ISLANDS.

com The sun rises over

will and deni mcintyre/corbis

“America’s Beach,”
as North Carolina’s
Outer Banks bills
its history-rich
coastline.

The best
islands
Close
to Home
islands
�
Best if you don’t yet live in paradise,
of the you can still find it right next door. Many
world beautiful islands lie just a bridge, ferry
ride or short flight away. Even from inland
states, you can be in a dreamy island set-
ting within half a day or less, at bargain
prices, and without all the planning an
international trip demands (though
you’ll still need the sunscreen and beach
towels). The islands listed here — from
Key Biscayne, Florida, to Whidbey Island,
Washington — can be reached in hours,
mere minutes in some cases. Now quit
checking your watch. As soon as you
cross that bridge, you’re on vacation.

b y m at t h e w m i l l e r

78 Ju l y/Au g u s t 2 0 0 9 isl a n d s . c om Ju l y/Au g u s t 2 0 0 9 isl a n d s . c om 79

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ISLANDS.com

Cape Florida The rest of the island is a bit more laid-

Lighthouse, back. The 1890 lighthouse in Gasparilla
Key Biscayne
State Park at the south end of the island
is still functioning. Open to the public,
it exemplifies the Florida vernacular
style, with elevated floors and high ceil-
ings for green cooling invented before
green was green. In the same system
of barrier islands, Sanibel to the south
offers some of the same atmosphere.
But Gasparilla gets you a little closer to
away from it all. the-gasparilla-inn.com

Best for variety

Galveston Island, Texas
� Less than an hour from downtown

f r o m t o p : wa lt e r b i b i k o w / c o r b i s ; l au r e n c e pa r e n t / p h o t o g r a p h e r ’ s d i r e c t
Houston, Galveston Island is 32 miles
long and has 32 miles of beach. That
means it’s all beach. Well, there’s also
shopping and dining in the Historic
Downtown Strand District. And there’s
the Lone Star Flight Museum with a col-
lection of one-of-a-kind aircraft and a
concentration of Victorian architecture
nearly unmatched in the United States,

this all-american island perfection barely fits into a long weekend.

best FOR commuting from the trees. But it’s rarely cold in Key including Bishops Palace (1892) and the
Key Biscayne, Florida Biscayne. When it’s time to leave, just Grand 1894 Opera House, which is still
� This may be the most convenient keep on relaxing — you’re almost home. used for performances from pop to clas-
island escape in the world, at least if silversandsbeachresort.net sical. And for pure prefabricated, zero-
you live in Miami — it’s 18 minutes intellect thrills, there’s Schlitterbahn
from downtown over the causeway Best for relaxation Waterpark. Authentic island culture?
and onto the key, and it’s only 27 from Gasparilla Island, Florida Maybe not, but take the watery 40 mph
Miami International. Visit one of the � There’s Old Florida, and then, across freefall on the Cliffhanger Speed Slide
country’s best swimming beaches, at the Boca Grande Causeway, there’s
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park (that ­Gasparilla Island, Florida. A little far-
unruly sea grass keeps the water clean). ther out of the way, this one-time haunt Gasparilla Island
Lighthouse
Boater’s Grill on No Name Harbor in of J.P. Morgan and Henry Ford seems to
the park has good seafood and great views. lie a lot farther back in time. Gasparilla
Or peruse Donut Gallery; it doesn’t serve values tradition, and the tradition it val-
doughnuts, but does have great burgers. ues is luxurious Gulf-side relaxation.
For accommodation, choose between At the center of island culture since
the Ritz-Carlton and the Silver Sands it was built in 1911, the Gasparilla Inn
Beach Resort, a midcentury motel close & Club embraces that ethic, as a retreat
to Florida’s resort roots with terrazzo from the stresses of modern life but not
floors and doors that still use keys. from civilization: Jackets are required
Watch for iguanas sunning in roadside in the dining room during the island’s
vegetation around 4 p.m. They also hang “social season” from December to April.
out on the beach and the golf course. If For non-guests, the inn offers tours of
it gets cold enough, they may even fall the historic property twice a week.

