Lighthouse Beach, Nantucket hotel earn national travel nods

As the summer tourist season gets underway, Cape Cod and the Islands continue to get notice from national travel experts for their top vacation spots.

Accolades flowed in over the past week for one Cape town and one Martha’s Vineyard town, an Eastham beach and a Nantucket hotel.

Just out for Memorial Day weekend was Conde Nast Traveler’s list of “8 Best Weekend Getaways in Massachusetts,” tying them to easy travel from Boston or even New York City. On the list of eight were both Chatham and Chilmark.

Touting our state’s summer weather and last weekend's loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, Conde Nast Traveler magazine singled out those towns (and across-the-bridge neighbor Plymouth) as top coastal destinations at https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-weekend-getaways-in-massachusetts.

For Chatham, editors cited Lighthouse Beach and how often it’s named one of the most beautiful in the state, as well as the historic lighthouse that gave the beach its name. Also mentioned were the Chatham Railroad Museum, located inside the 1887 railroad depot (and due to open for the season soon, according to its website), the Impudent Oyster restaurant and Chatham Bars Inn.

Conde Nast Traveler editors described Chilmark as “bucolic” and a “rural Vineyard outpost,” and called Lucy Vincent Beach the town’s “crown jewel.” Other attractions noted include Larsen’s Fish Market (“a waterfront stalwart since 1969”); The Grey Barn farm and creamery; outdoor pursuits available in the “woodlands and wetlands” of the 185-acre Waskosim’s Rock Reservation; and the Beach Plum Inn & Restaurant.

Adding praise for local beaches, self-proclaimed expert “Dr. Beach” again put Eastham’s Coast Guard Beach in the Cape Cod National Seashore on his list of “Top 10 Beaches 2021.”

That particular stretch of sand has frequently been on the list for Stephen P. Leatherman, a professor of earth and environment at Florida International University, who is marking his 20th anniversary of ranking America’s Best Beaches as Dr. Beach. This year, Coast Guard came in No. 10 on his list. His top rated beach? Hapuna Beach State Park in Hawaii.

Dr. Beach's praise mentioned that Coast Guard Beach is accessible by bicycle from the Salt Pond Visitor’s Center or shuttle bus. The beach "is located where a sand spit extends southward from the glacial sea cliffs. The picturesque old Coast Guard station still sits atop the glacial bluffs, allowing for a spectacular view of the Nauset Spit barrier system and bay," he said.

The ranking does mention the danger there from great white sharks.

"Note the red flags with shark images on days when these predators are around and follow the advice of lifeguards."

Leatherman uses a beach judging system that includes 50 criteria, including categories such as number of sunny days, size of breaking waves, and views and vistas. The only disconcerting trend for fans of Coast Guard Beach is that its yearly ranking has dropped recently. In 2018, it was No. 5 on the list, in 2019 it was No. 6 and last year it was No. 8.

Other top beaches on the list this year were in Hawaii, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York and California.

For places to stay, a 14-room hotel on Nantucket that opened in August in an 1830s sea captain’s home gained more national praise last week.

Life House Nantucket was named one of the 24 “best hotel openings” in the world over the past year as part of Architectural Digest magazine’s 2021 Great Design Awards.

Architectural Digest’s description of the island hotel that attracted its attention: “Dating back some 200 years, this hilltop Federal-style mansion has been reimagined as an eclectic 21st-century inn, with bold paint colors, botanical motifs, and a mix of furnishings in rattan and raffia. Exotic objects and artworks call to mind souvenirs from far-flung travels, nodding to the home’s original sea-captain owner.”

Nine of those hotel openings were in the U.S., including Miraval Berkshires in Lenox and Mayflower Inn & Spa in Connecticut.

In recent weeks, Life House Nantucket was also named to the “hot list” of top new hotels in the world by Condé Nast Traveler and “The It List” for new hotels by Travel & Leisure.

Staff writer Eric Williams contributed to this report.