Five Best Things to Do in Nantucket for First-Time Visitors (2024)

Are you wondering what the best things to do in Nantucket are?

Whether you are planning a vacation or day trip to this famed New England island off the northeast coast of the United States, this guest post on Nantucket things to do answers your question.

Read on to learn which five Nantucket activities we recommend for first-time visitors!

Disclosure: This guide to things to do on Nantucket Island for first-time visitors contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission when you click on one of these links and make a purchase. Of course, this is at no extra cost to you.

Why Visit Nantucket?

Nantucket Island, located off Cape Cod in Massachusetts, is a must-visit destination in New England with plenty of sights and scenes to quench your curiosity.

Visitors to Nantucket will discover hidden gems, sandy beaches with dunes, scenic lighthouses, charming cobblestone streets lined with restaurants and upscale boutique shops, and a museum that details the island’s history and significance in the whaling industry.

Of course, Nantucket is also a wonderful destination for culinary travelers. It hosts an annual wine and food festival and is especially known for its seafood, including oysters, fried clams, lobster, and scallops.

Though production has decreased in recent years, cranberries are still harvested on the island as they have been over the past 150 years.

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Where to Stay in Nantucket

Getting a vacation rental in Nantucket is a sound idea due to the value offered. Plus, the houses are ideal if you are traveling as a family or group.

In addition to vacation rental homes, Nantucket Island offers a variety of charming accommodations including upscale boutique hotels, cozy guesthouses, and coastal cottages. Here are a few places we recommend:

  • 21 Broad Hotel — Unwind at this stylish boutique hotel with 27 bright, airy rooms and an inviting back deck where you can sip an iced beverage on warm summer evenings!
  • Whaler’s Inn — Relax in one of the nautically chic rooms and take a dip in the seasonal outdoor pool at this adult-only guesthouse!
  • The Cottages and Lofts at Boat Basin — These waterfront cottages are pet-friendly accommodations with a marina, bike rentals, and a beach shuttle.

If those accommodations aren’t quite what you were seeking, use the map below to find even more Nantucket accommodations!

How to Get to Nantucket

Since there isn’t a bridge connecting Nantucket Island to Cape Cod, you can’t drive there.Rather than by car, you’ll have to travel to Nantucket by air or sea.

Flying to Nantucket

Traveling by air transport is recommended if you want to travel quickly, and both commercial and charter airlines fly to Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK).

Cape Air is the only airline offering year-round flights to the Nantucket airport. Flights depart from New York City (JFK), Boston (BOS), and other regional airports in Massachusetts and, seasonally, from Westchester County in New York State.

However, seasonal service to Nantucket is available on American, Delta, JetBlue, and United airlines from select US cities, primarily along the East Coast. Additionally, Tradewind Aviation operates seasonal service with private charters and daily commuter flights to Nantucket from New York.

Travel Tip: Flying to Nantucket can be costly, but you can use WayAway to find flight deals and earn cash back on your flight to Nantucket.

Ferries to Nantucket

Taking a ferry is a popular alternative to flying. Passengers can travel to Nantucket by ferry from Martha’s Vineyard, New Bedford, and Hyannis in Massachusetts as well as New York City and Highlands, New Jersey.

The Steamship Authority also operates a car-and-passenger ferry to Nantucket from Hyannis, but you must make advance reservations to bring your vehicle on board.

However, a faster option is to travel by sea aboard a high-speed ferry, which gets you from Hyannis to Nantucket in an hour. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to bring a vehicle. Don’t worry though —there are plenty of things to do in Nantucket without a car!

Now, let’s look at the five best things to do in Nantucket!

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Explore Nantucket Island by Bike

Though traveling by car will quickly get you to attractions on the island, you can get around Nantucket without a car.

In fact, cycling is an excellent option to see more of the island. You can even set off on a coast-to-coast bike tour of Nantucket!

Riding a bike helps you stay healthy while traveling and can be a great bonding activity with friends or family.

If you don’t bring your bike from home, you can rent one from one of the many bike rental spots in the town center.

Start cycling in the morning to take advantage of the cool oceanic breeze and calm atmosphere. Then, explore hiking trails, like the Sconset Bluff Walk and Masquetuck Reservation.

