Nantucket

Around Nantucket

Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Town and around · Massachusetts · 14k people

Nantucket

“The Grey Lady”

An island of grey shingles and endless blue.

Deep ocean blueGrey shingle

Join the room Ask the neighbours

Welcome to Nantucket, where cobblestones meet the sea and the light shifts with every passing cloud. Whether you're here for a weekend or a season, you'll find your rhythm with the tides. Grab a bike, hit the beach, and enjoy the island's unhurried pace.

Clubs for Nantucket

No clubs for Nantucket yet.

The room

One room for everyone around Nantucket. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.

Ask the neighbours

All

A good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.

Coming up

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Marketplace

Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Nantucket. Sign in to sell something.

Things to do

  • Brant Point Lighthouse Greets ferries entering the harbor.
  • Sankaty Head Lighthouse Red-and-white striped tower on the east bluff.
  • Great Point Lighthouse Remote tower at the northern tip, reachable by 4WD.
  • Nantucket Whaling Museum Tells the island's whaling history, with a giant sperm whale skeleton.
  • Nantucket Atheneum Historic library on Main Street, cultural hub.
  • Cisco Beach Popular south shore beach with waves for surfing.
  • Outdoors Bike the Milestone Road bike path
  • Outdoors Sail on the harbor
  • With kids Visit the Whaling Museum
  • With kids Ride the shuttle to Surfside Beach
  • Evenings Catch a show at the Dreamland Theater
  • Evenings Live music at the Chicken Box
  • Locals love Beach bars
  • Locals love Clam shacks

Through the year

  • Nantucket Wine Festival May Tastings and seminars with winemakers from around the world.
  • Nantucket Film Festival June Screenings, panels, and storytelling events in theaters and outdoor venues.
  • Nantucket Daffodil Festival April Parade, antique car show, and daffodil displays across the island.
  • Nantucket Race Week August Sailing regattas and races in Nantucket Sound.
  • Nantucket Arts Festival October Open studios, gallery walks, and live performances.

Nantucket has a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters, moderated by the ocean. Expect fog and wind year-round, but the island is most inviting from late spring through early fall. Best: Late May to early October offers the warmest, driest weather and the most outdoor activities.

Talk like a local

“Nantucketer”
A year-round resident of Nantucket.
“Off-island”
The mainland (Cape Cod or beyond).
“Sconset”
The village of Siasconset, often called 'Sconset.
“ACK”
The airport code for Nantucket Memorial Airport.

Getaways

  • Vineyard Haven Ferry ride to Martha's Vineyard for a different island vibe.
  • Cape Cod Drive or ferry to explore beaches, dunes, and towns like Chatham.
  • Providence City break with arts, food, and the WaterFire event.
  • Boston Big-city museums, sports, and history.

Local flavour

Rooting for Boston Red Sox (MLB), New England Patriots (NFL), Boston Celtics (NBA), Boston Bruins (NHL)

Eat and drink

  • Nantucket bay scallops Small, sweet, and harvested locally
  • Lobster roll Classic New England summer staple
  • Clam chowder Creamy, hearty, and served everywhere
  • Cranberry pie From the island's cranberry bogs
  • Beach plum jelly A local island specialty

Where people go

  • Lighthouses Sankaty Head and Brant Point, beacons of the island
  • Cobblestone streets The historic downtown's charming, uneven paths
  • Whaling museum A nod to Nantucket's maritime history
  • Grey-shingled cottages The iconic weathered houses with rose-covered fences
  • Cranberry bogs Low, red-berried fields that turn crimson in autumn
  • Ferry docks The gateway to the mainland, bustling in summer

Heritage and traditions

Nantucket is proud of its rich whaling and maritime history, its preservation of a historic island town, and its tight-knit island community that values tradition and craftsmanship.

This time of year in Nantucket

  • Cranberry harvest Fall October marks the hand-harvesting of cranberries at the island's bogs, a tradition open to visitors.
  • Nantucket Cranberry Harvest October An October event where visitors can participate in the traditional hand-harvesting of cranberries at the island's bogs.

Say it like a local: “over the bridge” — To the mainland, as in 'going over the bridge'

Festivals

  • Nantucket Daffodil Festival April Held in late April, the island celebrates the arrival of spring with daffodil displays, a vintage car parade, and a daffodil-themed tailgate picnic.
  • Nantucket Wine Festival May A May event featuring wine tastings, seminars, and culinary events with renowned chefs.
  • Nantucket Film Festival June A June festival celebrating screenwriting and storytelling, with film screenings and panel discussions.
  • Nantucket Book Festival June A June weekend of author talks, book signings, and literary events at venues across the island.
  • Nantucket Comedy Festival July A July event featuring stand-up performances, improv, and comedy workshops.
  • Nantucket Music Festival August An August series of concerts showcasing a variety of genres, from classical to rock, often in outdoor settings.

