Emerson Goes to Nantucket
Emerson goes to Nantucket!
Mike and I got to take Emerson to our favorite place, Nantucket Island, last week. Flying to Nantucket in October (considered off season) can be tricky but we lucked out on American out of Cincinnati. We had to get up so early as we left at 6am and Cincinnati is an hour and 15 minutes away but girlie was a trooper! My goal was to get through security, if possible, before feeding and she did fantastic.
If you have ever been to Nantucket, it is filled with cobblestones and rough terrain so we knew the Doona was only necessary for the airports and taxi ride into town once we arrived. We ended up checking our Uppababy Vista (free on most airlines) with our luggage at check-in. It was great with all of the bumps and comfier for her to nap on the go.
Again, we used this padded bag for gate checking the Doona and were able to sneak a few more items in it. My luggage alone was 65 pounds for Emerson and me (shout out to the gate agent who did not charge us!) so any extra space was welcome.
Thankfully, we only had two flights and arrived on Nantucket at 10:30am. Emerson was going on day 5 or 6 without a dirty diaper which apparently is normal for breastfed babies. But a blowout was inevitable and it happened on our flight from LGA to ACK. I knew it was happening and Mike was able to handle it all in the airplane bathroom like a pro. (Pro Tip: bring a galloon size zip lock for dirty clothes to go in on the go!)
I took my Ceres Chill again but with PTSD from losing so much milk on our last trip, I kept it in storage bags inside the main chill compartment. Not necessary but it worked!
Our family has been going to Nantucket in the summers since before I was born and we have always rented a house. As our family grew, it became clear one house was never going to hold us all. We ended up all staying at The Nantucket Hotel which is where we stayed and had our wedding reception last summer. The first weekend (Columbus weekend) in October is the last weekend that a lot of the restaurants are open. By Monday and Tuesday, most of where we had eaten had closed but there is still plenty to do and see. We have started to love visiting in October as there are a lot less people, the weather is perfect for welcoming fall & the closing parties are so fun!
I cannot say enough good things about this hotel! The staff is so welcoming. They knew we needed an early check-in so Emerson could take her nap when we arrived. We stayed in the Spinnaker Suite and they had a pack-n-play ready for her. Of course, the slumberpod came with us and was perfect. This room can actually sleep up to 6 and was perfect to have a separate room for the babysitter to be in.
The hotel’s bar and restaurant are fabulous. Smores kits are complimentary by their fire pit, too! It is equipped with a great gym & sauna, two pools (1 was closed for the season during our stay), hot tub, kids club room (they offer half-day camps during high-season for kids 3+) and is pet-friendly. They also have a laundry room which we used several times. I traveled with this stain remover which we love. (Pro tip: Buy both the large and small bottles and use the smaller one for travel. The big bottle is way easier to use/cover stains at home IMO.)
We traveled again with the Wyze Camera and it was ideal for watching Emerson nap and still being able to workout or have a cocktail downstairs, which we did most nights after dinner. This camera only works on wifi networks that require a password. The hotel’s public wifi did not require a password but when I explained the issue, they quickly provided the password to another wifi so we could set it up.
By the end of the trip, the staff felt like family and we cannot wait to see them all again next year. I get asked about Nantucket recommendations all the time and below are a few of our favs.
Kid-Friendly Restaurants:
Brant Point Grill (at the White Elephant hotel)
Brotherhood
Ventuno
Or, The Whale
Millie’s (lobster quesadilla is a must)
Sandbar at Jettie’s
Surfside
Club Car
Fav Dining Spots:
Galley Beach
Lola41 (tres leche dessert is a must)
Oran Mor
Sister Ship
Cru (order the lobster roll - also great for lunch and can bring kids)
Straight Wharf (where we had our rehearsal dinner)
Grab a Drink At:
The Gazebo (their mudslide is a must)
Cisco-Brewery (food trucks, live music, cocktails & kid-friendly)
Club Car (live piano at night)
Misc:
Rent bikes from Young’s or use an app and take an electric bike out for a day
Ice cream at The Juice Bar (there is always a line)
Coffee at The Hub or Sister Ship
Breakfast sandwiches at Born & Bread
Juice, smoothie or healthy breakfast/lunch at Lemon Press
Sandwiches from Fresh
If you need a photographer on island, we love Emily and used her for our wedding!
Overall, Emerson did great on all of the flights. We lucked out with an extra seat on one flight home and girlie slept next to me. The second flight, I actually put her on the floor on a crib sheet so she could play and nap. She does not fall asleep easily in our arms so having the floor space was ideal. I will always bring a crib sheet so she can roll around on future trips in the airport or on the airplane! I ended up buying this bag for her travel essentials. It is a lot more space than our everyday backpack but was a bit heavy when I filled it to the brim. Girlie loved this crinkle book and her rubber keys (similar here) the most while traveling.
We are gearing up for our next trip with Emerson to Paris & London in November!
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