Click here to download your self-guided bike tour of Nantucket Island!

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Enjoy Nantucket’s Best Beaches

Nantucket is synonymous with its many beaches, and having a beach day is naturally one of the top things to do in Nantucket.

The beaches on Nantucket Island are ideal spots to chill with a scenic view and to spend your time doing one of the following beach activities.

Sunbathing and Sunset Watching in Nantucket

Madaket Beach, located on the far west of the island, is one of the most popular sunbathing beaches and sunset viewing spots on Nantucket Island.

As we mentioned in our previous tip, the best way to access Madaket Beach is by bike. You can actually peddle a roughly 6-mile bike path!

Unfortunately, Madaket Beach lacks restrooms and food service, so remember to pack a picnic along with your beach bag essentials.

Though Madaket Beach has a few lifeguards, you must ensure your own safety and be extra careful if you have kids.

Kid-friendly beaches in Nantucket include Surfside Beach, Children’s Beach, Jetties Beach, and Siasconset Beach. These beaches have active lifeguard services and safe playgrounds for children to play. These beaches are also pet-friendly, but you should always have pets on a leash.

Wondering what to pack for a beach day in Nantucket? Check out our favorite beach essentials!

Surfing in Nantucket

The beaches are not only for sunbathing and picnicking, activities which can get monotonous with time. You can hike your adrenaline levels by surfing!

Cisco Beach, located along the island’s south shore, is known for its strong surf and is a popular spot with local surfers. As Nantucket’s surfing hub, you are likely to meet surfers eagerly awaiting the next big wave at Cisco Beach.

If you are a novice surfer, you should first take a surfing lesson from one of the surfing schools on the island.

ACK Surf School, run by a local surfer, and Nantucket Island Surf School offer private surfing lessons (recommended for beginners and small children) and small group lessons.

Both surf schools and Nantucket Surf Club also rent surfboards and other water-sport gear.

Fishing

Fishing is another excellent pastime in Nantucket. Depending on the season, you can catch mahi-mahi, bluefin tuna, or bluefish at Nantucket beaches such as Eel Point Beach, Cisco, Coatue, and Hoiks Hollow.

It’s best to hire a fishing charter or guide to ensure you have the proper permits involved and go to the best places to fish in Nantucket. Among the top fishing adventures in Nantucket is this private beach fishing activity guided by Steve Tuna.

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Visit a Museum in Nantucket

Nantucket is also home to several museums that will give you an idea of its colorful timeline. Among these must-visit Nantucket attractions are:

Nantucket Whaling Museum

Established in 1930, the Whaling Museum is easily the most famous on the island. As its name hints, its main exhibitions focus on Nantucket’s once-thriving whaling industry.

Visiting this museum gives you a glance at what Nantucket was like during its early days. The museum’s nine galleries contain more than a thousand artifacts and artworks dating back to the whaling era. One of the main attractions is the 46-foot-long sperm whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling.

Also, inside the museum, you can also tour a resorted 1847 candle factory and climb the circular staircase to Tucker’s Rooftop for a panoramic view of Nantucket’s harbor.

The Whaling Museum is located at 13 Broad Street. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 13 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Saturday in the non-peak season, Oct. 14 – Dec. 31, 2024.

Admission costs $25 for adults, $23 for seniors and college students, $10 for youth (ages 6-17), and free to children younger than 6. Admission is always free to Nantucket Island residents and active-duty US military members. The museum may offer free admission to US military veterans on Veteran’s Day.

Accessibility:The Whaling Museum is wheelchair accessible. Additionally, non-motorized wheelchairs are available for free on a first-come, first-served basis, and you can request a wheelchair at the ticketing desk in the main lobby. Service animals are also welcome. Elevators throughout the museum have Braille signage and auditory signals, and assistive listening devices are available for some films and presentations.

The Nantucket Shipwreck and Lifesaving Museum

Treacherous conditions off the coast of Nantucket Island caused 750 shipwrecks, earning Nantucket’s waters the grim nickname “a graveyard of the Atlantic.”

The Nantucket Shipwreck and Lifesaving Museum, affiliated with the Egan Maritime Institute, shows the history of those devastating shipwrecks and the heroic lifesaving rescues.

