#292: Nantucket (pg 650; 2nd Ed pg 813)

 

Aug. 17, 2021

Welcome to Nantucket!

The first thing we did after getting off the ferry was to walk to Cook's Cycle's and rent bikes.

Then we grabbed a bite to eat and cycled all over the island stopping every once in a while to admire the many beautiful, historical clapboard homes.

First, we cycled North and went to Cliffside Beach and Jetties Beach.  In this area, there are many beautiful homes.

Pretty nice digs!

And then we headed all the way South to Surfside Beach (this was our favorite of the three we visited).

Then we headed back into town.

Thank you for the perfect weather and fun, memorable day, Nantucket!

Verdict:  I asked my husband what he thought and he immediately responded, "Yes!" And is already mentally making plans to go back - maybe next time to stay on the island for a couple nights.

My verdict..... I thought it was a lovely island and loved meandering the streets.  I found it to be a mixture of the Hamptons and Block Island.  If you've been to both those places and want to combine the two, then this is your place!  I think the one thing that dampened the experience just a touch for me was how expensive everything was - especially with six people.  Everything on the island is expensive and everything we did was times six.  If things were more affordable, it would be even more fun (we could have stayed on the island, done more activities, etc), but honestly I think that's part of this particular island experience.  It's a playground for the wealthy. And for the rest of us, it's just fun to bop into for a day or two here or there and soak it in.

Cost:  There are two ferries that service the island: Hyline and Steamship Authority.  Steamship Authority is the cheaper of the two, so that is the one we took.  It was $220 for the 6 of us R/T.  Bicycles are ~$30-$35/person per day.  Electric bikes rent for $100/bike/day.  Rental cars (mostly jeeps were what I saw for rent) were $600/d.  There is also a public transportation shuttles that goes all over the island and you can buy a ticket for unlimited rides for $8/person/day.  Beaches are public and free, but none of them are within walking distance of where the ferry drops you off, so you need to purchase transportation to get there and the food/drinks in the beach areas are pricey ($4 for a bottle of water or $3.50 for a can of coke at Surfside beach).  

I'm glad we did this- it was one of the highlights of our week-long vacation for sure!  And we had absolutely perfect weather.  

#291: Brimfield and Sturbridge (2nd Ed, pg 809)

 

Aug. 15, 2021

Welcome to Old Sturbridge Village!

Old Sturbridge Village is the largest living history museum in the Northeast.

It is a re-creation of an 1830's New England community spread over ~200 acres with several dozen authentically furnished period buildings.

The church was one of my favorite buildings.

A sideview where you can see the cemetery as well.

We had fun playing the "olden times" games.

And bopping into all the shops and places of business to see the townspeople in their authentic 1830's attire.

And the animals were cool to see as well - horses, oxen, sheep.

Verdict: This was a nice little stop on our way to Boston and we all enjoyed it, but if you've been to other places such as Williamsburg, then you don't necessarily need to do this as well since they are similar in many respects.  Cost:  $28 for Adults, $14 for kids.  Cost savings are available such as going later in the day for half price or during certain times, they run specials where kids are free with a paying adult.  Allow ~2-3 hours.  

#196: Woodman's of Essex (pg 648; Listed as Cape Ann in 2nd Ed, pg 810)

In 1916, Chubby and Bessie decided to fry up some clams and sell them at a roadside stand. They decided to do this at the suggestion of a friend after Chubby and Bessie had commented on how slow business was.  At the time, fried clams were unheard of.  They played with the batter, tried it out on some friends and it was a hit.  The rest, as they say, is history!

Woodman's of Essex is now known the "Best Waterfront Seafood Shack" (2016- USA Today) over 100 years and 5 generations later.

The menu

It still definitely has that down-to-earth "shack" vibe.

The Clam Cake, Crab Roll and chips. Bon appetit!

Verdict: No.  This is a fun place to stop and have lunch, but it's definitely not something you need to do before you die.

Cost: It obviously depends on how much you order. Plan on spending ~$10-$20/person.

#195: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Pg 645)

Aug. 16, 2017

Although I'm a Cubs fan through and through, I became a Red Sox fan when I visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.  Isabella was a die hard Red Sox fan, so the museum gives you a $2 discount if you don Red Sox apparel.

The open courtyard in the middle was one of my favorite parts of the museum.  There are several rooms/galleries that surround the courtyard on each of the three levels.

The Standard Bearer of the Harvest Festival

By Antonio Mancini, 1884

Isabella Steward Gardner in Venice 

By Anders Zorn 1894

The Gothic room was one of my favorite.  Likely due in part to the mystery and intrigue that enshrouds it.  As you see here, there are huge empty frames hanging on the walls. On March 18, 1990, two men pulled off the largest-value theft of private property in history.  They stole 13 pieces of art valuing a total of $500 million.  Three of the stolen pieces were Rembrandts.  The Storm on the Sea of Galilee hung in the frame on the right. It is his only known seascape.

It's also in this room that Isabella placed her portrait by John S. Sargent, which he did in 1888. It is also in this room that she allowed John S. Sargent to use as his studio in 1903 and he painted several portraits here. 

Verdict: No.  Admittedly, I probably only feel this way because, while I appreciate art and enjoy art, I'm not an art lover. So, I enjoyed it. I'm glad I went.  I learned a lot.  But unless you are in fact an art lover, you can indeed go to your grave without experiencing this museum.

Cost: $15.  If you wear Red Sox apparel, you'll get a $2 discount making it $13.  There is limited metered street parking.  We drove around for a while and couldn't find an open spot, so we parked in a nearby lot for $18.

#110: Thanksgiving at Plimoth Plantation (Page 651; 2nd Ed pg 814)

July 10, 2011: Here are the hours and the ticket prices of Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower as of July 2011. Considering I have 3 kids under the age of 6, I can appreciate the fact that they don't charge anything for kids under six.

The Mayflower II. The original Mayflower is long gone, but this is a replica of the ship that helped the British flee religious persecution in 1620. Very fun for kids to explore.

And no trip to Plymouth is complete without seeing Plymouth Rock. The rock is located in Pilgrim Park, a great park lined with benches and paths that sits right next to the water. Boat rides are also available.

Plimoth Plantation is made to resemble what life was like approximately one year after the Mayflower docked and the ship's inhabitants were greeted by the Wamponoag Indians. You can visit the Wamponoag Homesite, the English Villiage and interact with the "Indians" and "the English."

Verdict: Well, as you can see, it wasn't Thanksgiving when we were here, but it was a beautiful summer day, so I enjoyed it all the same! Do you have to necessarily pay the $25 to see Plimoth Plantation or the $10 to explore the inside of the Mayflower? Well, no. But should you see Plymouth, see the Rock, the Ship (replica from the outside), soak in the town of "where it all happened." Well, yes!