LOCATION & DIRECTIONS: Beside the Ebb Tide Restaurant, across from the Nantucket Sound (see entry on Ebb Tide Restaurant).

INFORMATION:
Phone #(508)398-3444 or Toll Free #(800) 349-4009. Fax #(508)349-4009.
WEBSITE: Ebb Tide Gift Shop.
HOURS: They were posted on door as 10am-4pm. However, we made a couple of attempts to shop there during those hours and found a hand written sign up, "be back in 15 minutes", etc. Perhaps, it's because we were there "off-season" and they're short on staff? Also, they close for the season from mid-October to mid-May.
PAYMENT: They accept all major credit cards.

FEATURES: - Lots of personal attention
- Small in size but lots of unique items to examine
- Signed edition books by local authors
- Cape Cod bracelet jewelry
- Framed prints and cards by Cape artists
- Whimsical gifts for seaside homes
- Nantucket basket gifts
- Hydrangea gifts for the home

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: From the outside, this gift shop is quite pleasing to the eye (see photo). The McCormick Family has obviously given the same amount of caring and attention to the "Gift Shop At Ebb Tide" as their family-owned "Ebb Tide Restaurant". The white, freshly painted fence frames the shop's well-groomed lawn, colorful array of flowers in the ground as well as potted, red brick walkway, and shrubbed white sided building with shutters.
Upon entering this rather tiny shop, you immediately feel overwhelmed with sensory delights. One thing's for sure - HYDRANGEA'S rule (see photo)! My favorite Hydrangea items are:
- Small hydrangea Nantucket wall basket @$28.
- Hydrangea lasting image soap for $4.50.
- Hydrangea keepsake box @$45 (a bit pricey I thought).
- Hydrangea set of 4 coasters for $20(would make a lovely gift).
- "Blue Hydrangea in Nantucket Basket" (16 x 20 unframed print by Joy Waldman) for $90 (I've been subtly hinting to my husband that this would make a perfect birthday gift - for me, of course)!

After speaking with Chris McCormick, the Manager and wife of Paul, the Head Chef @ Ebb Tide Restaurant, we went to pay for our purchases. What a nice surprise awaited us - Claire, the Irish waitress who served us the night before at their restaurant, was the cashier here (see photo)! Her friendly smile and warm laughter made our shopping all the more enjoyable - and we told her so.

SUGGESTIONS: Phone ahead of your visit so you're not disappointed. If your visit to the Cape coincides with their "closed" period, go to their website. It contains a 5 page order form. They even have colored photos of certain items, i.e., Hydrangea gifts for the home; the book, "My Beautiful Broken Shell", by local artist Carol Hamblet Adams, etc. It's certainly not the same as seeing the shop in person but will give you some insight into the variety of items they stock. Think of the order form as a !