80 Ju l y/Au g u s t 2 0 0 9 isl a n d s . c om
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ISLANDS.com
and see if you care. And Moody Gardens Saturday mornings in summer, proof of 1953, and the Outer Banks calls itself States to see the morning sun, but the
offers an aquarium and a tropical rain- the Vineyard’s devotion to local (and “America’s Beach.” Largely protected autumn views from the summit top it

forest enclosed in a 10-story pyramid.
But the rest is beach (not counting
too much other stuff to mention here).
The longest continuous sidewalk in the
United States lines the 10.5-mile Seawall
section, restored after Hurricane Ike
in 2008. Ike wasn’t as bad as the great
storm of 1900, after which they built
the elegant Hotel Galvez — now run by
Wyndham with a renovated spa — to
symbolize the destination’s undaunted
vitality. The island survived Ike too. And
it’s relaxing and super fun. Right there
next to downtown Texas. galveston.com
Best for biking
Martha’s Vineyard,
Massachusetts
� Summer is the season on the Vineyard.
The Steamship Authority — in business
since ships ran on steam — runs ferries
almost hourly dawn till dark between
a l a n t i d e p h o t o t r av e l / c o r b i s ; o p p o s i t e : dav i d b r o w n e l l / p h o t o g r a p h e r ’ s d i r e c t
delicious) produce from its dozens of from development, the 70-mile expanse all, with foliage in red and gold stretch-
small farms. Continue to the “up-is- of sand is packed with historic spots ing to the horizon. Propane-powered
land” township of Aquinnah, on land (and picnic spots to match). Island Explorer buses run from late June
Martha’s Vineyard owned by the Wampanoag tribe, to Blackbeard (Edward Teach) allegedly Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island to mid-October, providing a free, low-
see the striking striated red clay of the hid out in the area, and yes, he probably stress way to tour the island and reach
Woods Hole on the mainland and Vine- Aquinnah Cliffs. Get lobster rolls from buried treasure, but don’t waste your Best for colors trailheads, beaches and other places
yard Haven (without a car it’s $7.50 per Menemsha Fish Market in the fishing weekend digging in the sand. Established Mount Desert Island, Maine both in the park and out.
person). Known as a vacation escape since village of Menemsha and sit on the adja- in 1584, the English colony on Roanoke � Home to Acadia National Park, Mount Revel in some of America’s oldest
whaling died out here in the 19th century, cent public beach to watch the sunset. Island preceded Jamestown by more than Desert is an island for all seasons. The luxury at the Spa at the Bar Harbor Club.
the island is a great place for a leisurely This all-American island perfection 20 years. The Waterside Theatre’s play carriage trails through the park offer Built by J.P. Morgan in 1929, stock-
bicycle tour. Bring a bike on the ferry barely fits into a long weekend. Better The Lost Colony will reinforce that hint pleasant hiking and biking in spring, ­market tribulation notwithstanding, the
for an extra $3, or rent one at Martha’s make it a week. steamshipauthority.com of the Elizabethan era. and cross-country skiing in winter. In club stands as testament to the enduring
Bicycle Rentals a block from the dock. In summer, climb the seemingly end- the summer, park on the east side of value of retreat. barharborclub.com
Pedal a picturesque loop: Vineyard Best for History less cast-iron steps of the Cape Hatteras Northeast Harbor and climb the stone
Haven, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown Outer Banks, North Carolina Lighthouse, the nation’s tallest at 208 feet steps up the cliffs called Asticou Terraces Best For name-dropping
form the island’s “urban” backbone. � Kitty Hawk at the north end of the and still guiding ships at sea. After pay- to the Asticou and Thuya gardens. The Long Island, New York
For an island escape within an island Outer Banks is just 79 miles south of ing homage to flying pioneers at Wright greenery and stone benches create a con- � It’s impossible to list islands convenient
escape, continue to Chappaquiddick the airport in Norfolk, Virginia, and Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil templative atmosphere you may not rec- to American cities without including the
Island by ferry and leave by bike along even the drive from Washington, D.C., Hills, you can be like them (sort of ) by ognize from your morning commute. place so many New Yorkers look to for
the sand spit to Katama (if your bike can be done in a long afternoon. Cape doing some low-altitude hang-gliding at Cadillac Mountain is the highest summer escape. Driving east from JFK
is beach-capable). West Tisbury has Hatteras to the south was declared the Jockey’s Ridge State Park on Nags Head. peak on the U.S. Atlantic Coast at 1,530 Airport to picturesque Montauk Point
a farmers market Wednesday and United States’ first national seashore in Or fly a kite on the beach. outerbanks.org feet, and it’s the first place in the United State Park, home of (continued on p. 86)

Virgin Islands
U N I T E D S T A T E S ;   
 :;  

