Nantucket: It Truly is a State of Mind

Recently, I took advantage of a special FAM trip to Nantucket sponsored by the Steamship Authority, which offers fast ferry service to the island. The day dawned bright and sunny, but unseasonably cool for spring on Cape Cod and with the threat of afternoon showers. Undaunted, I grabbed my windbreaker and headed down Route 6A, the Old King’s Highway, to pick up my friends Helen and Mary for our date with the 11:00 AM fast ferry.

Nantucket, many say, is a state of mind, and having lived there briefly between college graduation and my first teaching position many years ago, I must concur. There is something about the light, the rustle of leaves against the cobblestones, and the wind that whips the sails in the boat basin that envelopes your soul in a dreamlike reverie. It haunts you when you leave and embraces you when you return, as you undoubtedly will after your first visit.

The name, of Native American origin, means faraway island, and so it is, yet still readily accessible, so that even a daytrip is worthwhile. The trip from Hyannis is a little more than an hour by high-speed ferry and only 15 minutes by air. I particularly enjoy arriving by ferry and seeing the whole town come into view as the vessel rounds the lighthouse at Brant Point and enters the harbor. At approximately 3.5 miles deep and 14 miles wide, the island is smaller than Martha’s Vineyard and just a bit larger than Manhattan. More than 12,000 acres (almost 40 percent of the island) are protected from development, which is a fact that is much appreciated by the nearly 7,000 year-round inhabitants. When the “summer folk” arrive after Memorial Day the population swells to more than 50,000.

It was smooth sailing across the Atlantic to Nantucket Town, where we were greeted by Chester Barrett, a native islander with a gift for gab. Chester is a septuagenarian character with a New England twang and a fondness for his ancestral home that is infectious. He took us around the island in his comfortable 30-passenger tour bus and regaled us with humorous anecdotes about windmills, cranberry bogs, and whaling captains in a delightful 90-minute circumnavigation of the “Gray Lady”, Nantucket’s nickname.

After our tour, we walked the cobbled streets of downtown Nantucket, admiring the storefronts and serene nature of this fabled island situated just 30 miles offshore. A few hardy local proprietors were readying their shops in anticipation of the hustle bustle that the upcoming “season” will bring.

Nantucket is the only place in the United States that is a town, a county, and an island, and in its entirety, both a State Historic District and a National Historic Landmark. It is a place where nearly half the land is held in conservation, and there are no stoplights, shopping malls, or fast-food franchises. Instead, there are cobblestoned streets and brick

walkways where locals stop to chat and everyone seems to know your name. It doesn’t take long to feel at home here.

Sadly, our day came to an end much as it began, with a trip aboard the MV Iyanough.  But, I am hopeful as the ferry rounds Brant Point on the return to “America”, as Chester referred to the land across the sound. Hopeful that the daffodils waving their lovely heads signal the advent of spring; that the contentment I feel from a day well spent will endure; and that Nantucket will be waiting for me whenever I am able to return.

Shopping in Cape Cod – Shop Treasures

When Rich and I lived in North Conway, one of the major outlet shopping Meccas in New England, it was not unusual for guests at our inn to plan a whole weekend around shopping. This was especially true in the weeks just prior to Christmas, when hoards of folks would take advantage of tax-free shopping at literally hundreds of outlets that lined the narrow strip of Route 16 in the White Mountains. We also noticed an influx of Canadian visitors at all times of the year, coming across the border to load up on what they perceived as bargains compared to the economic situation they found at home. It was not unusual for our guests from Canada to arrive with multiple suitcases, mostly empty in anticipation of filling them with all sorts of great deals for the return trip home. Upon their departure, we would find dozens of discarded shopping bags, boxes, and price tags strewn across the room from a buying frenzy of which any shop-a-holic would be proud. A strain on our recycling efforts, to be sure, but a necessary by-product of shopping.

Once we moved south to Cape Cod, we expected our “shopping” market to drop significantly. Though there are a few outlets in the immediate area and a more comprehensive outlet mall within an hour’s drive, we did not expect that the prime motivator for a trip to Cape Cod would be shopping. What we failed to consider was the overseas market, mostly from Great Britain, Germany, and other European countries, who are currently taking advantage of the weak U.S. dollar and find that not only is travel to the U.S. a considerable bargain, but consumer goods are nearly half-price compared to prices at home.

