My daughters and I went to Nantucket for the 4th of July weekend this year.  We left early on Friday the 3rd because I knew the traffic was going to be horrendous on this beautiful 3-day weekend.

We caught the first ferry out of Hyannis.  You can take the slow boat or the fast one for twice the price.  We took the slow one, it was about $40 one-way for the 3 of us.  It was quite enjoyable on the ferry.  We played cards and watched the day become brighter.  The view when you arrive on Nantucket is really amazing!  You can see a light house and picturesque historic mansions and their sailboats floating in the harbor.

We stayed with my friend who grew up on Nantucket.  She showed us the island with it’s cute cobblestone streets from the early 1700s and it’s quaint bookstores, fashion boutiques, cafes and restaurants.  We enjoyed the 4th of July festivities downtown with kids’ activities such as face painting and bean bag tossing.  We spent the day at the beach and my daughters played in the waves and collected seashells.  We watched the fireworks from the Harbor and felt proud to be on this old historic island that is a unique piece of the American experience.