Happy Tuesday, friends!
I have TWO posts for you Two-sday 😉 .
First up, it’s BOOK CLUB DAY, and we’re chatting all things My Friends by Fredrik Backman HERE. If you read the book with us this month, make sure you hop over to that post.
For this week’s TRAVEL TUESDAY post, I’m sharing the answers to your most popular questions in my DMs right now. In May, I shared a post where I answered THE TOP 5 CURRENT TRAVEL QUESTIONS with you, and today, I’m doing the same buuuut they’re all questions about Nantucket.
Based on my DMs, here are the Top 5 Questions you ladies have right now…
WHAT DO YOUR KIDS DO AT THE BEACH?
Well this answer is very different now than it was a few years ago…and it’s also different on Nantucket than it is on vacation. On vacation, we scope out a spot on the beach, park ourselves there early in the morning and stay all day. My kids are “playing” more all day (building sandcastles, renting paddle boards, snorkeling, etc).
On Nantucket, we squeeze in beach time any time the sun pops out between our “normal” routine of work, camps, classes, laundry, etc. We might go for just an hour (long enough to eat lunch and watch the waves) or we might go for a few hours, but we don’t go early and we don’t stay all day. My kids are old enough now that if they can (depending on the tide, the waves, etc), they’re all four in the water most of the time we’re there. We have a surfboard and several boogie boards, and they love to hop in and ride the waves. Ashby and Mades always have a book or drawing pad with them and they’ll do that in between getting in the water, but honestly, they’re all mostly in the water. The older they get, the less they need to be entertained by anything besides the ocean.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SNACKS AND MEALS AT THE BEACH?
This summer, our routine has been to eat lunch at the beach as often as we can. We typically bring sandwiches and chips or we grill burgers/chicken/sausages. If we grill something, we will bring chips and guacamole, grapes, etc to go with it. For snacks, we bring almonds and sometimes a thing of hummus with crackers or the ACK Meat and Fish Market sells these cookies called Big Fat Cookies that we bring…you know, basic beach food. Most days we don’t stay long enough to bring snacks, so we just bring lunch things and the kids snack at home.
DO ALL OF THE NANTUCKET BEACHES ALLOW CARS?
No. Nantucket loves to protect its beaches and only a handful of them are to be driven on by cars. In order to drive on the beach, your vehicle has to have a specific annual beach permit on it.
In my opinion there are pros and cons to the beaches where you can drive and the beaches where you cannot. It makes it very convenient to drive on to the beach (no carrying gear!) but depending on the beach, it makes it look/feel way more crowded. That being said some of the beaches are really remote, so by driving out on those, you actually get away from everyone and it feels very isolated and amazing. We always do a mix. Some days, we head to a beach where we can drive and other days, we do not.
ARE THERE UMBRELLAS TO RENT AT THE BEACH?
No, there is not “beach service” at these beaches, so whatever you want to have, you need to bring.
HOW DO YOU CARRY ALL OF YOUR GEAR?
On our person 🙂 . We have gotten reallllly good at being able to grab what we need, organize it in a specific way and head to the beach with it literally on our backs. We rely on some specific items to really make it easy like our BEACH BACKPACK CHAIRS and our YETI BACKPACK COOLER to make this a simpler process.
Don’t forget should you be beach bound soon, you can see…
…all of OUR VERY BEST BEACH FINDS in one spot plus…
…my list of the best BEACHY MOVIES…my post on NANTUCKET BEACHES and everything you need to GET BEACH READY in ONE POST HERE!
If you have any other questions, I’m happy to answer them in the comment section today. My travel agency would love to send YOU to the beach too! We would also love to send you to Disney, Europe, on a cruise…you know, lots of amazing places around the world. You can CONTACT US HERE for more information on your next destination!
Make sure you check out my BOOK CLUB post today too!
Have the best Tuesday! xx
Elspeth Mizner says
I love the idea of heading to the beach just for lunch! What a great way to break up the day!
http://www.Elspethsdaybyday.com
Polly Pover says
What is the water temp on Nantucket beaches? In this part of the North Atlantic, it stays pretty cold and no one stays in for hours. Glad you are enjoying your summer!
Mix and Match Mama says
I have no idea what the water temperature is right now? It’s certainly warmer now than it was in June and always warmer on the north side than the south.
Amy Dawson says
Hi!
While on vacation next week, we are planning a day trip to Nantucket. What would be your top restaurant pick for lunch and dinner?
Since we’re only there for the day, nothing that has a dress code for dinner would be appreciated!
Thanks so much!
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh gosh, that’s so hard! I would say lunch at The Tavern and dinner at Lobster Trap…but I could have named many other options too. Have so much fun!
Kristin says
I love seeing Madely drawing what looks like snow topped mountains while she is sitting on the beach!
Irene Kelly says
Hi Shay, You never got back to me if you have read Erin Hildebrand new book on The Best Places to eat and shop on Nantucket ? Irene Kelly
Mix and Match Mama says
I did! I responded to that question and said that I haven’t read it yet…and I’m not sure why 🙂 .
K.K. says
Gosh, the beach is calling my name!! 🙂
Mandie says
What do you do on the beach? Do you mostly read?
Also do you take your dogs to the beach?
Mix and Match Mama says
I mostly read. We take the dogs about a third of the time. It’s easier to take them when we drive on to the beach.
Nikki Sommer says
What hotel/resort would you suggest? My daughter (20 years old) and I are planning a mother/daughter trip there for a few days in October. We would like to be walking distance to most things. It will be our first time in Nantucket.
Mix and Match Mama says
Make sure you go in very early October before things close down. I always suggest The Nantucket Hotel & Resort 🙂 .
Lindsay says
What beach is that with the ocean on both sides? We went to Nantucket for the first time this summer and loved it!
Mix and Match Mama says
That’s Great Point. You need an extra tag to go out there. It’s not really a beach for swimming (sharks), but it’s a GOREGOUS beach for fishing and enjoying.
Marisa Patel says
Love the beach but so afraid of “things” lurking in the water HAHA…my kids also get in and out of the water and I typically just read or listen to music while laying out in the sun. Those beaches you are at look awesome!
Karen says
I am from Queensland in Australia, and have grown up going to the beach. I can’t recall seeing anyone eat lunch on the beach though! People might walk off the sand, go to a cafe alongside the beach, grab food (often fish and chips) and then eat it at a table metres away from the sand/ overlooking the beach. But I am not sure I have ever seen anyone with a BBQ on the beach (unless it’s a camping beach rather than a patrolled swimming beach, and campers are grilling their food at their own tent/ campsite). I am now super intrigued by this!
Mix and Match Mama says
How fabulous that you’re from Queensland?! So on this particular island, the beaches are remote. If you don’t drive out to one, you drive out to a parking lot and walk to it. There aren’t restaurants/shops/cafes anywhere near the beaches, so one must bring their own food. There are no commercial developments near them.
Karen says
That is so interesting! I am also wondering if maybe it’s because the sun is so hot here that people generally leave the beach in the middle of the day so they don’t get too sunburnt. And wondering whether this is the same everywhere in Australia or just here in Queensland!