6 Great Escapes to Make this Fall
Getaway destinations geared toward everyone from foodies to family adventurers.
If your weekend getaway includes bringing your favorite pooch, Cape Cod’s Wequassett Resort and Golf Club and the Red Jacket Beach Resort offer pet-friendly stays. Photo by Cate Brown Photography
Whether you want to go for a long road trip or fly away fast on a direct flight, these six vacation destinations, geared toward different interests from foodie to family adventures, will have you feeling relaxed and free in no time.
Index
Nantucket, MA | Cape Cod, MA | Newport, RI | Washington D.C. | Montreal, Canada | Greenville, SC
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For the Foodie
Nantucket, Massachusetts
By Lauren Clem
The bar at Greydon House. Courtesy of Greydon House/Photograph by Douglas Friedman.
Nantucket plays by its own rules. It’s one of the few places in New England where you can find billionaires rubbing elbows with natives, and multimillion-dollar mega-yachts moored beside skiffs.
A bedroom at Greydon House. Courtesy of Greydon House/Photograph by Douglas Friedman.
For our off-season adventure, Greydon House (greydonhouse.com) was an ideal retreat to dive into the (relatively) quiet restaurant scene. Located just a block from the ferry landing, the inn’s design by New York based Roman and Williams pays homage to the island’s layered history with touches like a hand-painted Portuguese fishing scene in the bathroom and a bar mural depicting the tea trade with China. Via Mare (viamarenantucket.com), the hotel’s in-house restaurant, continues the maritime theme with a Venetian menu of seafood-centric small plates and cocktails with names like “Last Night I Dreamt of San Pedro.”
Via Mare, the Greydon House’s restaurant, serves small plates. Courtesy of Via Mare/Photograph by Tim Williams.
Piggy rice at Bar Yoshi. Photo by Lauren Clem.
For a different kind of culinary voyage, head to Bar Yoshi (bar-yoshi.com), whose dockside sushi counter serves upscale versions of our favorite rolls (but don’t skimp on the land options — try the Piggy Rice with black garlic soy sauce). After dinner, we hit the Gaslight (gaslightnantucket.com) for live music and drinks. Cisco Brewers (ciscobrewers.com) is also a good choice for beer in more idyllic surroundings. Still hungry? Brotherhood of Thieves (brotherhoodnantucket.com), an 1840s-era whaling bar, offers whiskey and tavern fare from a basement bar reminiscent of a ship’s hold.
Cisco Brewers’ outdoor patio. Courtesy of Cisco Brewers.
After all that food, you’ll need to exercise your legs. A stroll out to the Brant Point Lighthouse should get you moving. Along the way, browse the antique shops situated on South Beach Street for Nantucket’s signature lightship baskets. The following day, we did as the locals do and grabbed sandwiches from Something Natural (somethingnatural.com) before biking out to ‘Sconset for a walk along the bluffs. Brunch at Lemon Press (lemonpressnantucket.com), with its Persian-inspired entrees, offered one final indulgence, plus some sweet treats to sustain us for the ferry ride home.
Brant Point lighthouse. Photo by Lauren Clem.
Famous Faces
Read up on the local and national celebrities who’ve called Nantucket home.
Fred Rogers
The eponymous star of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” made his summer home on Nantucket at Smith’s Point. The real-life Rogers was as beloved as his television persona, and the island honors him to this day. An icon in St. Paul’s Church, where he attended services, hangs — patron saint-style — bearing the words “Gentle, Kind + True.” Outside the Dreamland Theater, visitors can pose with a statue of Rogers wearing his signature red cardigan. stpaulschurchnantucket.org; nantucketdreamland.org
Absalom Boston
Absalom Boston. Courtesy of the Nantucket Historical Association.
This nineteenth century sailor’s fame went beyond his role as the first African American whaling ship captain on the island. He also challenged the island’s segregated schools and was a respected member of the community. Learn more about the whaling industry — and spot the forty-six-foot sperm whale skeleton — at the Nantucket Historical Association’s Whaling Museum. nha.org/visit/museums-and-tours/whaling-museum
Elin Hilderbrand
The queen of the beach read is a longtime resident of Nantucket, where most of her sizzling summer page-turners are set. Find her novels at local booksellers Mitchell’s Book Corner and Nantucket Bookworks, or catch the author herself at the Nantucket Book Festival every June. Better yet, hit the beach — Cisco and Surfside are local favorites — and find out why it’s the stuff of literary dreams. mitchellsbookcorner.com; nantucketbookworks.com; nantucketbookfestival.org
Maria Mitchell
Visitors will find this nineteenth century astronomer’s legacy all across the island, from the Hinchman House Natural Science Museum to the Loines Observatory. Tag along for a stargazing night with the Maria Mitchell Association and see firsthand how the famous female astronomer continues to inspire budding scientists today. mariamitchell.org/natural-science-museum; mariamitchell.org/loines-observatory
Eric and Wendy Schmidt
Eric might be the former CEO of Google, but it’s his wife, Wendy, who left her mark on the island when she founded Remain Nantucket in 2008. The nonprofit aims to strengthen the island’s year-round community and invests in buildings that support mission-related businesses. Case in point: Born & Bread, preparing naturally leavened sourdough for tourists and locals alike, and the Corner Table and Nantucket Culinary Center, offering cooking classes alongside a morning cup of Joe. bornandbreadnantucket.com; cornertablenantucket.com
Brotherhood of Thieves serves cocktails and tavern fare in its basement bar. Courtesy of Brotherhood of Thieves.
Nuts & Bolts
Travel Time: Two-and-a-half to four hours, depending on ferry route.
How to Get There: Take the Seastreak ferry from New Bedford, or drive to Hyannis and sail with the Steamship Authority or Hy-Line Cruises.
Bucket List for Next Time: The fixed-menu dinner by Michelin-starred chef Joseph Keller at Company of the Cauldron.
Worth a Detour: Extend the seaside adventure with a day in New Bedford, where you can visit the New Bedford Whaling Museum or shop for ocean-inspired treasures at Acushnet River Antiques.
