The Best Nantucket Travel Guide

Nantucket is known as a refined vacation destination. And getting more posh by the year. Located about 30 miles south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, this island has the isolation that some are looking for.

Be willing to splurge when you visit Nantucket. Room rates and dinner plates are quite pricey, but some of the most popular island activities can be experienced at reasonable prices. A visit to Nantucket is about riding through the cobblestone streets on your rental bike or lazing about on the shore with your favorite book in hand. So pack your swimsuit, and head to Nantucket. Continue reading our Nantucket Travel Guide and start planning! For a list of all the best East Coast beaches, click here.

Weather – When to Visit Nantucket

July and August are the hottest months, with an average high of 75°F. January is the coldest month, with an average high of 39°F. Nantucket is most popular between Memorial Day and Labor Day, but insiders prefer the shoulder season (April-June and September-November). September is ideal: the ocean is still warm, the restaurants are open, and there are fewer crowds. It’s also charming to visit in December, when the island is wrapped up like a Christmas tree in tinsel and white lights.

Know Before You Go

Nantucket’s location makes it vulnerable to unexpected changes in weather patterns. Always bring a coat, and be aware that high winds—which are more common in the winter—can cause ferry cancellations, and fog sometimes prompts flight cancellations. This island is still old-fashioned in many ways—some establishments (as well as taxis) only accept cash.

The Best Nantucket Area Beaches

Surfside Beach

This is one of the most popular beaches on Nantucket. It is very family friendly, though the surf can get heavy at times. You’ll occasionally find surfers here, and the waves are usually good for boogey boarding.  Lifeguards are on duty here in-season. The wide beach is good for picnics and beach games. Surfside Beach is good for shelling in the early morning, and it’s a popular beach in the evenings for surf casting.

Fisherman’s Beach

Nobadeer to the left and Surfside to the right, Fisherman’s and Stone Beaches are quieter than either but still have the dunes, dune grass, and the surf that beach goers on the south side of Nantucket love. Little parking, so bike or walk to these beaches. Steep steps lead down to the beach. Stones Beach has a Little Free Library for trading favorites.

Brant Point Beach

Easy walk or bike ride from town. No lifeguard. Strong current and high boat traffic. Though technically a swimming beach – Brant Point is much more suited to sitting a watching the harbor traffic. Scenic beach with Brant Point Lighthouse, the second oldest lighthouse in the US. Here is where to go to wave goodbye to friends and family departing on the Steamship. Brant Point is one of the most photographed spots on the island.

Steps Beach

Between Dionis and Jetties beaches; access from Cliff Road. No lifeguard, no facilities, very little parking. Gentle surf; sandbar. Many steep steps must be descended to get to the beach and ascended when you leave. Gentle surf. Lovely views of Nantucket Sound and Great Point. Nights during August and September, bioluminscent creatures can be seen in the water.

40th Pole

Great for families and young children, this north shore beach has warmer waters and calm surf. However, there are no lifeguards here or on adjoining beaches. This is also a popular destination for fishing. The water is shallow and clear and in the summer the beach is usually wide and flat, with soft white sand and lots of seashells along the shore. Greenhead flies and mosquitos can be bothersome on days with little wind. There are seasonal restrooms at 40^th Pole, but no other amenities, so people planning to spend the day here should come prepared. This beach often ends up shoulder-to-shoulder crowded on hot weekend summer days and holidays.

Best Restaurants in Nantucket

$-Inexpensive     $$-Moderate     $$$-Pricey     $$$$-Ultra High End

Ships Inn Restaurant $$$$

Located in a historic whaling captain’s mansion built in 1831, the dining room and lounge are below street level and have an updated colonial atmosphere. It is the perfect choice for an evening out with friends, or for a more romantic experience in one of the restaurant’s cozy alcoves. Many of the creations are “boat to table” – caught by local fishermen. Telephone: 508-228-0040 Web: Ships Inn Restaurant

