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REAL DEALS

Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket, $124

Spring and early summer packages for kids and couples at a Martha's Vineyard resort, plus discounted nightly rates at several properties on Nantucket.
Monday, March 31, 2008 |

MARTHA'S VINEYARD
Just south of Cape Cod (about 45 minutes by ferry), Martha's Vineyard has historic charm and presidential fans aplenty—as well as beaches, nature reserves, and, yes, those T-shirts from the famed Black Dog Tavern. Winnetu Oceanside Resort in Edgartown, one of six towns on the 100-mile-long island, opens for the season on April 18 and is kicking things off with some lodging packages.

The Arbor Day Weekend package includes accommodations in a studio room that has a kitchenette and can comfortably sleep two adults and a small child, as well as breakfast daily, a special afternoon "green tea party" with drinks and organic homemade baked goods from Winnetu's Lure restaurant, and kid-friendly activities related to Arbor Day and the resort's second annual tree planting. Each child will receive his or her own sapling to plant and will build a birdhouse as a keepsake. Rides on vintage fire trucks, tennis, and games on a life-size outdoor chessboard are among other amusements, and neighboring Katama Farm Institute is open to Winnetu guests for free, as always. Rates start at $169 per room per night, based on a three-night stay (which would total $507). When Apr. 25-27, 2008. Details Taxes are an additional 9.7 percent. Contact 866/335-1133, winnetu.com.

Adirondack chairs on the beach, Nantucket, Massachusetts (Jack Flash/Photodisc) [enlarge photo]

The Romance Getaway package includes accommodations in a one-bedroom suite with a kitchenette, chilled champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries upon arrival, a three-course dinner for two at Lure, and a "sensual bath amenity package" that includes a yuan zhi soothing bath formula and an aromatherapy candle. Couples will have plenty of ways to spend quality time: walking along the beach, antiquing, gallery-hopping, or getting their hearts racing with an afternoon hike, bike, or tennis match. Rates range from $324 to $457 per room per night depending on the dates booked—and based on a two-night stay (which would total from $648 to $914). When Apr. 18-June 14, 2008. Details Taxes are an additional 9.7 percent. Contact 866/335-1133, winnetu.com.

NANTUCKET
The island is smaller than Martha's Vineyard, with just one town plus lovely cottage-filled villages like Siasconset. Nantucket lies 30 miles south of Cape Cod and can be accessed by plane or ferry. Hy-Line Cruises and the Steamship Authority operate ferries departing from Hyannis, Mass. For more information, visit Nantucket's Chamber of Commerce.

The members of Nantucket Island Resorts have discounted nightly room rates for stays through late June. Here's a quick overview:

Jared Coffin House from $124: An 1845 brick mansion with 43 antique-filled rooms, a library, and a garden. In-room massages are available, and The Harbor Wok (the island's only Chinese restaurant!) is opening in May. When Apr. 18-June 22, 2008. Details Taxes are an additional 9.7 percent. Contact 800/248-2405, jaredcoffinhouse.com.

The Cottages at the Boat Basin from $162: Twenty-three cottages (one-, two-, and three-bedrooms) with kitchens and nautical decorative touches are located right on the docks at Swain's Wharf and Old South Wharf. Many come with private balconies or terraces overlooking Nantucket Bay. In-room spa treatments are available here too. When May 1-22, 2008. Details Taxes are an additional 9.7 percent. Contact 866/838-9253, thecottagesnantucket.com.

White Elephant from $175: This hotel, a historic property, is located on the harbor within walking distance of Main Street, which is lined with art galleries and Victorian homes. When Apr. 11-13, 2008; from $245 for Apr. 14-June 19. Details Taxes are an additional 9.7 percent. Contact 800/445-6574, whiteelephanthotel.com.

The Wauwinet from $290: Fronted by a white picket fence, this property offers views of both Nantucket Bay and the Atlantic Ocean out back. Guests can walk to the secluded dunes of Great Point Beach nearby. (To put the $290 rate in perspective, consider that high-season summer guests pay $700 per night) When May 4-June 22, 2008. Details Taxes are an additional 9.7 percent. Contact 800/426-8718, wauwinet.com.

Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.

More on New England:

• Coolest Small Towns: Great Barrington, Mass.

• Road Trip: Cape Cod Uncrowded

• Philip Johnson's Glass House in New Canaan, Conn.

• Walkable City: Burlington, Vt.

Note: This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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