Admission to the museum includes a guided tour of the exhibitions, and you won’t want to miss live demonstrations of a shore-to-ship rescue at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day.

Also, on weekdays during the summer, the museum offers kid-friendly activities for ages 6-12. Kids may learn Morse code, how to tie knots, or how to use signal flags.

Situated near Folger’s Marsh, the museum also welcomes visitors to take in the view during a picnic lunch on its grounds or watch the birds in the surrounding marsh.

The Nantucket Shipwreck and Lifesaving Museum is located at 158 Polpis Road. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Saturday from late May through early October. Admission is free for members, $15 for adults, $9 for seniors, $7 for youth and college students, and free for children 5 and younger. Museum admission is also free to active military and veterans.

Hawden House

The Hawden House is an 1846 Greek revival mansion with a beautiful Victorian garden. Since 1964, it has operated as a public museum and houses historical maps of Nantucket, Nantucket lightship baskets, and other artifacts.

The Hawden House has a collection of more than 100 authentic Nantucket lightship baskets. The lightship baskets were common in lightships during the 19th century and are significant artifacts of the island.

Hawden House is located at 96 Main Street. It is open from 11 a.m. through 4 p.m. daily through Sept. 2. From Sept. 3 through Oct. 14, Hawden House will be closed on Sundays but otherwise maintain the same hours. Admission is included with the Whaling Museum. If you are only visiting Hawden House, admission costs $10 per adult and $5 per youth (6-17).

Accessibility:Due to the limitations of its 19th-century architecture, Hawden House is only wheelchair-accessible on the first floor. The front entrance has a path and porch with steps. There is an elevator lift through the garden entrance from Pleasant Street. Service animals are welcome.

More Museums and Historic Sites on Nantucket Island

Other museums, historic sites, and art galleries to check out while in Nantucket include the Museum of African American History, the Quaker Meeting House, and Quidley and Company Fine Art.

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See the Nantucket Lighthouses

Nantucket’s three lighthouses are the top things to see in Nantucket and significant attractions you should visit when touring the island.

Not only are Nantucket’s scenic lighthouses picture-worthy for photography, drawings, or paintings, but the calm surrounding areas have benches where you can spend a lazy afternoon gazing into the vast ocean.

Brant Point Lighthouse

Brant Point Lighthouse is a picturesque wooden tower constructed in 1901 that still operates today. It has been part of the National Registry of Historic Places since late 1987.

Interestingly, the current lighthouse is the tenth light on Brant Point, which has been the location of a lighthouse station since 1746.

You can visit Brant Point Lighthouse at any time, but you won’t be allowed to enter the building, as it is still in operation.

Since Brant Point Lighthouse is located near the harbor where ferries arrive, this would be the easiest lighthouse to see on a day trip to Nantucket.

Brant Point Lighthouse is located in the Nantucket Downtown Historic District and can be reached via Easton Street.

Sankaty Head Lighthouse

Sankaty Head Light is a red-striped lighthouse in the island’s easternmost part. Established in 1850, Sankaty Head has been a crucial part of the shipping industry and was among the first lighthouses in the country to get a Fresnel lens.

Sankaty Head Lighthouse is located on a bluff near Baxter Road.

Great Point Lighthouse

Great Point Lighthouse, also known as Nantucket Light, is located on the dunes of the Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge on the island’s northern tip.

It was first built as a wooden tower in 1784 but was destroyed by a fire in 1816. The lighthouse was then rebuilt as a stone tower the next year, and it stood until a storm destroyed it in 1984, leading to its removal from the National Register of Historic Places.

The current lighthouse is a 60-foot replica built in 1986.

Great Point Lighthouse can be accessed by a 7-mile walk through the sand or by a four-wheel-drive vehicle with a beach permit sticker.

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Get a Taste of Nantucket

Another interesting part of Nantucket is its food. The island’s cuisine is diverse, and there is an abundance of fresh seafood.

If you are visiting for a romantic getaway, dining at one of the seafood restaurants is one of the most romantic things to do in Nantucket.

There are several fantastic local places to eat in Nantucket from breakfast through dinner. So, let us guide you on the ultimate Nantucket food tour!

