A Guide to Nantucket for the First Timer
With so much to do and see on Nantucket, our local William Raveis agents can help you plan your trip with their recommendations.
With so much to do and see on Nantucket, our local William Raveis agents can help you plan your trip with their recommendations.
Imagine, it’s your first time visiting Nantucket and you want to experience all it has to offer – the natural beauty, historic charm and gourmet dining. But how do you pack it all in with all of the choices? Don’t worry, our team at William Raveis Nantucket has you covered. Our agents have curated a list of the top 10 things to do on Nantucket if you’re visiting for the first time.
1. Visit a lighthouse: Perhaps there is no better symbol for Nantucket than the lighthouse. Which is fitting since Nantucket is home to three historic and still functional lighthouses spread across the island, including one of the U.S.’s oldest lighthouses, Brant Point, built in 1746.
Each lighthouse has its own distinct history and charm. They were placed at prominent points on the island where their beams could reach the furthest distances and the locations were chosen near dangerous shoals, sandbars, or rocky outcroppings to prevent shipwrecks.
Visit Brant Point, which is easily accessible and situated at the entrance to Nantucket Harbor, Great Point, at the northernmost tip of the island on Great Point, or Sankaty Lighthouse, in Sconset, overlooking the eastern coast.
2. Stroll along the streets of Downtown Nantucket: Known for its cute, local boutiques, restaurants and cafes, Downtown Nantucket (or Town) is the perfect place to spend the day shopping and snacking. But don’t forget to hit up some of our agent’s favorites, including Mitchell’s Book Corner, The Sunken Ship, Pinwheels and bakery Born and Bread. While you're at it, you might even want to stop and rent a bike or two from Young's Bicycle Shop to get you around the island. For more of our agent's favorite stores, see our Shopper's Guide.
3. Visit the Whaling Museum: Spend a few hours learning about the island’s maritime history at the Nantucket Whaling Museum. Once the whaling capital of the world, Nantucket’s the museum offers an in-depth look through exhibits that include a 46-foot sperm whale skeleton, artifacts, ship models, and the fascinating story of Nantucket’s whalers.
4. Explore the island’s natural beauty Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge: This remote refuge, managed by The Trustees of Reservations, is a nature lover’s dream. Located on the northeast tip of the island, the refuge features miles of sandy trails, salt marshes, dunes, and maritime forests. It’s a prime spot for birdwatching, seal spotting, and experiencing untouched nature. Visitors can also explore Great Point Lighthouse, accessible via an off-road vehicle.
5. Spend the day at the beach: With 82 miles of coastline, Nantucket beaches offer everything a beach lover could want. What makes Nantucket beaches so special is their pristine beauty, well-preserved natural landscapes, and access to both the Atlantic Ocean and Nantucket Sound. The island's beaches vary in character, making it the perfect place for different kinds of beach experiences, from dramatic ocean waves to calm, gentle surf. To decide on which beach to visit, see our Beaches page.
6. Hit up Cisco Brewers: After a long, hot day at the beach, head over to Cisco Brewers for a cold beverage, some food from the local Cisco food trucks and maybe even some live music.
7. Shop and eat at Bartlett Farms: Farm to table has never been more realistic than at the famed Bartlett Farms. As Nantucket's oldest and largest family-owned farm, Bartlett Farms offers a variety of activities and experiences for visitors, including farm tours, a garden center, a market and kitchen, and local events. Explore the farm's 200 acres, including fields and greenhouses, which offer visitors the experience to learn about the agricultural history of Nantucket and discover its local produce.
8. Sip cocktails at the iconic Galley Beach: Ask any Nantucket local and they will say you can’t go wrong with a sunset cocktail at the iconic Galley Beach Restaurant. Sitting directly on the beach overlooking Nantucket Sound, this premier restaurant destination has an over 5,000 bottle wine cellar and a passion for sourcing the highest quality ingredients.
9. Watch the sunset at Madaket Beach and stop by Millie’s: If cocktails and fine dining aren’t your speed, hit up Madaket Beach for sunset instead. The expansive views over the western horizon make it a prime spot for sunset watchers. Many visitors head to Madaket Beach in the early evening to catch the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean and some even stop by Millie’s in Madaket to grab a picnic to take with them.
10. Dine in style at one of the island’s famed restaurants: Nantucket’s food scene is one of the main attractions of the island, drawing visitors from all over the world. For such a small geographic space, the island has quite an eclectic array. Clearly one of the things it's most known for is seafood, but it also has many farm to table restaurants with produce locally grown and sourced.
For fine dining, our William Raveis team suggests The Chanticleer, Oran Mor and Company of the Cauldron. Other casual and iconic eateries our team recommends include, Millie’s, The Juice Bar, and Claudette’s. For more on island dining, see our dining guide.
