Nantucket Harbor at Christmas Time

Imagine the most quaint, historic little town imaginable, a place that is equally charming and upscale.  Then, imagine that place decorated for Christmas.  That is exactly the scene at Nantucket Noel, a month-long holiday celebrate which is in full force over the Nantucket Stroll weekend (which is when we visited).

Visit the quaint Main Street in Nantucket, where each business, in conjunction with local nonprofit organizations, has decorated a tree in front of the store.  Check out the Nantucket Whaling Museum, where eighty trees, all uniquely decorated, are on display.  My kids loved walking up and down Main Street and through the museum, pointing out their favorite trees.

During the stroll weekend, there is something for everyone, including art gallery parties, craft shows, shopping discounts, tasting menus at local restaurants, and the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus via Coast Guard ship.  My kids happily waited in line to greet Santa at the Jared Coffin House – despite the line.  Nantucket Noel is really the epitome of the spirit of Christmas, and our whole family loved it.

Not every restaurant and hotel is open in December, so it’s best to check well in advance before making plans.  Ferries do run, but on an abbreviated schedule, so make sure you make reservations for both legs of your journey.  During Nantucket Noel, we stayed at Harborview Place – a community of absolutely gorgeous vacation homes located right in town.

Photo credit: Jodi Grundig

Disclosure: The Nantucket Chamber of Commerce and Harborview Place provided transportation and accommodations for our stay.

The Holocaust Memorial in Boston, MA is an amazing piece of art. Each tower represents a Nazi war camp and there are details everywhere. What’s really striking about the memorial is that it is placed in a very busy section of the city — right off the Freedom Trail, and the walkway through it is often used by local business people that are trying to make their train or happy hour (I recommend the Green Dragon Tavern). That means that people with briefcases are running through tender moments of tears and reflection. Surreal.

It’s an odd and interesting mix. It’s worth seeing.

This post is part of the UpTake Monday Museums, Monuments and Memorials Series.

Photo: joshstaiger via Flickr

LIFE Books has released a beautiful book called Heaven on Earth: The World’s Must See Destinations, and it is amazing.

Today we’re looking at Nantucket, which is an island located off the coast of Massachusetts in the area of Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod. It is also the hometown of a man in the famous, allegedly, dirty limerick that nobody has ever heard in its entirety.

Other famous Nantucket residents include Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick characters Ahab and Starbuck. As you may have guessed, whaling plays a pivotal role in the history of the town.

The town of Nantucket is actually comprised of the namesake island and two smaller islands, Tuckernuck and Muskeget, both of which seem like they could offer a plethora of clever rhyme schemes to the dirty limerick canon.

The area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers a large collection of pre-Civil War structures. Maps and tours are available.

Photo: Nantucket by Michael Melford, courtesy of LIFE Books

The Boston Harbor Island Ferry Center

If you are vacationing in downtown Boston, you’ll find that it’s not very easy to access the shore.  Of course, Massachusetts is home to dozens of fabulous beaches, but many of them are quite a distance away and can be hard to access if you don’t have a car.  For a quieter Boston waterfront adventure without renting a car, consider taking a trip to the Boston Harbor Islands.

There are 30 Boston Harbor Islands – 12 that can be visited.  Georges and Spectacle Islands are each serviced by their own ferries, while Lovells, Grape, Peddocks, or Bumpkin require a transfer at Georges (or you can catch a ferry on the South Shore).  Thompson Island sometimes has its own ferry, or you can catch a connection at Spectacle.  There are also four peninsulas that are part of the Boston Harbor Islands – Deer Island, Nut Island, World’s End, and Webb Memorial.  To access Little Brewster Island, you’ll need to sign up for the Lighthouse Tour.

The Boston Harbor Islands all offer different activities – including free jazz concerts, yoga, kids’ tide pool exploration, kayaking, island caching, hiking, and more.  On a recent trip to Spectacle Island, we visited the beach (one of the few on the Boston Harbor Islands), collected sea glass, and participated in a tide pool exploration.  Check out everything online before heading out so you can decide which island you want to visit, because they are all different.

If you do want to spend time on the Boston Harbor Islands, you may want to stay at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf, which is just a few steps away from the ferry center.

Disclosure: I received complimentary ferry tickets to the Boston Harbor Islands.

Photo credit: Jodi Grundig