1. Value

Fall rates at hotels on the island are greatly reduced in September, October, and beyond.  For example, at the iconic White Elephant hotel the lowest midweek July rate available is $550, while in September guests can stay overnight for as little as $265.  Quite a bargain!

2. Nantucket Restaurant Week , September 27- October 3, 2010

For a small island, Nantucket has a wide variety of esteemed culinary establishments – just to note, two of the island’s restaurants are actually up for James Beard Awards this year!  Three course dinners will be offered at top Nantucket joints from $25 – $45.

3. Nantucket Historical Association’s Harvest Fair, October 2, 2010

Celebrate fall harvest at the Old Mill and learn about Nantucket’s agricultural heritage, play lively colonial games, and make traditional crafts such as cornhusk dolls or beeswax candles.

4. Nantucket Conservation Foundation’s Cranberry Festival , October 9, 2010

Visit Nantucket’s infamous cranberry bogs, generally closed to the public but open for a short time in October just when the berries are harvested.  Enjoy bog tours, hay rides, sheep-shearing, and of course, fresh berries and delicious cranberry creations!  

5. Annual Chowder Contest, October 16, 2010

What is a New England vacation without “chowdah”?  Taste and vote for your favorite Nantucket Chowder, held right in the center of it all on Main Street in Nantucket Town.  This event costs $7, all-you-can-eat!

6. Scenic Hiking and Biking

Traverse the many different trails of Nantucket and check out the beautiful fall foliage.  For speedier tours of the island, rent a bike and hit the newly resurfaced 6.4 miles of bike paths.  Bike rentals typically cost around $30/day; complimentary bikes are available for guest of the White Elephant and The Wauwinet.

7. Golf

Nantucket is home to many top-notch golf clubs including the world-class Sankaty Head Golf Club.  Play is limited to members during the summer; however the public is allowed to play in the off-season (October-May) for a fee.

8. Inexpensive airfare

Think getting to Nantucket is difficult and pricey?  Phooey!  Fly Jet Blue direct from New York City to Nantucket starting at $49 this September.

9. Romance

If you took the kids to Nantucket this summer, come back in the fall sans the little guys and stay at the romantic Wauwinet (open until October 26).  The 32-room inn doesn’t allow children under 12, so there’s no chance of having a screaming baby just down the hall.  Rates at this luxury inn start at just $225 in October.

10. Traditional New England-style Thanksgiving

Take a stroll down the cobblestone streets of Nantucket and you’ll feel like you traveled through time back to the 18^th century!  The White Elephant’s Brant Point Grill hosts a special Thanksgiving buffet with all the comfort foods you’d expect at your grandmother’s house without all the work.

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Each year, the Nantucket Wine Festival brings acclaimed vintners and restaurateurs to the island for a week-long celebration of wine and food.  Over four days, Nantucket plays host to a variety of seminars, tastings, cooking demonstrations, and receptions – all in the name of food and wine. Bringing in visitors from across the country and globe, the festival is sponsored by many of the island’s best restaurants and supported each year by internationally acclaimed chefs and vineyards.

The 14^th Annual Nantucket Wine Festival takes place May 20-24, 2010, and this year, The Wauwinet and White Elephant are offering four unique Sip & Stay packages for wine lovers.

GIVE HER SPA: Spa Day at the Peninsula Spa by ESPA, New York

Were you a particularly nasty teenager?  If so, choose between several Mother’s Day treatments at the Peninsula, including the “Spa Experience” and “Mother’s Delight” 75-minute, $225 treatments.  Mom can spend all day at the spa swimming in the pool, lounging on the outdoor patio, and enjoying the complimentary champagne and macaroons available throughout Mother’s Day weekend.   ESPA treatments are so unbelievable that Mom might forgive you for years 13-18…if you’re lucky.

GIVE HER BRUNCH: Brunch at Brant Point Grill at White Elephant, Nantucket

This is not just your average brunch – it’s the Brant Point Grill’s Annual Mother’s Day Bloody Mary Brunch, where Mom can request exactly how much Tabasco, Worcestershire, and horseradish she wants in her morning Mary.  Treat Mom to an overnight stay at the White Elephant and Mom might forget about Michael Bublé altogether.  Brunch is $45/person, and rooms start at $195.

