Nantucket
Exclusive and preppy, Nantucket Island off Massachusetts's Cape Cod is coastal New England at its best. When you arrive, you will immediately be charmed by cobblestone streets, soaring church steeples, small towns, and the picturesque wharves. Add to this swanky shops and boutiques, upscale restaurants, and trendy bars.
Nantucket at a Glance
All over the island are vestiges of Nantucket’s maritime history as a center for the 19th-century whaling industry, including Nantucket Harbor, the Whaling Museum, and the Sankaty Head Lighthouse. Nantucket embraces its high-brow reputation and cultivated style.
Nantucket is a seasonal destination. While the warm summer months are the most popular times to visit, in the off-season, it is battered by the moody Atlantic Ocean. Few tourists come to Nantucket in the winter, however, more than 50,000 visitors stay on the island each summer, boosting the population by roughly five times. Nicknamed the Gray Lady after the thick fog that often envelops the island, Nantucket ranks at the top of the list of New England vacation destinations.
Where is Nantucket?
Nantucket is approximately 105 square miles. It is located 30 miles south of Cape Cod in the Atlantic Ocean. The only way to reach the island is by air or ferry. In fact, the Nantucket Memorial Airport is Massachusetts’s second busiest airport, behind Boston’s Logan International Airport.
Nantucket Attractions
Nantucket is best explored on foot or by bike. You can rent a bike to pedal to Nantucket Vineyard, one of the sandy beaches on the island, such as Jetties Beach, or tour Nantucket’s three lighthouses. The Sconset Bluff Walk is a scenic footpath that crosses through backyards. Stop for lunch at a cute café and dinner at a stylish eatery. Beer lover? Make Cisco Brewers a priority. For a dose of history, the Nantucket Whaling Museum and the Shipwreck and Lifesaving Museum.
Osterville Grand Island
Veterans Park Beach
Hostetler Gallery
Coskata Cottage Wildlife Refuge
Mink Meadows Golf Course
Gooseberry Island
Willow Tree Bottom
Dead Neck
Surfside Beach
Coatue Beach
Siasconset Beach
North Monomoy Island
Hyannis Port Beach
Lake Tashmoo Town Beach
Atwood House Museum
Thachers Beach
Monomoy Beach
Siasconset Golf Course
Hatsett Rock
Oak Bluffs Town Beach
Fiddle Head Rock
Esther Island
Strong Island
Owen Park Beach
Skiffs Island (Historical)
West South West Ledge
Quidnet Beach
Robbins Rock
Kolb Rock
Sankaty Head Lighthouse
Fuller Street Beach
Tuckernuck Island
Stage Island
Chatham Lighthouse
Bearse Rock
Ferry Boat Island
Fox Hill
Vincent House Museum
Split Rock
Nobadeer Valley
Old Schoolhouse Museum And Liberty Pole
Thomas Cooke House Museum
Katama County Beach
New Seabury Golf Club