Nantucket has always been at the top of my list of places to visit and a few days ago I had the pleasure of traveling there with my husband by the NIR team also know as, Shop Nantucket on Instagram. This was an exciting opportunity for me and a chance of a lifetime to experience Nantucket for the first time with a brand that I have grown to love over the last year. Everyone on the team has been so kind and wonderful to work with, so it is with great pleasure that I created this post to give my readers an insight on my trip to Nantucket. How can I adequately describe Nantucket? There’s just no place like it. This island, also known as the Grey Lady, is absolutely beautiful and now I want to travel there every year!
Traveling to Nantucket in September
My husband and I flew from Miami to Boston Logan, then rented a car and drove to Hyannis Port, MA where we hopped on the Hy-Line High Speed Ferry to Nantucket. I heard from so many people that September was actually an excellent month to visit. It’s not as busy as it is in the summer months, because the kids are back in school and people have gone back to work. While we were there we didn’t have to wait in any lines. The weather was cool with clear blue skies and I was thrilled to see many flowers still in bloom.
Where to Stay
We stayed at the lovely White Elephant Nantucket in their newly designed Lilly Cottage. This cozy cottage was recently decorated by the Lilly Pulitzer design team with their accessories, fabrics, and artwork. It’s in walking distance to all the restaurants and shops we visited. Fortunately, we did not need a car while we were in Nantucket. Walking around town was one of the best aspects of staying in this part of town and we loved it! The cottage was cozy and so full of charm. It had a comfortable living room with lots of windows and a spacious bedroom. It was the perfect place for us to stay on our first trip to Nantucket!
Our First Night in Nantucket
After we checked into our Lilly Cottage, we unpacked and got dressed for dinner at LoLa 41 where we had reservations for 7 PM. We left early to find the restaurant and loved that it was just around the corner from the White Elephant. This gave us time to stroll around town and check out the area. I was so happy to find the compass wall which is a popular place to take photos while in Nantucket. I loved that the streets in the downtown area are all made of cobblestone, with no stops signs or traffic lights. We learned real quick how charming this little island was and we were so happy to be there! Our dinner at LoLa 41 was amazing! The wine, the food, the music, the ambiance. All amazing.
Morning Stroll to Brant Point Lighthouse
We started off our first morning in Nantucket with a stroll down the street from our Lilly Cottage to check out Brant Point Lighthouse. It was overcast and a little foggy, however still so beautiful. We shot a few photos along the way and at the lighthouse, then headed back towards the White Elephant to have breakfast at Brant Point Grille which is located right on the property. I loved checking out all the beautiful homes, pretty wildflowers, and hydrangeas while on this walk. Everything was picture perfect! There were also lots of early morning runners on this street and I was so temped to join them. Next, time I’m in Nantucket I’ll definitely pack my running shoes.
Breakfast at Brant Point Grille
The view from Brant Point Grille was unbelievely gorgeous. I was so happy to be there watching the boats in the harbor. I ordered cut oats with berries and decaf coffee, which was the perfect breakfast to start my very first day in Nantucket. Then after breakfast, my husband and I headed out to lounge on the chairs behind White Elephant to enjoy another cup of coffee. I could have layed out there the whole afternoon reading a book. It was so peaceful and lovely. However, I had a fun list of stores to visit this afternoon and was looking forward to walking around the town a bit and learning my way around.
Places to Shop in Nantucket
After breakfast we headed into town which was a short walk away from our cottage to shop at our leisure. I had a fun itinerary of shops to visit and loved getting to meet the store owners and managers. One thing I learned from this trip is that Nantucket is a great shopping destination. They have so many stores that offer unique finds and fun items to purchase while on vacation there. Before lunch I got to visit four stores; Cattivo, Olivela, Monelle, and Green Eyed Daisy.
Cattivo– Cattivo is a contemporary women’s retailer featuring emerging designers as well as established brands and a great place to find dresses for wedding guests on Nantucket.
Olivela– Luxury shopping boutique that offers 250+ of the world’s best luxury and beauty brands. 20% of their proceeds go to childrens funds. Visit their instagram accound here.
Monelle– A boutique that offers stylish clothing and the cutest accessories.
Green Eyed Daisy– A boutque offering unique clothing, accessories, and gifts.