OR GIVE HER BOTH: Breakfast and SPA at Andaz Wall Street, New York City

If Mom isn’t a stockbroker, she may never have been down to Wall Street.  Introduce her to the Lower Manhattan neighborhood and the new Andaz Wall Street hotel, where brunch is being served now at Wall & Water restaurant.  Enjoy creative fare like fried eggs and foie gras or classics like Belgian Waffles.   Finally, all mothers who brunch at Wall & Water on Mother’s Day receive a card for 20% off at The SPA, valid through December.  The SPA uses Luzern Laboratories facial products known for their anti-aging properties; not that you’re looking old mom, but we just thought you’d like to know!

Hey, it’s five o’clock somewhere, right? Toast to mom during the Brant Point Grill’s Annual Mother’s Day Bloody Mary Brunch at the White Elephant, May 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Along with the restaurant’s infamous make-your-own Bloody Mary station, guests can enjoy a raw bar, carving, omelet, and waffle stations.  But save room for dessert, moms! This year, Brant Point Grill will also be handing out a special gift to all mothers: cranberry pecan nut clusters.

Brunch is $48 per person. Children ages 12 and under pay $24. Reservations are required. Please call 508.325.1320 to reserve. Regular Sunday Brunch at the Brant Point Grill is available from mid-April through the end of August, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Don’t miss the last chance for the lowest available rate at Nantucket Island Resorts! Hurry and book by April 1 (we’re not fooling) and guests will have the added bonus of the lowest rate guaranteed at the following properties: Jared Coffin House, The Cottages & Lofts at the Boat Basin, The Wauwinet, White Elephant, and  White Elephant Hotel Residences. If the rate goes lower at any time before your stay, the resort will honor the lower rate. Guests will also receive:

Spa Credit: Two $25 spa treatment credits at the White Elephant Spa or The Spa by the Sea at The Wauwinet

Dinner Credit: $25 dinner credit when you spend $100, or $50 dinner credit when you spend $150, at either Brant Point Grill at the White Elephant or TOPPER’S at The Wauwinet

Offer is subject to availability, cannot be combined with any other promotions or offers, and is not applicable to groups. To receive the guarantee, you must book by April 1, 2010. Click here for other restrictions.

To book online, visit the Nantucket Island Resorts property of your choice and enter the booking code GTDLOW, or call 800.ISLANDS (800.475.2637) or 508.325.1000 and mention booking code GTDLOW.

Do you love Facebook? Do you love film festivals? Then you will love The Wauwinet’s new Facebook Fan contest starring the Nantucket Film Festival!

Become a fan of The Wauwinet on Facebook and be automatically entered to win two VIP Seats to the Nantucket Film Festival, June 17-20.

One lucky couple will win:
-   A four-day/three-night stay in a luxurious Guest Room at The Wauwinet
-   Two 60-minute rejuvenating spa treatments at The Spa by the Sea
-   Dinner for two (with house selected wines and spectacular water views!) at TOPPER’S restaurant Saturday night
-   Sunday Brunch for two at Brant Point Grill at the White Elephant featuring the “Make Your Own Bloody Mary” bar
-   Two VIP tickets to the following 2010 Nantucket Film Festival events:

• 14 film selections, including Centerpiece and Spotlight
• One ticket to both Opening and Closing Night Films
• Access to a screening of “The Reckoning: Facing History and Ourselves,” followed by a discussion panel
• One ticket to the All-Star Comedy Roundtable
• Entry to the Film Festival’s Opening Night Festival Party and Closing Night Toast.

Fan The Wauwinet and enter to win by April 25, 2010! For more information about the 2010 Nantucket Film Festival, please visit http://nantucketfilmfestival.org/.

