How to Spend a Weekend in Nantucket

By Ray Bartlett, author of Moon Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket

From scenic beaches and fresh seafood to charming neighborhoods and interesting museums, here’s how to make the most of a weekend in Nantucket.

White houses with tall classical columns along a cobblestone street at dusk with illuminated street lamps. — Main Street, Nantucket. Photo © Superbo/Dreamstime.

Friday

Start the day in the center of Nantucket town, where quaint cobblestone streets and generations-old shops sit next to upscale boutiques. After strolling around, have lunch at Straight Wharf Restaurant for fresh seafood overlooking the water. Along the way back to the hotel, check out the many art galleries, souvenir shops, and craft stores, and finish the day with a reservation at Proprietors Bar & Table, with a great cocktail selection as well as excellent, hearty fare.

Image of person walking on a beach at sunset. — Walking on the beach in Nantucket. Photo © Superbo/Dreamstime.

Saturday

Pack a beach bag, rent a bike, and ask for a map to Madaket Beach. The well-paved, beautiful bike paths along the way are lined with beach plums and wind past neighborhoods exhibiting the island’s traditional saltbox houses. Gather picnic supplies in town to enjoy during your day on the shore. For dinner, head over to Millie’s where you can have great seafood to dine on indoors or at their casual outdoor seating as the sun goes down.

Sunday

Make it a day filled with local history. Begin after breakfast at the Museum of African American History, an 1827 site once used as a meeting place and schoolhouse for the island’s African American residents. After lunch, make your way to Nantucket’s Whaling Museum and spend the remainder of the day taking in giant whale skeletons and more whaling lore than you can shake a harpoon at. For dinner, try making a reservation at Òran Mór and enjoy some truly haute cuisine.

Moon Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket

by Ray Bartlett

by Moon Travel Guides

From fine art galleries and fried clams to breathtaking beachside hikes, escape to the Cape with Moon Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket.

$19.99

$25.99 CAD

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Ray Bartlett

About the Author

Ray Bartlett has lived on this sandy peninsula most of his life. He began his travel writing career at the age of 18 when he jumped a freight train for 500 miles and sold an article and photos about the experience to the Cape Cod Times. More than two decades later, Ray is still wandering the globe with pen and camera in hand.

Ray is often on the road in Japan, Korea, or Mexico, but when not elsewhere, he's here on the Cape. In addition to publishing numerous travel articles and books, he has also produced videos on such disparate topics as New England in autumn, Cape Cod whale-watching, and a Japanese fertility festival. Ray is a featured guest on Around the World, a syndicated radio show, and he has appeared on PRI's The World. He owns and operates a top-rated onsen website, OnsenJapan.net, and wrote a novel, Sunsets of Tulum.

When not on assignment in different parts of the globe, Ray is on the Cape, where he drinks too much coffee and burns too much midnight oil. His hobbies are surfing and dancing Argentine Tango. Find him via his website at Kaisora.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/RayBartlettAuthor, or @kaisoradotcom on X.

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