how to cherish the good moments. I hope this finds you well and staying safe right now. Here’s to more good news coming soon! Thank you for reading this and thank you for following along. Let’s stay connected on Instagram.

xoxo NBC