So when our foreign visitors asked us where to shop on Cape Cod, we were at first  a little stymied. Our first inclination was to direct them to something comparable to the outlet shopping malls that were so prevalent in North Conway. But the nearest venue was an hour’s drive, which would take them off Cape, something that no Cape Cod business owner wants to encourage. Then we took a closer look at the myriad shopping opportunities we have right here on Cape Cod, from traditional shopping malls to quaint shopping villages and small town Main Streets. So now when we get the inevitable question “Where can we go to shop?” we direct our guests to any of the following  settings, depending of course on what they are looking for. And, oh by the way, now when we still shopping bags and tags left behind in our guest rooms, we take heart in knowing that at least we are supporting the local economy.

Cape Cod Mall
Route 28 & 132, Hyannis; 508-771-0200
Enclosed, single-level shopping mall. Anchored by Macy’s and Sears; 100+ additional stores including Banana Republic, Ann Taylor Loft, Talbot’s, Gap, Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie and Fitch. 400-seat Food Court, 2 full-service restaurants, 12-screen cinema megaplex. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 9:30 am – 9:30 pm.; Sun., 11 am-6 pm.

Mashpee Commons
Mashpee Rotary, Route 28 & 151, Mashpee; 508-477-5400
Laid out like a traditional New England village. Over 90 stores, including upscale merchants such as Ann Taylor, Pottery Barn, Banana Republic, and William Sonoma; plus Chico’s, Claire Murray, and Gap. An assortment of smaller stores featuring fine arts and crafts, antiques, toys, and jewelry. Several cafes and fine dining opportunities, 6-screen cinema.

Lemon Tree Village
Main St., Brewster (Rte. 6A, about 1 mile west of town center)
A small shopping complex on two levels, with unique shops featuring garden statuary, gourmet cooking utensils, locally made arts and crafts, pottery, birding supplies, clothing, gifts, jewelry and toys. Small café adjacent. Hours: 10 am-5 pm. daily, year-round.

Main Streets

One of the beauties of Cape Cod is that it is comprised of 15 uniquely individual small towns, each with its own main street of commerce, some more populated than others, but with their own charm and appeal. Walking down the main streets of Cape Cod is a delightful pastime. Naturally the larger the town, the more walkable its main street. But we could spend hours meandering the shops in Falmouth, Hyannis, Chatham, and Provincetown, and often do.

Main Street, Falmouth
One-of-a-kind gifts, home decor, men’s and women’s apparel, housewares, books, art and antiques, plus plenty of bistros and cafes for lunch or dinner.

Main Street, Hyannis
In addition to the usual fare, you’ll find vintage and designer clothing, beachwear, leather goods, gourmet cookware, candles, homemade fudge and saltwater taffy, sporting goods, an Army/Navy surplus store, fine art, and the requisite tourist souvenir shops. Interspersed along the way are several good restaurants, ice cream shops, mini-golf, and a  carousel.

Main Street, Chatham

The shops of Chatham are perhaps a bit more chic, in keeping with its old world and old money tradition. Here you’ll find a preponderance of casual resort wear, children’s clothing, vintage clothing, contemporary art, fine arts and crafts, handmade gold jewelry, antiques and accessories, lightship baskets, fine linens, gourmet cookware, home furnishings, alongside tee shirt shops, a candy store, a jam and jelly shop, and a shop featuring 1960’s memorabilia. And when it’s time to rest your weary feet there are plenty of casual restaurants, plus a fine-dining opportunity or two.

Commercial Street, Provincetown
Commercial Street in Provincetown is a one-way street lined with everything from fine art galleries, funky eclectic shops (some featuring items that may make you blush), tee shirt shops, import stores, great bistros and bars with outside dining, a kite shop, soaps and toiletries, hand-crafted jewelry, hip men’s and women’s ware, a pet lover’s store, and just about anything else you can imagine or need. One of our favorite things to do is just to sit and watch the constant parade of humanity. When our guests are looking for something out of the ordinary or want to take a walk on the wildside, we always recommend P’Town.

Most shops are open from mid-April through mid-October. In summer, some shops may remain open until 11 pm. Shops that stay open year-round are often open only on weekends during the quiet months of January through March.