Nantucket has changed since Herman Melvilles day.

The evening had started innocently enough.

The couple next to us were from Los Angeles.

Two scenes from Nantucket hotel Light House, including a dining room, and a fire pit in a courtyard.

From left: The dining room of Sister Ship, the restaurant at the hotel Faraway Nantucket; the courtyard of the Life House hotel.Elizabeth Cecil

One of them, I would later find out, was the former head of a major studio.

One of them was the daughter of a well-known senator.

The kids, disgruntled, buried theirs deeper into their iPhones.

Sailboats in the harbor in Nantucket

Sailboats at anchor in Nantucket Harbor.Elizabeth Cecil

Still, I was expecting a bucolic vacation, a retreat from the distractions of the modern world.

The buildings remained old-world distinctively shingled and white-trimmed, with sloping roofs and cane porch furnishings.

There were designer boutiques, hip bars, fashionable restaurants, and some ofthe island’s best hotels.

Two photos from Nantucket, one showing a tomato, corn, and herb salad, and one showing a hallway in a hotel

From left: A summer salad and a Train Wreck cocktail at the Club Car, a restaurant set in a retired train carriage; a hallway at Faraway Nantucket, where vintage furnishings create a personal feel.Elizabeth Cecil

It felt more like arriving at a friend’s house than at a hotel.

The decor is meant to evoke a sea-captain’s journey across the world.

We marveled at the stars.

Two photos from Nantucket, one showing the exterior of a homewares store, and one showing houses and boats at the harbor

From left: Bon Ton, a store selling New England–style homewares; Old North Wharf, in Nantucket Harbor.Elizabeth Cecil

It was just like camping except not at all.

“Nantucket has changed,” McDermott Barnes said, and I thought she sounded a little wistful.

“We have to keep this place relevant,” she said.

Two photos show the Faraway hotel in Nantucket, including a guest bicycle, and a sitting area and fireplace

From left: A guest bicycle outside the Faraway Nantucket hotel; the Faraway hotel’s entrance.Elizabeth Cecil

“We have to move with the times.”

This look is the result of planning codes that stringently protect the appearance of old Nantucket.

We took an Uber ride one evening and befriended our young Nepali driver, Praveen Neupane.

Two photos showing Sylvia Antiques shop, including a general view of the store, and a detail of a sailor’s valentine

From left: Maritime treasures at Sylvia Antiques; a traditional sailors’ valentine at Sylvia Antiques.Elizabeth Cecil

“The summer season can feel overwhelming,” she said.

“There’s a big difference between the Nantucket population in January and July.”

“Social media blew up Nantucket,” she said.

Cosmo flowers growing near Nantucket

Cosmos growing wild on the ’Sconset Bluff Walk.Elizabeth Cecil

“It’s the most beautiful, Instagrammable island.”

Beyond it, occasional glimpses of the shimmering ocean burst into view.

We were headed, I soon learned, to Siasconset (commonly referred to as ‘Sconset).

Two photos from Nantucket hotels, including an image of oysters on ice, and a tasseled key

From left: Oysters at Topper’s Restaurant, in the Wauwinet hotel; a tasseled key at the Life House hotel.Elizabeth Cecil

Finigan described ‘Sconset as “a step back in time.”

It reminded me of the Cotswolds, in England.

Life House, Nantucket: This boutique hotel set in a 19th-century Federal-style mansion launched in 2020.

A person on a beach chair on a Nantucket beach

A sunbather on the beach at ’Sconset, a former fishing village on Nantucket’s eastern shore.Elizabeth Cecil

The Wauwinet: A Relais & Chateaux property that’s ideal for those seeking privacy and oceanfront access.

Sylvia Antiques: Browse a rich stock of classic New England artifacts, including folk art and traditional baskets.