CARIBBEAN

Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos
Getting married at a private island resort in the Caribbean is a fantastic kick-off to a new life.  Parrot Cay offers two beachfront setting for wedding ceremonies – a boardwalk aisle that leads to an unspoiled beach, or the beachfront of a private villa available for rent.  Parrot Cay also insists that stress need not be a part of the preparations; all weddings include the dedication of a planner to assist with all preparations, including reserving the dates, food and beverage details, music and entertainment, photography, and any other service requested.   Parrot Cay can accommodate small, intimate weddings, or can be bought out for larger weddings (up to 120 guests). 

Rosewood Mayakobá, Mexico
Weddings at Rosewood Mayakobá are all about choices – choose stunning outdoor venues like the white sand beach or the Plaza with views of the resort, lagoon, and tropical jungle.  Three different restaurants are available to cater.  Retreat to the privacy of a private plunge pool after the ceremony, or come down a day early with the wedding party and receive treatments at the resort’s spa, Sense, which is its own private island. 

NANTUCKET

White Elephant, Nantucket
The landmark White Elephant offers the perfect venue for an in-town wedding with 64 beautifully appointed rooms, suites, and stunning spa.  The hotel can also accommodate guests in the newly added White Elephant Loft, a luxurious three-bedroom, four-bathroom Loft complete with gourmet kitchen, gas fireplace, exquisite living room and dining room, sitting room, and massive skylights.  Also new this year are the White Elephant Hotel Residences – a collection of 25 one-, two-, and three-bedroom Hotel Residences just steps from the White Elephant.  At White Elephant, Nantucket Island Resorts can arrange for an array of ceremonies, from the sandy beaches of Brant Point Light to the green lawn overlooking Nantucket Harbor. The Sun Deck at the Brant Point Grill caters to up to 60 guests; for larger receptions of up to 300 people in the spring and fall, couples have the option of reserving the entire hotel and holding the reception under a tent on the lawn.   And if the soon-to-be newly-weds need to relax from all the hectic planning, guests can go off to town for shopping and biking, or the 32 miles of beach, while the couple can relax at the White Elephant Spa, complete with champagne and strawberries.


The Wauwinet, Nantucket
For those couples seeking a truly intimate experience, The Wauwinet offers an unrivaled location for the most elegant and classic weddings. Wedding season at The Wauwinet is in May or October, and the inn can accommodate up to 150 guests. Located nine miles outside of town on the peacefully secluded northeast tip of the island, guests can relax in one of the 28 guest rooms with bay or garden views or in one of the four garden cottages.. With a backdrop of Nantucket Bay at sunset, those who wed at The Wauwinet are hard-pressed to find a more romantic location. The Wauwinet offers the services of the highly-lauded TOPPER’S Executive Chef David Daniels who caters food to a pristine tent on the lawn overlooking the Bay.   Pre-wedding jitters can be taken care of with a couples’ massage at The Wauwinet Spa by the Sea.

THAILAND

Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa, Chiang Rai, Thailand
Perched amidst luxuriant tropical forests, Anantara Golden Triangle is culturally rich and naturally beautiful – a meaningful setting for an intimate garden wedding.  The resort offers two wedding packages that include everything necessary to make it a celebration to remember. The “Regal Elephant” wedding adds a Thai touch to the ceremony as the bride and groom share a memorable elephant ride.  

Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa, Thailand
The gentle lull of rolling waves and rose petals strewn on golden sand makes a wedding at Thailand’s original seaside resort paradise a favorite.  The “Western Wedding” at the Anantara Hua Hin provides a ceremonial cabana for the wedding, along with cake, decorations, and music.  For a more traditional Thai ceremony, The “Thai Wedding” includes sacred chanting by Buddhist monks during the “Rod Nam Sang” well-wishing holy water ceremony. 

Anantara Bophut Resort & Spa, Koh Samui, Thailand
Choose a stylish indoor ceremony or a beachfront exchange of vows at Anantara Bophut. Awaken to the sound of jovial drumbeats and the festive “Hae Khaan Maak” parade, as the groom escorts his bride from her chamber. Adorned in traditional Thai costumes and flower garlands, tie the knot in front of family and friends, followed by blessings from Buddhist monks and well-wishers during the “Rod Nam Sang” ceremony.

