Summer on Cape Cod and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket, attract vacationers from all over the globe who travel there to enjoy the beaches, lighthouses, and New England charm. Although crowded, the sights, sounds and smells of this beautiful landscape is truly an escape for many.
Entering the Fall, full-timers welcome a return to ‘normal’. However, a smaller crowd seeking a long weekend getaway, now journey over the Bourne Bridge that connects the mainland to paradise. They are greeted with crisp, salty air, a vivid palette, and shorter lines for a lobster roll and cup of clam chowder. A few months later, the long season marks the calendar. “Nobody on the road, nobody on the beach. I feel it in the air. The summer’s out of reach…” as the song goes.
Although not a snowbird, I would occasionally reserve a winter weekend in Florida to visit a childhood friend and his family. We would play golf, reminisce about high school, and watch a few ridiculously funny movies. Included in my routine, oddly enough, was reaching for a familiar coffee table book about Nantucket winters and for a few minutes, getting lost in its pages. There I was sitting by the pool, soaking up the sunshine state but captivated by mother nature’s stark winter gallery of blue, gray, and white images that highlighted life on this island during the cold months.
As I had visited the island only once before, my postcard memory was an imprint of small fishing boats moored in the harbor, colorful lobster trap buoys adorning homes and businesses, tourist-filled cobblestone streets, and brushstrokes of summer hues. Learning more about this quintessential New England landmark, I discovered a famous holiday event that takes place during the first weekend in December. Started in 1973 to keep residents from leaving the island to do their holiday shopping, the Nantucket Christmas Stroll transforms its historic downtown into a winter wonderland. Decorated trees line the streets, carolers in costume sing holiday favorites, Santa Claus arrives on a Coast Guard Cutter to greet the children, and a community of residents & visitors gather to enjoy the magical sentiment of Christmas. Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, the goodwill and good cheer extend throughout the month as part of the Nantucket Noel.
After years of visiting Cape Cod and the islands, I can be hundreds of miles away but reminders of my time there and moments yet to be experienced bring me peace. Part of my soul writes a message in the sand, climbs a winding staircase to an eagle’s view, marvels at a beautiful painting in the sky and smiles when ‘Escape’ (The Pina Colada song) mentions ‘dunes on the Cape’. Writing this, I’ve decided we need a new ornament for our tree. I think it’s time to take a stroll. Here’s a link to learn more about the Nantucket Stroll: Nantucket Christmas Stroll