Savor Doughnuts at the Downyflake

For breakfast, you can’t pass by the Downyflake and pass up its popular doughnuts and muffins! The family-owned diner has been a Nantucket institution since the 1930s.

Breakfast options from the griddle include a tall stack of the Downyflake’s “famous” blueberry pancakes and Portuguese bread French toast.

Sweet-tooth breakfast eaters will also love the restaurant’s homemade doughnuts, muffins, and pastries. Gluten-free pancakes and muffins are also available.

On the savory side, you’ll find omelets, breakfast sandwiches, and a variety of egg dishes. Light options include oatmeal, a yogurt parfait, and house-made granola.

The Downyflake is located at 18 Sparks Avenue. Operating hours are 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday – Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, and closed on Wednesday.

Share Small Plates at The Nautilus

The Nautilus is the place to be for lunch or dinner if you are into tapas-style dining.

With a menu heavy on small plates, you’ll find shareable dishes such as seared Nantucket Bay oysters, crispy monkfish bites in a Vietnamese fish sauce, and scallion pancakes with a soy-ginger dipping sauce.

The impressive décor has a touch of class, making it perfect for a night out with your date.

The Nautilus is located at 12 Cambridge Street. Reservations are recommended, and you can book your table through Resy via the restaurant’s website. Hours are subject to change and are best confirmed on the restaurant’s website.

Eat Seafood at The SeaGrille

One of the finest places to have dinner in Nantucket, especially if you are into seafood, is The SeaGrille.

Noteworthy dishes include the grilled Wester Ross salmon, sword frites, fresh cavatelli pasta, and house-made lobster tortellini.

Like the Nautilus, the SeaGrille’s ambiance is also ideal for a date night.

The SeaGrille is located at 45 Sparks Avenue and open for dinner at 5 p.m. daily. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 508-325-5700.

Dine with a Waterfront View at Straight Wharf Restaurant

Another seafood-centric restaurant in Nantucket is the Straight Wharf Restaurant.

With an incredible view from its waterfront porch and rustic seaside decor, a romantic ambiance sets the mood.

The Straight Wharf Restaurant’s daily menu reflects seasonal flavors and fresh, local ingredients.

Though the menu changes daily, it may include favorites such as Nantucket oysters, a clam bake, or wood-grilled swordfish.

In addition to the elegant seafood entreés, main dishes will likely include land-based proteins, such as a wood-grilled aged prime ribeye, and a vegetarian option.

Straight Wharf Restaurant is located at 6 Harbor Square. It is open seasonally, typically from May through October, for dinner from 5:30 to 10 o’clock nightly. Reservations can only be made within two weeks ahead of dining, and you can reserve your table on Resy via the restaurant’s website. Please note that dining on the harbor-side deck is only available by request.

Sip Local Craft Beverages at Cisco Brewers

Cisco Brewers is a fun, casual hangout spot for refreshing craft beverages, food trucks, and live music. That is why visiting the brewpub is one of the best things to do in Nantucket at night.

Both beer and conversation flow at Cisco Brewers, where “good vibes are always in season.”

Events — such as comedy nights, music performances, trivia nights, and brewery tours — add to the fun. So, check the brewery’s website for updated events before your visit, and then stop by to sip a juicy, hazy New England-style IPA!

Cisco Brewers is located at 5 Bartlett Farm Road. During the tourism season, Cisco Brewers also offers a complimentary shuttle between the brewery and a pick-up spot at 18b Federal Street in town.

Final Thoughts on Things to Do on Nantucket Island

Nantucket Island is a charming destination off the coast of Massachusett’s Cape Cod and worth visiting at least once in your lifetime. Arrive by plane or ferry to explore picturesque lighthouses, dive into local history, see beautiful sunsets from sandy beaches, and eat fantastic seafood as you unwind in this slow-paced island locale.

Explore the map below to pinpoint attractions and restaurants featured in this Nantucket guide!

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You can save this guide to fun things to do in Nantucket to your Massachusetts or New England travel Pinterest board!

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Photo credit

  • Brant Point Lighthouse, (© Bret/Adobe Stock)

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Five Best Things to Do in Nantucket for First-Time Visitors (2024)
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