S T. C R O I X I S T. J O H N I S T. T H O M A S
WWW.VISITUSVI.COM NO PASSPORT REQUIRED
S T. C R O I X S T. C R O I X S T. T H O M A S S T. T H O M A S

Best Places toStay Gold List, 2008

DIVI CARINA BAY BEACH
RESORT & CASINO
Located on a quiet stretch of beach
in St. Croix, the Divi Carina Bay
Beach Resort combines privacy
and relaxation with modern style
and amenities. Spacious beachfront
guestrooms and deluxe hillside suites
offer private balconies with stunning
views. Resort features full service spa,
casino and PADI 5-Star scuba diving.
SUGAR BEACH
CONDO RESORT
Still rated #1 condominium resort by
TripAdvisor.com! Located on 500 ft.
of sandy beach and 5 minutes from
downtown shopping. 46 spacious,
deluxe units: studios, 1 to 4 bedroom
suites, all facing the beach. Includes
private balconies, kitchens, central
A/C, ceiling fans, CATV, phone, free
WiFi by the pool, lighted tennis courts
SECRET HARBOUR
BEACH RESORT
It’s no secret why guests return to
enjoy our true island hospitality. Our
all-suite oceanfront resort is set among
the palms of our crescent shaped
beach. Studio, one and two bedroom
suites are fully equipped and feature
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 9 777,#)."5*$0.
 the best
ISLANDS.com
(continued from p. 83) New York’s oldest
lighthouse, could take two hours. (Hear
that derisive laughter? Add time if a mil-
lion or so others escape with you.)
Fire Island Wilderness off the south
shore and accessible by ferry and bridge Prince Edward Island oysters­
offers New York’s only designated wilder-
ness area. Dr. Stephen Leatherman, aka here somewhere, but they’d rather you
Dr. Beach, named two of Long Island’s didn’t visit. Maybe you’ll see them at the
beaches in his 2008 list of best U.S. beach. discoverlongisland.com
beaches: Coopers Beach in Southampton
and Main Beach in East Hampton. Best for SEAFOOD
Those familiar with Long Island Prince Edward Island, Canada
from The Great Gatsby — and innumer- � For U.S. readers, Prince Edward ­Island,
able other depictions — have their high- a Canadian province unto itself, is the
flown expectations to answer to, but the most remote island in this list. Crossing
island’s variety provides a backdrop for the bridge from New ­Brunswick feels
whatever story unfolds. Visit the birth- like entering another world. (You can
place of Walt Whitman in Huntington, also get direct flights here from Boston,
plus the houses of Jackson Pollock in New York and other hubs.)
East Hampton and of Teddy Roosevelt The surrounding Gulf of St. Lawrence
at Oyster Bay. Billy Joel, Calvin Klein, and Newfoundland to the northeast
Martha Stewart, Howard Stern and give the island a milder climate than
Steven Spielberg also have homes out mainland Canada. Warm, usually dry
ANDROS ISLAND LONG ISLAND
Emerald Palms
Boutique oceanfront resort minutes
from the world’s third largest barrier
reef. Fabulous fishing, diving, stunning
villas and hotel rooms, miles of private
beach. Perfect wedding, reunion,
retreat setting. Emerald Palms. Eat, fish
and be merry.
866-956-PALM
www.emerald-palms.com
GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND NASSAU
Pelican Bay at Lucaya
Stay 3 nights in one of our Waterside
State Rooms for $209 p/n and get the
4th night FREE! Located on the water,
furnished in rich mahogany décor,
in-room espresso, steps to beach and
minutes to the best shopping on
Grand Bahama.
866-654-1526
www.PelicanBayHotel.com
summers seem to suggest a whimsical
literary idyll. Anne of Green Gables, the
island’s favorite fictional daughter, came
here by mistake, then had an unspeak-
able amount of fun. The farmhouse that
inspired author L. M. Montgomery still
stands in Prince Edward Island National
Park, which offers a variety of landscapes
— sandbars, wetlands, forests and cliffs.
Meanwhile, Prince Edward Island’s
clean, nutrient-rich waters support a
world-renowned shellfish industry —
oysters, mussels and lobsters abound.
Visit the recently opened Ship to Shore
restaurant in Darnley on the north shore’s
Malpeque Bay. Co-owner and two-time
North American oyster-shucking cham-
i a n b at c h e l o r / g e t t y i m ag e s
pion John Bil runs the kitchen. Nobody
shucks like Bil, and he can cook too.
The scenic Confederation Trail runs
the length of the island along an old
