Nantucket Island
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
The first and foremost things you must remember when talking about Nantucket island is that:
1. It is NOT a sandbar of Martha's Vineyard
2. There is a perfectly good reason why there are barely any trees
3. There is not a single place where you can buy cheap coffee
Now, with those out of the way, I will commence with the explanation of the island:
Location: Somewhere off of Cape Cod. A bit farther than Martha's Vineyard.
Population: Barely any during the winter, far too much during the summer.
Topography: The highest point is barely more than 100 feet above sea level. Hardly Mt. Everest. The island has a roughly 50 mile circumference, and is shaped like a rotting banana.
History: Old.
Economy: Tourism, bicycle rentals, and expensive t-shirts.
Best cup of coffee: The Downy Flake. Relatively expensive
Worst cup of coffee: Hard to say. I really haven't had any bad coffee on this island.
Movie theaters: 3. One shows foriegn films ("Run Lola Run!", I swear), another shows films that came out three years ago, and one is decently current, but snacks for one person can run you up to 7 bucks.
Hurricanes: If the weathermen say a hurricane will hit, that is the only time you can be sure that it won't.
Annoying things: Planes buzzing your house at 3:00 AM. Lighthouse beams blasting through your window all night. The rooster next door who wakes up two hours before the sun comes up and tells everyone thatt he's awake. Bikers who ride on the road, even though there is a bike path roughly three feet away. Insane drivers who like to see where their car redlines. Old ladies who like to see how gently they can press the gas pedal. Getting bluefish guts thrown at you by irate charter boat captains.
Great things: You can get lots of things free. Big, deserted beaches with giant waves. Many ice-cream stores. No hideous "McDonald's"es. Bike paths everywhere. Nice charter boat captains who give you bluefish heads for scavenger hunts. Provisions Restaurant. Arno's Restaurant. Cisco Beach. Surfside Beach (almost killed me, but I still love it). The State Forest (yeah, right).
Peculiar facts: Almost every single employee of Nantucket ice-cream shops is female and has a thick Irish accent. Sankaty Lighthouse is about to plumment off of an eroding cliff and into the water below. Nantucket Golf Club costs $250,000 to join. Bill Gates was one of the first members. One(1) computer store.
Conclusion: Although a great place to go, don't plan on spending the end of your summer here. Try early July. Go to Siasconset market or Crazy Quinn's in town for the best ice-cream. The best breakfast can be had at The Downy Flake. Lunch is great anywhere. For dinner, steer clear of anything with poultry in its name. "Chicken barn", "Hen house", etc. Have a great visit, and STAY ON THE BIKE PATH!
1. It is NOT a sandbar of Martha's Vineyard
2. There is a perfectly good reason why there are barely any trees
3. There is not a single place where you can buy cheap coffee
Now, with those out of the way, I will commence with the explanation of the island:
Location: Somewhere off of Cape Cod. A bit farther than Martha's Vineyard.
Population: Barely any during the winter, far too much during the summer.
Topography: The highest point is barely more than 100 feet above sea level. Hardly Mt. Everest. The island has a roughly 50 mile circumference, and is shaped like a rotting banana.
History: Old.
Economy: Tourism, bicycle rentals, and expensive t-shirts.
Best cup of coffee: The Downy Flake. Relatively expensive
Worst cup of coffee: Hard to say. I really haven't had any bad coffee on this island.
Movie theaters: 3. One shows foriegn films ("Run Lola Run!", I swear), another shows films that came out three years ago, and one is decently current, but snacks for one person can run you up to 7 bucks.
Hurricanes: If the weathermen say a hurricane will hit, that is the only time you can be sure that it won't.
Annoying things: Planes buzzing your house at 3:00 AM. Lighthouse beams blasting through your window all night. The rooster next door who wakes up two hours before the sun comes up and tells everyone thatt he's awake. Bikers who ride on the road, even though there is a bike path roughly three feet away. Insane drivers who like to see where their car redlines. Old ladies who like to see how gently they can press the gas pedal. Getting bluefish guts thrown at you by irate charter boat captains.
Great things: You can get lots of things free. Big, deserted beaches with giant waves. Many ice-cream stores. No hideous "McDonald's"es. Bike paths everywhere. Nice charter boat captains who give you bluefish heads for scavenger hunts. Provisions Restaurant. Arno's Restaurant. Cisco Beach. Surfside Beach (almost killed me, but I still love it). The State Forest (yeah, right).
Peculiar facts: Almost every single employee of Nantucket ice-cream shops is female and has a thick Irish accent. Sankaty Lighthouse is about to plumment off of an eroding cliff and into the water below. Nantucket Golf Club costs $250,000 to join. Bill Gates was one of the first members. One(1) computer store.
Conclusion: Although a great place to go, don't plan on spending the end of your summer here. Try early July. Go to Siasconset market or Crazy Quinn's in town for the best ice-cream. The best breakfast can be had at The Downy Flake. Lunch is great anywhere. For dinner, steer clear of anything with poultry in its name. "Chicken barn", "Hen house", etc. Have a great visit, and STAY ON THE BIKE PATH!
