A Guide to Nantucket for the Family Reunion

Nantucket is the ideal summer vacation spot for making memories with your family. It's natural splendor and historic charm offer a great mix of activities for everyone in the family -- no matter the age.

Our team at Raveis Nantucket has curated a weekend of fun for your family with activities that range from boating excursions to beach trips and clambakes.

Start your weekend by exploring Nantucket by land or by water on one of the island’s best excursion tours.

Nantucket Island Tours: The largest provider of tours, charters and transportation services on the island, Nantucket Island Tours has been in business for more than 70 years. They offer bus tours, corporate charters, wedding and event transportation. Join the guided Signature tours, which departs 3 times a day, or take time for a longer 2.5-hour Westender Tour, which departs daily.

Nantucket Sailing and Harbor Cruises: Sail the seas off the Nantucket coast in a beautiful, chartered sailboat with your very own experienced guide. Choose from their classic naval yacht, designed in 1934 or one of the more modern motorized vessels, and sit back and relax.

The Critter Cruise: Take the kids on an excursion designed just for them on Captain John’s Critter Cruise. Hop aboard the Monomoy and cruise the harbor in search of the island’s marine life.

Or you could see the island by bike, exploring 35 miles of bike paths, most of which are relatively flat and accessible for riders of all skill levels and ages. Rent the family bikes from Young’s Bicycle Shop in town. Young’s has bikes for all ages and even rents bike trailers and seats for younger children along with ebikes for those looking for more speed.

If the history of the island intrigues your family, our William Raveis agents suggest your group checks out the Whaling Museum.

The Whaling Museum: One of the top attractions in downtown Nantucket, the Whaling Museum offers a fascinating look into the island’s maritime past. Exhibits include a sperm whale skeleton, whaling artifacts, and stories about Nantucket’s history as a whaling hub.

Or if your family would prefer a lazy day on the beach, both Jetties and Children’s beaches are accessible, have lifeguards, playgrounds and free parking. Additionally, since Children’s Beach is located in the Nantucket Harbor it has calmer waters, ideal for young swimmers.

The perfect end to a day on the beach or out exploring is a clambake or lobster bake on one of the island’s beaches.

Nantucket Catering Company offers catering services for an unforgettable beach clambake. Sayle’s Seafood also offers takeout clambake kits. They provide everything pre-cooked, so all you need to do is reheat it on the beach or enjoy it cold. The Sandbar at Jetties Beach also offers a clambake package on-site at Jetties Beach, where you can enjoy the clambake in a more structured environment with all the catering handled for you.

End your perfect family day at the Juice Bar for some of their famous ice cream.