Nantucket Overview

White sand beaches, rose covered cottages, cobblestone streets, proud homes of yesteryear’s whaling captains and world class inns and restaurants--all come together to provide visitors an experience that is quaint, yet somehow sophisticated.

Districts

Old Nantucket lives in the Nantucket you visit today. The profusion of 18th- and 19th-century buildings and the cobblestone streets—made from ships' ballast—will make you feel you have stepped back in time when you set foot on the island. Antique shops, historic sites, charming inns and interesting museums are yours for discovering—with the added bonuses of dramatic scenery, miles of unspoiled beaches, and the nearly half the island set aside for conservation.

Few cars and no traffic lights, beachgoers and sightseers, cyclists, strollers and happy ice-cream eaters lend to the charm and personality of this Island, making it a popular destination for people fleeing larger cities for vacation and weekend getaways. Nantucket is primarily a summer resort, but many inns and restaurants remain open year around.

Entertainment

With all its museums, beaches, outdoor activities, festivals, celebrations and nightlife, it is sometimes hard to understand why people consider this a relaxing destination. But of course, all the activity just contributes to the Nantucket experience that draws visitors back year after year.

Spring is greeted by the Daffodil Festival, with some 3 million blossoms the last weekend of April. Spring is a great time to partake of the Island's numerous outdoor activities, such as biking, hiking, bird watching, fishing, and nature study. You can even take a seal cruise.

Summer is peak season when throngs of vacationers flock to the pristine beaches to take advantage of the serenity and charm the isolated island offers. The island is ringed by some 50 miles of publicly accessible beaches. Besides just lying about, you can also rent equipment to kayak, fish, sail or windsurf.

In the fall, streets that were bustling in summer have quieted down a bit, yet there is still plenty to do, without the waits and crowds. October is the prime month for harvesting cranberries, an event not to be missed. Fishing aficionados will love Nantucket in the fall, when striped bass, bluefish, yellow and white perch and cod start to bite, and the Nantucket bay scallop harvest begins.
Although a large number of inns and restaurants are closed during the winter, numerous shops, museums, and galleries and, of course, all the beaches are open. Exploring the streets and island in isolation is an incomparable experience. Visitors return year after year in the beginning of December for Christmas Stroll, an old-time celebration that includes tours of historical homes, crafts fairs,
caroling and theatrical performances.

Dining and Drinking

Nantucket has managed to attract and retain world-class culinary talent. Apparently the visitors and residents of this Island are gourmands demanding the best—not just in fine dining but even in their picnic sandwiches, clambakes and breakfast baked goods. A host of dining establishments and food purveyors has sprung up to meet this demand.

The options are impressive: from fabulous French fare to a comforting cup of clam chowder, from the freshest, raw Sushi to the perfectly grilled steak. Nantucket is far from the troubles of your daily life on the mainland, but certainly not so far off that the world’s finest provisions can't be brought in. To give you a sense of how seriously the foodies here take their feasts, visit L'Ile de France French General Store on Federal Street, a gourmet market where you can walk off with a French baguette brought in fresh that morning— from France.

There are a few things to keep in mind. Many establishments are run on a seasonal basis; for the most part this means they are open from late spring until mid-October, with many opening again during the Christmas season. If you are visiting in the off-season there are a few options available. Your innkeeper will be key to directing you to those places. Secondly, being an island where many provisions must be flown in daily, Nantucket may present one with a case of sticker-price shock. Generally speaking, Nantucket is a high-end resort destination and while this means many restaurants and food purveyors offer nothing but the best, this also translates into high costs. Finally, visitors desiring a romantic meal in a quiet, candlelit room outnumber the number of available tables. Reservations are strongly recommended and for some of the more famous establishments this should be done well before your arrival on the island.

For an island vacation, the number of formal options available may surprise you. Coming to Nantucket for vacation is not unlike going on a cruise—you’ll definitely want to pack some chic and formal outfits in addition to the regular beach and boat attire. (Formal, as interpreted by Nantucketers means jackets for men, though ties can be left on the mainland.)

Where To Stay

Nantucket is a seaside haven with ideal accommodations for any occasion: a romantic celebration, family vacation, corporate retreat, special event or just a weekend getaway. However, Nantucket is not the place to come if you want to stay in a chain hotel or high-rise; they have yet to find their way to the Island. Most lodging establishments were once private homes that have been converted into bed & breakfasts, guesthouses and resorts, and are located within easy walking or biking distance of restaurants, beaches, museums and shops; those located a little farther out usually provide shuttle service for guests.

Most lodgings are in or near Nantucket town, with a much smaller concentration on the opposite side of the island in Siasconset, more commonly referred to as Sconset. A few other lodgings are scattered around the Island.

Accommodations on Nantucket are extremely limited: there are approximately 1,200 beds available in high season, and 40,000 visitors make their way to the island on a busy summer day. Translation: reserve early! Sure, the spontaneous traveler may find a last minute cancellation, but you are much better advised to plan your trip to Nantucket thoughtfully, making ferry, dinner, and hotel reservations ahead of time.

Nantucket by the Numbers

Elevation: 48 feet
Major Tourist Destination: the beaches

Average Annual Rainfall: 50.4 inches
Average Jan. Temperature: 33 degrees F
Average July Temperature: 68 degrees F

Time Zone: EST
Area Code: 508

Population: 3830
Ethnic Mix: 82.61% Caucasian, 12.32% African American, 1.75% Hispanic, 0.91% Asian

Did You Know?

In 1641 Nantucket was purchased from England by Thomas Mayhew who converted most of the native residents of the Wampanoag tribe to Christianity and called them "praying Indians." In 1659 the Mayhew family sold the island to nine citizens from the Merrimack Valley who wanted to escape the oppressive environment imposed on them by the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and raise sheep. The residents, seeking additional income in 1672, brought experienced whaling men to the island to teach them how to capture whales and extract oil. In 1712 the first sperm whale was captured, triggering an economic boom for the island since sperm whales are larger and their oil was more valuable. From 1800-1840, Nantucket was called the "Whaling Capital of the World" when thousands of men each year along with hundreds of ships would set forth to plunder the species for its valuable oil.

Orientation/Geography

Nantucket is an island located south of Boston and Cape Cod and southeast of Martha's Vineyard in the Atlantic Ocean.


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