Anantara Si Kao Resort & Spa, Thailand
Glide into marital bliss on a catamaran weaving through the islands of the Andaman Sea off the coast of Trang. Anantara Si Kao offers these exotic options for exchanging vows.  For those looking for a more traditional approach, the resort also arranges for land ceremonies and receptions.

MALDIVES

Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa and Anantara Veli Resort & Spa, both in the Maldives, offer several different packages for unique destination weddings.  Wedding experiences offered include getting hitched aboard a yacht sailing through the sea, or walking down a torch-lit aisle to the beat of island drummers.  Both resorts provide for all the necessities of a wedding ceremony; from photographers to flowers and cakes to spa treatments for bride and groom.

Cocoa Island
A private island in the South Male Atoll, Cocoa Island has just 33 suites and villas – so forget about crowds of strangers peering in on the ceremony.  Weddings are Cocoa Island are purely ceremonial (not recognized by law), so maybe the perfect place to take those gorgeous wedding photographs after a less aesthetic wedding at City Hall.

SOUTH ASIA

Uma Paro, Bhutan
Take part in an intimate and spiritual marriage blessing ceremony at the magnificent shrine of the Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan’s oldest temples. Wed amidst the splendor of this 7th-century temple’s magic orange trees, bearing fruit year-round. During the two-hour ceremony, 20 monks will conduct prayers, accompanied by drums, horns, and cymbals.

INDONESIA

Uma Ubud, Bali
Choose a legal marriage, commitment ceremony, or even a simple, traditional Balinese blessing in the quiet, culture-rich countryside of Bali. Arrange for your ceremony to take place in the remote meditation bale, a site for some of Bali’s most inspiring views of the River Oos and the Tjampuhan Valley. Let the resort do the work for you, covering everything from table settings, to flowers, even traditional masked fire dancers and Balinese music.

The FAN prize includes:

• Two-night slip stay for one boat
• Dinner for four paired with house wine at Brant Point Grill at the White Elephant
• Four 60-minute spa treatments at the tranquil White Elephant Spa
• Four tickets to The Whaling Museum

 
 To enter, visit http://www.nantucketboatbasin.com/  by April 1, 2010

 Biking

Nantucket’s small size, flat terrain, and scenic beauty provide an ideal environment for bicycling. There are over 30 miles of bicycle paths on the island. Island bike paths are separated from the adjacent roadways, provide convenient access to many areas of the island, and are an enjoyable way to explore the entire island and closely view its natural beauty.

Yoga

Yoga on the Beach is held each morning (except Sundays) at 7 a.m. on Children’s Beach. Islanders and guests can achieve their personal Zen while watching the sun rise over the beautiful waters of Nantucket. 

Fresh, Local Cuisine

You will not find a fast-food chain on Nantucket. However, what you will find are remarkable restaurants offering fresh and local ingredients.

Bartlett’s Farm  has a plethora of good eats and its newly-expanded farm market is an easy swing-by to or from a number of the ocean beaches.  While there, choose from ready-made salads and ogle the vast amounts of fresh produce, herbs, and beautiful plants grown on the surrounding acres.  Saturday food tastings and garden classes are available for those who want to dig deeper

The Wauwinet has answered your prayers (and your rumbling stomachs) with TOPPER’S restaurant now serving their infamous breakfast to all of Nantucket! Their new European-inspired Continental breakfast menu includes Wauwinet granola and yogurt, freshly squeezed juices, and more!

Brant Point Grill at the White Elephant’s raw bar offers a creative twist to the old world oyster bar with oysters, fresh catches of the day, and various combinations of delectable lobster dishes.

Stress-free Relaxation 

Simply basking in the natural beauty of the island can be incredibly restorative.  Walking the miles of beach can be an amazing energy rejuvenator (not to mention great for the legs!) as crashing waves boost the mood and relax the mind. For those seeking a more concentrated dose of serenity the White Elephant Spa serves as the perfect location to release tension and return to equilibrium.