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This summer has been full of a lot of gossip for one small island.
It all started in December, when influencer Kylie Swanson visited Nantucket for the first time and fell in love. She signed a lease for a rental house in May and the next month launched Camp Nantucket, a getaway weekend that offered her followers access to the beauty of the island. For $3,800 per “camper,” attendees enjoyed sailing, biking and dinner with a private chef.
But locals aren’t so pleased. “While Swanson sees herself as a democratizer of luxury travel, some locals view her as an interloping influencer who has disrespected Nantucket’s economy,” Chavie Lieber writes.
Nearby business owners, who make most of their income during the summer months, say that Swanson and her former manager solicited free products and comped experiences in exchange for social media exposure, and hired off-island vendors. “It feels like we’re being infiltrated by someone who doesn’t understand the culture,” said one Nantucket resident. Another dubbed Swanson the “Nantucket scammer.”
Swanson believes it’s her right to continue running Camp Nantucket. “The American dream that we all try to chase goes across the U.S., including Nantucket,” she said. “I don’t think there needs to be a price of admission. I call bulls—t and if that pisses people off, I’m so sorry.” Dig into the local drama at the link below.
Elsewhere in the newsletter: Find out how much a face-lift really costs in 2025; read about Martha Stewart’s new skincare line; learn about how hybrid pairings, which combine alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, are taking off in fine-dining restaurants across the country; and watch what you say during work meetings—AI
software might be taking notes.
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