Nestled off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, lies a tiny island tucked away from the big city bustle. Nantucket, renowned for its dune-backed beaches and rustic cedar-shingled buildings, is a secluded oasis for an ideal and idyllic summer escape—of quaint coastal charm, waterfront dining, and local wineries. Although a beach resort only 30 miles from Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket’s vibe is preppier—more buttoned-up—than its sister Martha. And in my opinion, exceeds her in sophistication.

A handful of celebrities and billionaires are devoted Nantucketeers who happen to own properties there for a very good reason: it is a little nest of dreamy, laid-back, luxurious bliss, and just a brief 45-minute flight from NYC. During our stay in July of 2016, me and my man nested ourselves at the Manor House of The Roberts Collection Hotel, tucked in the very heart of Nantucket. The rooms were intimate and cozy, rustic and elegant. And I’d go back in a Nantucket heartbeat.

We embraced our wild-side, rented a scooter, and rode the countryside. I clutched my Man-tucket as he vroomed me to the Wauwinet Relais Chateaux for some drinks and lunch at Topper’s, their award-winning restaurant on the bay. Windblown from the clamorous ride—and having spent the entire 30 minutes thinking of food—we arrived with quite the revved-up appetite. The chef’s specials were beautifully modern takes on coastal cuisine, but it was really all a quick blur as we wolfed them down like it was nobody’s business. And well, their wine list, being awarded the prestigious Wine Spectator Grand, gave us more reason to lose respect for ourselves altogether. 

After lunch, Javi lit up a cigar and we melted ourselves into the lounge chairs by the beach. As we passed the hours gazing at the seagulls, the salty beach breeze combed our hair and lulled us into a deep over-gorged afternoon siesta. When we climbed back on our scooter, still heady from the wine, we sped off to another adventure: back to the hotel to prepare for a second round of engorgement over dinner.

Dinner at Le Languedoc Bistro was animated and animating. We sat at the bar counter where we enjoyed the fun of a third party: Jimmy, our barman/server. We could have closed our eyes and pointed to anything on the menu as every dish that passed us looked and smelled incredible. The dover sole and salmon tartar were 👌.

Lunch at CRU the next day was a highlight. Swanky, bustling and sitting right on the water, it was such a perfect seaside lunch experience that we canceled our next lunch reservation to repeat it. 

Dinner at Company of the Cauldron perpetuated the romantic allure of our day with a backdrop of harp music as we dined. Its Michelin-star chef offered a fixed menu of creative New American cuisine, and every dish was a potpourri of elevated new takes on classic comfort food. Each bite felt like a new experience.

In our moments between meals and boat time, we un-tucked our wallets for a bit of shopping at the Meeting House Shopping Cove: Ambrosia Chocolates (to appease my withdrawals), Fallain, Serenella, and Gypsy to name only a few. But overall, all that mattered was that we were two anonymous Nantucketoons, having lost a sense of time and the reality of city-life.