Landmarks with a story

  • Nantucket Quaker Meeting House A historic Quaker meeting house dating to 1838, reflecting the island's Quaker heritage.
  • African Meeting House One of the oldest surviving African American meeting houses in the country, a testament to the island's Black community.
  • Old Mill A working 1746 windmill, the oldest operating windmill in the United States.
  • Maria Mitchell House The birthplace of astronomer Maria Mitchell, now a museum and research center.
  • Hadwen House A Greek Revival mansion built in 1845, now a museum illustrating the whaling-era wealth.
  • Sconset Casino A historic social club in Siasconset, known for its summer performances and community gatherings.

Food traditions

  • Quahogging Digging for quahogs (hard-shell clams) in the island's flats is a favorite pastime, and the clams are used in chowders and stuffies.
  • Clam bakes on the beach A summer tradition of steaming clams, lobsters, corn, and potatoes in a pit on the beach, often at low tide.
  • Scallop shucking contests During bay scallop season, locals compete to see who can shuck the most scallops fastest, a nod to the island's fishing heritage.
  • Cranberry sauce making Harvested from local bogs, cranberries are turned into sauce and relishes for Thanksgiving and holiday meals.
  • Beach plum picking In late summer, wild beach plums are gathered to make jelly and jam, a tradition passed down through generations.

Music and arts

  • Nantucket basket weaving A traditional craft of woven baskets, often with wooden bases, originally made by Nantucket lighthouse keepers and sailors.
  • Scrimshaw The art of carving on whale bone or teeth, a legacy of the whaling era, preserved in museums and collections.
  • Summer concert series The island hosts a variety of concerts in parks, churches, and outdoor venues during the summer months.
  • Nantucket arts galleries A vibrant gallery scene showcasing local painters, photographers, and sculptors, often inspired by the island's light and seascapes.

A little history

  • 1641 Nantucket was settled by English colonists, including many Quakers, who established a whaling and trading economy.
  • 1700s The island became the world's leading whaling port, with a fleet of ships and a booming industry.
  • 1846 A devastating fire destroyed much of the downtown, leading to the rebuilding of the town with brick and cobblestone streets.
  • 1870s The decline of whaling and the shift to petroleum caused an economic downturn and population loss.
  • 1900s The island began to attract summer visitors, leading to a tourism economy that continues today.

Rivalries

  • Nantucket vs Martha's Vineyard Friendly island rivalry over beaches, ferries, and summer crowds.
  • Nantucket High vs Martha's Vineyard Regional Football and sailing competitions between island schools.
  • Game day Sailing regattas
  • Game day Nantucket Race Week
  • Outdoors Clamming and quahogging
  • Outdoors Beachcombing for sea glass
  • With kids Nantucket Community Sailing
  • With kids Nantucket Ice skating rink

Locals speak with a classic New England accent, often dropping the 'r' after vowels, and use island-specific terms like 'off-island' for the mainland and 'the 'Sconset' for Siasconset. Common phrases include 'Nantucket sleigh ride' (a whaling term) and 'wicked' for 'very'.

Only here

  • Nantucket has no traffic lights – the island's roads are free of stoplights, adding to its small-town charm.
  • The island has the largest historic district in the United States, with over 800 pre-Civil War structures.
  • The term 'Nantucket sleigh ride' originated here, describing a whale towing a whaleboat after being harpooned.
  • Main Street is paved with cobblestones, a rare surviving feature from the 1840s.
New here? A few tips
  • Bring a bike – it's the best way to get around, and the island is flat and bike-friendly.
  • Learn to pronounce 'Sconset' as 'Sconset' (rhymes with 'onset') – it's the local name for Siasconset.
  • Reserve your ferry tickets well in advance, especially in summer and for holidays.
  • Expect high prices – Nantucket is an upscale destination, and groceries and dining are pricey.
  • Dress in layers – the weather changes quickly, and it can be cool even in summer.

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Nearby

Every area
Vineyard HavenMassachusettsA world apart, just a ferry ride away.Cape CodMassachusettsWhere every day feels like a vacation.ProvidenceRhode IslandWhere rivers light up and coffee milk flowsBostonMassachusettsWhere every cobblestone has a story.PutnamConnecticutA quiet corner of New England charmNew London–NorwichConnecticutSalt air and shipyard steelWorcesterMassachusettsSeven hills, one heart, and a diner on every corner.Manchester–NashuaNew HampshireWhere the Merrimack winds through mill towns and maple groves.

Nantucket, MA. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.

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