The Nautilus $$ – $$$

While they are very much a New England restaurant with a coastal/seafood base, the inspiration will be well rooted in Asian flavors and ingredients of the haute street food variety, taking ideas from the traditional Japanese izakaya type establishment, and will also have a major nod to the tapas style of Spanish cuisine, with additional influences from mainland Asia and Latin America. Telephone: 508-228-0301 Web: The Nautilus

Keeper’s Restaurant $$ – $$$

Keepers menu is a collaboration of favorite dishes that they love to eat and are passionate about cooking.  They offer guests the freedom to create their own dining experience with their unique “Pair & Share” philosophy.  Guests can customize their meal by pairing menu selections together and sharing is highly encouraged with family-style plating options.   Telephone: 508-228-0009 Web: Keeper’s Restaurant

Centre Street Bistro $$ – $$$

This true-to-the-island experience is only made better from the thoughtful menu and consistently good food. Open year-round, Centre Street Bistro serves lunch and dinner, as well as brunch on the weekend. Favorites include their goat cheese tart appetizer and seared duck entree; for brunch, it’s a full stack of buttermilk pancakes. This local bistro is BYOB, and guests often stop at Murray’s Liquor Store on Main Street to pick up their drink of choice. Telephone: 508-228-8470 Web: Centre Street Bistro

Proprietors Bar & Table $$$$

Proprietors serves up small plates of global fare on vintage dishes. There is a variety of influences, with Middle Eastern, Asian, and Southern flavors working together on the plate. You’ll find kimchi pancakes with pork belly, peanuts, and buttermilk next to chicken liver pate tart with huckleberry jam, pickled vegetables, and cocoa nibs. This hot spot also offers a sublime brunch. Telephone: 508-228-7477 Web: Proprietors Bar & Table

Nightlife in Nantucket

Bar at Galley Beach

An island institution among the white jeans and navy cardigan set, the Galley offers some of the only on-sand drinking on the island, with an extensive list of rosés—still the island’s unofficial wine of choice—and hands down one of the very best sunset views on island. You’ll pay a bit extra for the privilege, perhaps—a $40-something glass of wine here is not unusual, and there’s one for $129. Telephone: 508-228-9641 Web: Bar at Galley Beach

The Chicken Box

An island institution for more than 50 years, The Chicken Box is where you go for your dive fix (locals call it “the Box”). Don’t expect pristine (or even clean floors)—never mind rosé. This is a tequila and Bud Light sort of place. Live music is some of the best in town, but don’t get there before 10 p.m. or everyone will know it’s your first time here. Telephone: 508-228-9717 Web: The Chicken Box

Millie’s

Millie’s has all the makings of perfection: strong and spicy Bloody Marys, panoramic ocean views, a lawn made for letting the kids run wild, and the sort of food you’ve been craving since the night before. Order up the house best: scallop tacos, lobster quesadillas, grilled Mexican corn, and the Altar Rock, a life-changing salsa, guacamole, and cheese dip. And some Bloody Marys. Lots of Bloody Marys. Telephone: 508-228-8435 Web: Millie’s

Summer House Beachside Bistro Bar

The bistro’s bar is ‘Sconset’s answer to Galley Beach, which sits on an equally alluring spot on Nantucket’s northern shore. After a leisurely walk through ‘Sconset village, stop at the bar for a glass of rosé or a cold beer in the afternoon. You can listen to the waves crashing, far away from the crowds that typically plague downtown throughout the summer. Telephone: 508-257-4542 Web: Summer House Beachside Bistro Bar

The Nautilus

Mixologist and bar manager Clint Terry stocks the shelves with Ambrosia spices and herbs, creating cocktails with unexpected seasonal twists. You’ll find roasted grapefruit with chiles, flaming rosemary, and tequila in Teq-uil-a Mockingbird. Less adventurous drinkers can opt for a Blueberry & Soda, which balances Cisco Brewer’s 888 blueberry vodka with spicy ginger and lemon. If you’re skipping the cocktails altogether, do as the bartenders do and ask for a glass of Fernet Branca. Telephone: 508-228-0301 Web: The Nautilus

Best Nantucket Hotels