Lunch at The Tavern
We were looking forward to having lunch after a fun morning of shopping Nantucket. We headed over to The Tavern which is located near the wharf for a delicious seafood lunch of shrimp and clams. The view from our balcony seat overlooked the wharf on this clear beautiful day.
More Shopping in Nantucket
After lunch I headed out to visit more shops on the beautiful island of Nantucket and this time all of the shops were on the wharf, which was right across the street from, The Tavern. I stopped by Perch, Nantucket Whaler, and Space.
Perch– A boutique that offers comtemporary styles from emerging designers and the biggest names in fashion. Styles that can be worn year after year.
Nantucket Whaler– Nautical style clothing for men and wowen. I loved all of their striped shirts and cozy sweaters for fall and winter.
Space– This store had a curated mix of one-of-a kind items in fashion and home.
After my shopping trip, we grabbed an icecream cone and sat on a bench for a little bit to enjoy this fun treat. Then we headed back to the Lilly Cottage to get ready for dinner.
Dinner at the Club Car
All set for dinner at the Club Car! We had another amazing dinner this evening. I ordered a glass of wine from Provence, France and tried flounder for the first time in my life. We also met a sweet couple sitting next to us who shared some fun things to do while on island. The restaurant was a dream and we enjoyed every morsel!
Our Last Day in Nantucket
The next morning we packed our bags and left them with the White Elephant concierge while we headed out to Main Street to have brunch at or, The Whale. This restaurant is fairly new and gorgeous! It has a beautiful eating area inside and outside, however since it was raining we sat inside. We ordered coffee, French toast and bacon to kick off our last morning in Nantucket. After breakfast we walked around a bit, then had the hotel take us to the ferry with our bags. Right across from the ferry entrance is Oath Pizza, where we grabbed a premium personal pizza and ate in before we hopped on the high speed ferry back to Hyannis Port. I’ve been dreaming of that pizza ever since!
Inspired? Read these posts I shared about Nantucket!
J.CREW DATENIGHT LOOK IN NANTUCKET
BLUE FLORAL MIDI DRESS IN NANTUCKET
DINNER IN NANTUCKET WEARING MY FAVORITE DRESS
Shops the Looks in This Post
Look 1
J.Crew Nantucket Sweatshirt / J.Crew White Scalloped Edge T-Shirt / J.Crew Boyfriend Jeans / L.L.Bean Tote / Essie Fiji Nail Polish / Celine Sunglasses / Sperry Boat Shoes
Look 2
J.Crew Spiro Tiered Gingham Dress (also here) / Carrie Forbes Naima Raffia Sandals / Straw Market Bag / Wicker Earrings (similar) / Essie Fiji Nail Polish / Strapless Bra / Chanel Lipstick in Ami
Look 3
J.Crew Spagetti Strap Ruffle Dress (on sale) / Cotton Jackie Cardigan / Carrie Forbes Raffia Sandals / Straw Tote / Celine Sunglasses / Strapless Bra
Look 4
Faithful the Brand Majorelle Floral Midi Dress / Carrie Forbes Naima Slides / Straw Tote / Celine Sunglasses / Chanel Lipstick in Ami / Strapless Bra / Wicker Earrings (similar) / Essie Fiji Nail Polish
You’re Invited!
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A big thank you to Shop Nantucket for your partnership in creating this post.
Your Nantucket trip looks like a dream vacation indeed. Now it’s on my bucket list! Thanks for this wonderful post. I hope you do get to go there every year. 💗
Thank you! I hope so too! I’ve been dreamy about it ever since I left. 🙂
Beautiful photos that bring life to you post. I feel like I’m there with you. I’d love to visit Nantucket one day after reading and enjoying your blog posts.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the photos! You would love it there! XOXOXO
Looks like such a wonderful trip, and such a gorgeous cottage!
Dee ~ Vanilla Papers
The cottage was so much fun! I loved everything about it!
Thank you for sharing all the amazing photos. You have taken me to Nantucket. Even if I never get to travel there, you’ve given me a taste of its charm. As always, your outfits are perfect for the scenery behind you. The shops look so inviting; the food, delectable! The beach , I love the water, looks enchanting. You had a grand time on your trip, I’m sure. You have an awesome eye for fashion and making it look simple for us to create new looks. Once again, thank you for sharing your talents!