Nantucket has become famous for its New England coastal style charm, its quaint cottages and historical houses and buildings, and of course for its endless beaches.
The island of Nantucket is a favorite vacation spot for the wealthy and celebrities, but it is also visited by regular vacationers every year.
Although the real estate prices are pretty steep, it is a sought-after destination for people looking for second homes and summer residences.
But you don’t need to buy a house on the island to enjoy an unforgettable vacation in Nantucket. You can rent one of the many available houses and apartments there instead. You can get some great deals, especially if you choose to book early and plan your trip for the shoulder season months of May, June, September, and October.
Once you have settled down at your chosen accommodation, you can head out and have the time of your life on the island of Nantucket.
Here are the top places you should visit and things you should do to make the best of your trip.
The Whaling Museum
Whaling has played a crucial part in Nantucket’s history, culture, and lifestyle. Once considered the whaling world capital, Nantucket still carries the spirit and the signs of these heroic times.
The Whaling Museum pays tribute to those years. It is located in a beautiful old whale oil candle factory from the 1840s in downtown Nantucket.
There you can see hundreds of exhibits, artifacts, and pictures depicting the whaling industry and history.
There are real giant Fresnel lenses, a 46-foot whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling, multiple whaling tools, models of whale ships, and more.
You can learn more about the famous Essex Whaling ship, sunk by a giant sperm whale, but the captain managed to survive. He inspired the writing of Moby Dick and of In the Heart of the Sea.
When you are done, you can head off to the deck on top of the museum and enjoy a stunning view of the harbor.
Brant Point Light
This historic light has been guiding ships and boats coming in and out of the harbor for centuries. It was first built in 1746 and was destroyed and rebuilt many times through the years. The current one is the 10th on this point and was built in 1901.
This lighthouse is the first thing to greet the newcomers and to say farewell to those leaving Nantucket via the ferry.
It is a beautiful place to take photos and enjoy the fantastic views of the harbor and the ocean. You can take a cruise from there to enjoy the view from the ocean.
The Sconset Bluff Walk
While taking a stroll on a walking trail may not sound exciting. The Sconset Bluff Walk is definitely a path you will want to see. It is among the most enjoyable and romantic paths in the country.
The path is covered with beautiful white seashells, is about a mile long, and passes through the gorgeous Siasconset fishing village. You will love passing by the lovely weather gray shingle-style houses with beautiful gardens and trellis overflowing with pink roses. The path will take you through the quaint market and then a forest. During your walk to Siasconset Beach, you can take photos and admire some stunning landscapes and ocean views. At the end of the path, you can go explore the Sankaty Head Light, which is at the easternmost point of the island.
Sankaty Head Light
As mentioned above, this lighthouse is located at the easternmost point of the island of Nantucket.
The picturesque red and white lighthouse was built in 1850 and is still fully functional. It was the first US lighthouse to have a Fresnel lens installed.
What is the most intriguing about this lighthouse is that the local historic preservation organizations and authorities organized a highly complex process of moving the entire lighthouse 400 feet inward to the shore in 2007. The reasoning was to preserve it and prevent it from collapsing due to the eroding coast.
The endless ocean views are one of a kind, as the next land you would see if you sailed off east from here is Europe.
The Shipwreck and Lifesaving Museum
Due to the heavy fog and the abrupt weather changes on the island and the ocean surrounding it, Nantucket has become the witness of hundreds of shipwrecks throughout its history.
Sometimes called The Little Gray Lady of the Sea, and at other times in history known as “The graveyard of the Atlantic,” Nantucket has a rich history of wrecks that have taken numerous lives. In this unique museum, you can see artifacts from these shipwrecks, models of the ships and boats, and pictures of these events. There are also moving and adventure-filled stories of the locals who risked their own lives in an attempt to save some of these crews and ships.
Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge
This is the place you should visit if you like exploring the wildlife and admiring some stunning ocean views.
The refuge is located on two peninsulas on the northern shores of Nantucket. They can be reached via a four-wheel-drive vehicle with a special beach permit, but you can also take a walk through the 16 mile long trails which span the wildlife refuge, to admire the view of the local shorebirds, the wild animals, and plants.
There you can spend the day at the tranquil Coskata Coatue beach or walk to the northernmost point of the island to see the Great Point Lighthouse.
