Bal Harbour

insider's guide MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MASSACHUSETTS Best of the Best Meg Nolan van Reesema, a travel specialist with Friend of a Friend Consulting, has been a lifelong visitor with an enviable black book of the best names to know. She shares some of her picks for the perfect summer. The best party caterer? Buckley's. Jessica Buckley started this firm two decades ago and it's now run by her daughter Taylor. Nolan van Reesema says it's known for "thinking out-of-the-box." Ask them to include their signature prime rib on any menu. Where to play tennis? Vineyard Family Tennis, which offers everything from starter programs for toddlers to college prep–level coaching. There's pickleball too, of course. The ultimate IYKYK, see-and-be-seen beach? Squibnocket (call it Squibby, like the locals do). "It offers the type of wave local surfers swear by due to the curve in the island, and the kind of privacy crowd-loathers seek." Classiest clam shack? Menemsha Galley. Don't leave the island without scarfing some fresh swordfish or lobster rolls here. This clapboard classic is an almost–80-year-old local institution. How to get there in style? Seastreak, which now shuttles from Manhattan to the Vineyard and has been a "gamechanger." The full bar on board is a welcome bonus. The hottest table? The Outermost Inn. Right on the island's western tip in Aquinnah, so ideally placed for spectacular sundowners. "But it's the entire evening trajectory," says Nolan van Reesema, "cocktails on the lawn, followed by dinner on the patio supplied by their own herbal and vegetable garden," that makes the journey worthwhile. Buzziest new opening? The Wave. A team of Nantucket-based incomers has commandeered the onetime Garde East location for this new seasonal spot—and no wonder, she says, as it "has a coveted roof deck with water views." K ENNEBUNK PORT, MAINE Time Standing Still New England–born Caroline Quinn is a travel specialist with Black Tomato whose longtime love affair with the area means she's often recommending it to clients. "The beauty of Kennebunkport is that it's stuck in time. You come here and feel it could be 1950 or 2026," she says, "It forces you to slow down a bit." EAT Come here to gorge on lobster rolls with abandon. Take your pick between Nunan's Lobster Hut on the east side or Mabel's Lobster Claw, where the fishermen only have to walk across the street to deliver their fresh catch. Wash down a roll at Barnacle Billy's in Ogunquit with its signature rum punch—be warned, it's stronger than it seems at first sip. DO Spend an evening at artsy Ogunquit, dipping in and out of the lively bars on Main Street, and idle away at Goose Rocks Beach, a three–mile–long spit of white sand north of the center that's far quieter and more locals-heavy than the beaches closer to downtown. STAY Cora is a houseboat launched by the Auberge-operated White Barn Inn, moored at its own dock and with a private roof deck. It was such a smashing success, the hotel's adding a few more boats this summer. " The beauty of Kennebunkport is that it's stuck in time. You come here and feel it could be 1950 or 2026." —CAROLINE QUINN Martha's Vineyard has a deep maritime history and is world-renowned for its rich sailing culture. Jenna Bush-Hager has been a lifelong Kennebunkport visitor, as her family has a sprawling estate here. Her three must-try spots? Earth, the restaurant at the five-star Hidden Pond resort. "It's a family favorite in the piney woods." The Clam Shack for a lobster roll is her go-to, and she also loves the Japanese restaurant, Rosalina. "I love that there is great sushi in Maine. Who would have guessed?!" where some of the world's most esteemed musicians come and teach students from all over, and on Sundays at 4 p.m. they put on a full two-hour orchestral performance." Buy a ticket, or sit outside the tent with champagne, snacks, and a book as the music wafts out. Summering there for the season? Join the new AM7 members club, which is attracting "a young, culturally diverse membership." For families, Maroon Creek Club, with its Tom Fazio–designed golf course, is an ideal refuge. A traditional lobster bake at Kennebunkport's White Barn Inn

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