Nantucket Vacation: Part 1- getting there & the B&B

first view of Nantucket from the ferry

 Grant & I wanted to do a beach & big city combination vacation, sans car.  Turns out, this is rather hard to manage when your destination is the east coast. (Which is why a cruise on the Mediterranean through the Greek Isles was my first choice...).  After a bit of research and some good recommendations from friends, we realized we could visit Boston, which I loved when I was there 13 years ago and then Cape Cod (or the Cape, as the New Englanders like to call it)... except you need a car on Cape Cod... so we went further, to the island of Nantucket.  The travel was complicated- but definitely worth it. Here's how it worked: flight to Boston Logan, followed by a 1 1/2 hour bus ride to Hyannis (on Cape Cod), a less than a mile walk to the port, followed by a 2 hour ferry to Nantucket (there is a high speed ferry, but for $39/person one way, we took the slow one). Good thing I've learned to pack light. 

enjoying the ferry ride

Nantucket was surreal- so beautiful, so quaint, and so preppy. Seriously, so preppy.  And my solid-color, Gap-loving self was delighted for a few days, as I walked past the valet parkers wearing "Nantucket red" (yes, that is a color!) shorts, Sperry top-siders and white polos.  The only name-brand stores on the island (the rest being boutiques): Lilly Pulitzer, Ralph Lauren, Vineyard Vines and Jack Wills. Definitely not your typical shopping at the beach.  (But yes, there are plenty of shops where you can buy tshirts... they are just a bit pricier than your average shirt from the beach.) 

Valet guys sporting their "uniform"

 

 

 I have always considered myself to be anti-bed & breakfast.  It has to do more with the decor than the general concept.  To be honest, sleeping in an old bed with a floral bedspread in a room full of knickknacks is not my ideal setting in which I like to relax.  Well, on Nantucket, there are pretty much only B&Bs... so I looked at all of them and The Veranda House, the #2 rated  B&B on Trip Advisor was exactly my style- modern, clean and simple... and the website bragged about their amazing breakfast.  

Let's talk about this breakfast...  It WAS amazing.  A 3-course continental (only 2 B&Bs on the island are allowed to serve eggs & meat) breakfast was served to us each morning.  It started with coffee, and their own juice blend that included a little yogurt, making it taste a little like a light smoothie.  Then the bread basket appeared, with the warm muffin of the day and some other breads and crackers.  It came with five different types of spreads: unsalted butter, strawberry butter, butter with sea salt & chives, raspberry preserves and honey. Delicious.  

The second course was always two slices of fresh fruit, followed by a mini smoothie, topped with whipped cream and granola. 

 The third course was our choice: toasted bagel, granola, raisin bran or the special of the day.  We had bagels one day, and the special of the day the other two.  Here's one of the specials: 

banana crepe with raspberry & peanut butter sauces

I wish I could eat like this every morning.  Especially on a veranda, looking out at a garden, in the warm sunshine.