Travel

Mass. destination named one of the best family beach vacations in the U.S., according to Conde Nast Traveler

One hotel there "exemplifies the island’s signature laid-back luxury."

By Kristi Palma

May 4, 2021

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Many travelers have scrapped international plans this summer in favor of getaways closer to home due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Conde Nast Traveler, and a Massachusetts island is among the best destinations in the nation for family trips to the shore.

Nantucket was recently named among the best family beach vacations in the U.S. by the travel publication, a list of 15 destinations “centered around great amenity-rich hotels and resorts.”

The best family vacations are about “finding the right place to plop down, so you can unplug from Zoom meetings and e-learning, and instead spend your days swimming, scavenging for seashells, unwinding in a hammock, and staying up late to roast s’mores and stargaze together,” wrote the magazine.

Here’s what the magazine wrote about Nantucket:

Thirty miles off the coast of Massachusetts by flight or ferry, Nantucket isn’t exactly the easiest to reach. But once you arrive, the trek instantly feels worthwhile. Situated between Children’s Beach and Brant Point lighthouse, the chic, gray-shingled White Elephant resort attracts families with small kids. The hotel exemplifies the island’s signature laid-back luxury, with Radio Flyer wagons, stocked with boogie boards and beach toys, that guests can borrow and wheel to the little beach (the shielded harbor means it’s ideal for small swimmers). Rooms can also be stocked with diaper genies, Pack N’ Plays, and strollers upon request. Dine at the restaurants on site or make the short walk over cobblestoned streets to town, where you’ll find plenty of kid-friendly eateries and Juice Bar, a creamery selling some of Nantucket’s best sundaes and homemade waffle cones.

Two other New England destinations made the list: Southern Maine and Tiverton, R.I.

In Maine, families who stay at the Sanford-based glamping resort Huttopia find  a “host of activities will keep the whole family entertained, from the kids club, where five- to 12-year-olds can treasure hunt and do crafts, to lawn games, pottery workshops, and nightly outdoor movies or magic shows. In Rhode Island, families who stay at Moore House Cottages experience beach bungalows with kayaks, Apple TVs, Sonos speakers, and games.

View the entire list of best family beach vacations in the U.S.