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NANTUCKET FERRIES
When we go to Nantucket, we usually drive four hours (without traffic) up I-95 to Hyannis, then take the fast ferry. There are two ferry companies offering nearly identical service to Nantucket but one is much cheaper than the other. One is Hy-Line Cruises (tel: 800-492-8082; website: Hy-lineCruises.com). Their year-round fast ferry takes an hour and is $38 one-way for adults; the traditional seasonal slow ferry takes two hours and costs $18.50 one-way. The other company is Steamship Authority (tel: 508-477-8600; website: steamshipauthority.com) and their ferries take the same amount of time but the prices are considerably less. One-way summertime fares for adults on the high speed boat costs $29.50 and $15 for the slow boat. Rates for cars start at $120.

FLYING TO NANTUCKET
Because it was a Friday, my brother Frank said it would be a miserable drive once we got to Cape Cod. The solution for avoiding traffic is to drive three hours to New Bedford and hop on a 25-minute flight to Nantucket – saving a good three hours. That's when I said, "Whoa, Nelly! My name is Johnny Jet, not Johnny Prop!" He didn't laugh. I proceeded to remind him that one of my biggest fears is small planes. I have never felt safe in them and I also lost a dear friend in a plane crash about eight years ago when her father's plane, traveling from Nantucket to Connecticut, crashed. But Frank, with his built-in, older brother noose basically said I had no choice and assured me that it was safe; he does it all the time.

AIRLINES TO NANTUCKET
Because it was a beautiful, clear day, I didn't put up much of a stink. Frank, the lucky man that he is, has two houses on the island so he travels to Nantucket all the time. To save thirty percent, he buys discount ticket books from Cape Air (tel: 800-352-0714; website FlyCapeAir.com), which come in packets of 10 and are unrestricted and transferable. FYI: Regular one-way fares begin around $65. Nantucket Airlines (tel: 800-635-8787; website: NantucketAirlines.com), is another small airline that offers service to the island. Both offer hourly flights from Hyannis, Boston, New Bedford and Providence, R.I. in the summertime. The third option is Island Airlines (tel: 800-248-7779, IslandAir.net), which has frequent flights out of Hyannis for $55 one-way. NOTE: Major carriers like Continental, Delta, Jet Blue and USAir, offer summer service to the island and fly regional jets from primary airports like JFK, EWR and PHL.



CAPE FEAR ... I MEAN AIR
When we arrived at the sleepy New Bedford airport, I felt like I was in an episode of Wings. The place was quiet as could be and there was a sign at the counter, indicating that the agent was outside servicing the aircraft and would be back shortly. The agent is servicing the aircraft? Gulp! When she finally showed up, she weighed all our bags (including carry-ons) and asked for the weight of each passenger. Although they had a metal detector for security, no one was required to go through it nor did anyone show their ID. It was like flying in the … wait – I don't remember what those days were like, but I do know it took all the hassle out of flying. We boarded the nine-passenger plane and the cool part is that they allowed my brother's large, smelly dog (one per flight) to sit in the back. Then the captain asked me to sit up front near him since I was one of the biggest guys on the plane and they needed to balance the weight out. After a short safety briefing, we taxied down the runway and were airborne. The flight was smooth and we were treated to great views of the New Bedford harbor and Martha's Vineyard, which we flew right over. You couldn't really talk on the plane because it was so loud; why didn't I bring my Audio-Technica QuietPoint Active noise-canceling headphones? Flight time ended up being an extra 20 minutes because half the island and runway were fogged in, so we had to go the long route. But overall, it was a great experience and thankfully, there were no hairy moments.

BACKGROUND ON NANTUCKET
Nantucket lies 30 miles off the Massachusetts coast. It's an island, a town and a county -- the only place in the U.S. with the same name for all three. It is 14 miles east to west, 3 1/2 miles north to south. That sounds tiny, but driving around, it sure doesn't feel that way. The name Nantucket is derived from a Native American word meaning "faraway island" or "land far out to sea." The population of Nantucket is 12,000 year-round, but during the summer, it swells to over 55,000. But it's still not crowded, except in the Town Center, as those people enjoy over 82 miles of pristine beaches, almost all of it open to the public. More than 36 percent of the island's land is protected and will never be built on. These areas are open to the public for hiking and bird-watching. When my brother bought his house, he had to pay two percent of the purchase price to The Nantucket Land Bank, the first of its kind in the country, so they can acquire more open space.

WHERE TO STAY
Nantucket has about 1,200 rooms in bed-and-breakfasts, inns and guesthouses. If you go, you shouldn't have a problem finding a place, as long as you book in advance. But here's my advice: Because hotel rooms and restaurants aren't cheap, it's better to rent a house for your stay. There are all kinds of houses available (not just my brother's!) and you can rent by the weekend, week, month or season. There are many Nantucket real estate agents who offer rentals: Denby Real Estate (tel: 508-228-2522), Nantucket Real Estate (tel: 800-228-4070) and Edith Delker Real Estate (tel: 508-257-9698).

FRANK'S HOUSE
Frank rents both of his houses out most of the year and leaves a few weeks open for himself ... and lucky me! His Cliff Road house is just a seven-minute walk or a two-minute bike ride from the center of town. Weekly rates range from $2000 to $4500 a week, which might seem steep but it sleeps eight to ten people comfortably. His other house is in Madaket and sleeps six people comfortably. Madaket is five miles from Town Center and is where native Nantucketers actually used to have their summer houses ... get this … because it's cooler. Madaket is the perfect place for a family vacation. It's quiet, the unpretentious houses are not right on top of each other and it's on the beach. Warning: The Madaket surf is rough. There are lifeguards, but you really have to watch out for the little ones.

MADAKET
We all stayed out in Madaket and my sisters rented the house next door so it was one big party. The big difference between Frank's house on Cliff Road and the one in Madaket is that in Madaket, when you go to sleep with the windows open, you can hear and smell the ocean waves crashing nearby. This house also has an outdoor shower.

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