railway right of way, traversing gentle
hills and running through small com-
munities populated with friendly island
Cape Santa Maria Beach
Resort & Villas
Untouched…undiscovered…barefoot
elegance in paradise. Enjoy luxurious
accommodation, scrumptious cuisine
and feel your stress slip away as mile
after mile of silky sand beach stretches
before you and majestic sunsets and
calm waters embrace you.
800-663-7090
www.capesantamaria.com
Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort
On the Caribbean’s finest white-sand
beach, Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort
offers a complete vacation experience,
with Bahamian hospitality, thoughtful
amenities, varied dining and abundant
activities. “Sunsational Savings” 4th
night FREE - Up to $200 in resort
credits – breakfast for two.
877-782-0149
www.sheraton.com/nassauoffers
 the best
ISLANDS.com
folk exuding a mystical quality that
harried city folk sometimes refer to as
inner peace. tourismpei.com
Best for wildlife
Channel Islands, California
� How did the Pacific look from the
coast of California 500 years ago? The
five island jewels — San Miguel, Santa
Cruz, Santa Rosa, Anacapa and Santa
Barbara — that comprise Channel
­Islands National Park offer a glimpse.
Although it lies close to the megalopolis
that is Southern California, the archipel-
ago remains remote and well preserved.
The park was created in 1980 for
the protection of the unique ecosystem,
which includes Torrey pines and the
endemic island fox. Unlike other islands
in our list, the Channel Islands are by
nature hard to reach. Visitors here (fewer
than 90,000 landing per year) come by
plane and boat. Channel Islands Aviation,
Truth Aquatics and Island Packer Cruises
Elbow Beach, Bermuda
A Mandarin Oriental managed property - is the
ultimate island getaway. A combination of main
hotel and cottage colony, the resort enjoys prime
locale overlooking stunning South Shore.
1-800-223-7434
441-236-3535
ebbda-reservations@mohg.com
www.mandarinoriental.com/bermuda
W W W. B E R M U D AT O U R I S M . C O M
Anacapa Island, Channel Islands
bring day-trippers and overnight camp-
ers (there are no hotels).
From the boat landing on Santa Rosa
Island, hike to the ridge for a view of the
Pacific so broad it seems to reach back
in time. Is this what Portuguese explorer
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo saw landing
here in 1542? It’s probably pretty close.
And it’s very close to home. nps.gov/chis
Best for VIEWS
Whidbey Island, Washington
� It’s about 25 miles from downtown
Seattle to the dock in Mukilteo, but
once you’re on the ferry to Clinton on
Whidbey Island, the commute is over
and Puget Sound views begin.
Grotto Bay
Full service recently renovated resort spread
among 21 lush landscaped acres along the water’s
edge. Tennis, watersports,diving, nearby golf,
spa, 3 great restaurants! All Inclusive package
available. Special: Save $400 on 4 nights or more.
BERMUDA’S BEST VALUE!
1-800-582-3190
lsimons@grottobay.com
www.grottobay.com
As you drive north from Clinton,
accumulate a locally sourced picnic lunch
— wine and cheese from Greenbank Farm
(you can also get married in this lovely
spot if you bring your betrothed), logan-
berry pie from the adjacent Whidbey Pies
Cafe and smoked salmon from Seabolt’s
Smokehouse in Oak Harbor.
The views of Deception Pass are
spectacular, even from above. But hiking
down through the state park (entrances
at both ends of the bridge) to the estuary
can be transformative. Passing
through ancient Northwest
forest, you might see bald i s l a nd s . com /
best
eagles and other birds that
stay through winter for the temperate
microclimate. Leave yourself some hours
frans lanting/corbis
to eat that picnic on the shore.
The drive from bridge to freeway and
south to Seattle may seem longer than
the trip up. That’s because it’s 70 miles
instead of 25, but also because you’ll be
sad to leave. whidbeycamanoislands.com
Rosedon Hotel
Quiet, friendly and relaxed, Rosedon offers the
most discerning visitor a wonderful vacation away
from it all. Surrounded by lush tropical gardens,
Rosedon Hotel offers 44 rooms individually
decorated with traditional English and Island flair.
Located in the heart of Bermuda, within walking
distance of Hamilton.
1-800-742-5008
441-295-1640
info@rosedon.bm
www.rosedon.com