Nantucket is the cozy sweater equivalent of a travel destination – you have other sweaters but keep coming back to the familiar favorite. It’s impossible not to relax on Nantucket, lulled into a hazy, old-Americana daydream. My perfect week on Nantucket consists of lazy beach days, a good book, and ice cream every day. Scroll for all of our top picks for Nantucket Island.

The Basics

• Location: Island in Massachusetts apx. 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod
• High Season: Memorial Day to Labor Day
• Weather: Sweater weather during the summer. The ocean water keeps the island cooler than mainland Massachusetts year round.
• Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard?: Both! Nantucket is smaller and easier for a day trip, but both have their own charms. Click here for our guide to Martha’s Vineyard.
• Fun Fact: Fictional characters Ahab and Starbuck from Moby Dick are from Nantucket

How to Get to Nantucket

Ferry

• Hy-Line Cruises: 1 hour long, high-speed passenger ferry departing from Hyannis on Cape Cod.
• Steamship Authority: Offers both a 1 hour high speed ferry for passengers only and a 2 hour option for passengers and cars. Both ferries depart from Hyannis.
• Freedom Cruises: 80 minute passenger only ferry departing from Harwich Port.

There are several options to travel to Nantucket from Cape Cod. Click the links below for full ferry schedules and pricing. We recommend booking Ferry tickets in advance. All of the ferry providers have parking at the departure points if you intend to leave your car in Cape Cod.

Plane

The ferry is a great option if you are already in the Boston/Cape Cod area but it becomes a logistics and timing nightmare if you fly in from somewhere else. Example: fly to boston, rent a car in Boston, drive to the port in cape cod, hop on the ferry. Flying to Nantucket is the best option for those traveling longer distances. JetBlue, American Airlines, Delta, United, and Cape Air all fly into Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK).

Do I Need a Car?

No. The island is small so most things are in walking/biking distance, especially if you are staying in town near Main Street. Buses run frequently and taxis are available. I would consider bringing or renting a car if you are staying a week or more in accommodation outside of the downtown area.

Sleep

Airbnb / VRBO / Home Rentals are great for families, groups, and longer stays. Note that there is no “bad” location to stay in Nantucket, but if your home rental is not in walking distance of Main Street/Downtown, you may want to consider renting a car

Hotels – If you’re looking to use Marriott or Hilton points, Nantucket is not the place for you. Most hotels on Nantucket are boutique/inn style hotels, each with their own coastal charm. Accommodation is notoriously expensive during season (ex: a $300 hotel in November may cost $800 in July), so keep that in mind when budgeting!

For your first time in Nantucket, pick anything in the downtown area. Last time, we stayed at the Regatta Inn, a cute inn just off Main Street that is one of three Nantucket Resort Collection hotels. Other popular downtown hotels include the Jared Coffin House, the Faraway, and 21 Broad. If you’re looking for a larger property with amenities (pool, dining, gym, etc.), try the White Elephant or The Wauwinet.

Play

• Bike rental – Nantucket is a small island that is easy to explore via its many bike paths. Young’s Bicycle Shop in town is a convenient spot to rent bikes for a day or the duration of your stay.
• Cisco Brewers – The only brewery on the island is incredibly popular during the summer months. The brewery has tours, tastings, live music, and snacks.
• Endeavor Sailing – No trip to Nantucket is complete without getting out on the water – it’s the best way to see the island and learn a little about its history. Let Captain Jim take you out for a sail on his beautiful hand-crafted sailboat.

• Shopping – Kill an hour or two shopping in Downtown Nantucket / Main Street. They have preppy classics like Vineyard Vines and Ralph Lauren as well as many smaller local boutiques.
• Bookstores – Some of my favorite shops downtown are its two bookstores – Nantucket Bookworks and Mitchell’s Book Corner – both of which are super cute independent book sellers. My perfect afternoon in Nantucket consists of picking up a new book and reading it at the beach.
• Beaches – There are several beaches to choose from in Nantucket, all with their own vibe. Jetties and Cisco beach are more lively, while Steps is more quiet.
• Bartlett’s Farm – A family owned farm established in the 1800’s. Stop by their market for fresh produce, flowers, and baked goods.
• Sconset Bluff Walk – Take a stroll along a walking path sandwiched between the ocean and the cutest Nantucket cottages on the island.
• Sankaty Light – The quintessential red and white Nantucket lighthouse in the Sconset neighborhood. Perfect to visit after the Sconset Bluff Walk.
• Brant Point Light – A quick walk from downtown

Eat

For a small island, Nantucket offers a variety of great places to eat. Definitely make dinner reservations during season as restaurants tend to fill up quickly.

• Galley Beach – The best sunset spot on Nantucket! Tables are on the terrace or the sand. Make sure to wear shoes compatible with beach sand!
• Ventuno – Italian in downtown
• American Seasons – Fresh farm to table
• Sister Ship – In the Faraway Hotel downtown. Great spot for dinner and/or cocktails.
• The Nautalis – pan Asian
• Club Car – Restaurant and piano bar
• Or the Whale – Bistro downtown
• Lemon Press – Casual grab and go downtown for healthy bites
• The Chanticleer – Lovely lunch spot in Sconset
• Millie’s – Seafood and cocktails at Jetties Beach
• Brotherhood of Thieves – Downtown bar
• Brant Point Grill – Casual lunch with a view at the White Elephant
• Juice Bar – One of Oprah’s Morgan’s favorite things. I don’t know why but the ice cream here just tastes like joy and sunshine and summer. I recommend at least one cone a day.

Have you been to Nantucket? Leave your recommendations below!