While Nantucket is best known for its outdoor activities and beaches, there is also plenty of fun to be had on the island on a rainy day.
With its plethora of museums and historical sites, rainy days on Nantucket can be educational as well. Visit the island's famed Whaling Museum to learn about Nantucket's maritime history. Whaling Museum exhibits include, 46-foot sperm whale skeleton and ship replicas and models.
Another museum worth a visit is the Shipwreck and Lifesaving Museum in Polpis. The waters around Nantucket were notoriously treacherous for sailors, and the island was known as the “graveyard of the Atlantic.” The Shipwreck and Lifesaving Museum preserves the dramatic stories of shipwrecks and rescues that are part of the island’s maritime history.
A visit to the Nantucket Atheneum, which is now Nantucket’s public library, is also another great rainy day activity. Once the island's gathering place was founded in 1834, the Nantucket Atheneum, has long been a center for learning and culture on the island. It was rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1846 and became a hub of intellectual and abolitionist thought, including hosting Frederick Douglass for one of his first public speeches.
A fun indoor activity especially for kids is Nantucket Ice. The island’s only ice-skating rink, located in Mid-Island, offers public skating sessions and skate rentals.
While you may still dodge raindrops, shopping and restaurant hopping are always a fun way to spend a rainy (or any) day on Nantucket. The island has a plethora of fun, specialty shops and boutiques, as well as hundreds of restaurants to enjoy.
