Hello, hello and Happy JULY!
July, July, JULY!
Boy, the year sure does go by quickly. We better make the most of every single minute.
Alrighty, I am kicking off our month with my FIRST TIMER’S GUIDE TO NANTUCKET!
You probably won’t be surprised to read that people reach out to me every.single.day about their first trip to Nantucket.
I have shared many many of my own personal resources with you before that could be helpful to “first timer’s”, but I don’t have one blog post with all of those details compiled together.
Today’s that day 🙂 .
Should you be heading to Nantucket for your first time, I hope this post helps.
Here you go…
So many people hop on a ferry and pop over to Nantucket for the day from Cape Cod or Martha’s Vineyard. If you are one of those folks, I have a DAY TRIPPER’S GUIDE!
This includes my thoughts on when to arrive/depart, where to eat, what to do, how to dress, and more.
If you are coming to stay a few days…
Always one of the most frequently asked questions I get. Always.
I have an entire blog post dedicated to HOW TO GET TO NANTUCKET. Whether by boat or plane, you can check it out HERE.
Mid-June through September.
There are so many reasons why this is the ideal time, but l’ll just name a few…
The weather is spectacular.
There are more ways to get here.
The odds of you getting stuck here are reduced (and the odds of you actually being able to get on island are increased).
All of the shops, restaurants, hotels, and various other stores are open (if you come in the off season, about 90% of things are completely shut down).
Nantucket is hard to get to and very expensive, let’s make sure your first time is worth the time and money.
I just answered this question in my post TOP 10 NANTUCKET QUESTIONS IN MY INBOX…
Without a doubt, my favorite is The Nantucket Hotel and Resort.
But…there are other great options too…
The White Elephant
Faraway
The Wauwinet
Hotel Pippa
The Beachside
Greydon House
The Cottages at Nantucket Boat Basin
Carlisle House Inn
Sherburne Inn
Union Street Inn
76 Main
Brass Lantern Inn
Jared Coffin House
The Chestnut House
…just to name a few.
These are all grab and go spots for breakfast in town:
The Hub
Lemon Press
Fresh
Stubby’s
Walter’s
Provisions
Born and Bread
Handlebar Cafe
Cook’s Cafe
These are all spots for breakfast outside of town:
Island Kitchen
45 Surfside
Yummy
Island Coffee Roasters
Claudette’s
Wicked Island Bakery
Nantucket Bake Shop
I have an entire post on this topic!
Check out NANTUCKET LUNCH SPOTS for all the deets on where to eat mid-day.
I have it broken into categories by location, sit down or grab and go, views and more!
I have a HUGE comprehensive post on Nantucket restaurants perfect for dinner!
Check out my NANTUCKET RESTAURANTS post for all the details, locations, and whatnot of over 50 places to eat on island.
The easiest thing to find on Nantucket during the high season is shopping.
Period.
We might make getting into restaurants tricky.
Getting a hotel pricey.
But shopping?
You literally can’t get off the ferry without bumping into at least seven different stores before you even get to the luggage trolley.
Whether you’re looking for sweatshirts that say Nantucket, antiques, art, home decor, high end fashion, coastal souvenirs, jewelry…Nantucket has it all.
All of it.
And it’s all “in town”. Main Street plus all of the surrounding streets running perpendicular to it are LOADED down with shopping.
If you are coming to Nantucket and looking for active fun, there are many different ways to enjoy it.
Here are just a few ideas:
Biking is HUGE around Nantucket. Rent a bike from Young’s Bicycle Shop and off you go. There are plenty of bike paths for you to enjoy around the island.
You can also rent scooters too! Scootering around on cobblestone isn’t always my fave, but vespa riding around the island is very popular.
Fishing, fishing, and more fishing! Fishing excursions are a plenty on island. Whether you want to do a “kiddie” fishing excursion for the family or a deep sea one for the serious fisherman, Nantucket has so many operators offering the best excursions right from town.
If you want to go out on a boat but don’t want to fish, boating excursions run the gamut. You can rent your own boat for the day, grab a charter, or even hire a yacht. Both motor boats and sailboats are available for the ultimate boating experiences.
If you’re a surfer, head to the south shore beaches to catch some waves. You can rent boards from Nantucket Surf School.
Golf is an option on Nantucket too. There is a mix of “fancy, expensive, long waiting list” spots and small public courses too.
These are just a few of the active things one can do on Nantucket.
On Nantucket, there are so many great guides for historical tours. You can take walking tours, biking tours, private tours, group tours and learn all about the history of Nantucket.
Other places to visit outside of a tour include:
Nantucket’s Whaling Museaum
Mara Mitchell Mitchell Aquarium
African Meeting House
Oldest House
The Old Mill
I have an entire post on Nantucket’s BEACHES!
Check out all the specifics RIGHT HERE about the different beaches here on island.
Whether you’re here for the day or the weekend or even a week, you can walk, bike, scooter, Uber or take a cab everywhere. For certain things, you can even rent a car for a few hours from one of the local “daily rent a car places” but truly renting a car for your stay is not necessary (and honestly…again my own opinion gathered from reading the newspaper and chatting with others…it’s frowned upon). Parking is crazy, traffic is insane, and it’s just not required. Even I bike and/or walk most places each day. You can also take the free public bus, The Wave, to get around too.
And that’s my FIRST TIMER’S GUIDE TO NANTUCKET.
You can check out all of my Nantucket content including how we “do life” here, inside our home, and more RIGHT HERE.
My goal is to tweak and edit this post as time goes on so that it stays current and up to date.
I hope it’s helpful to any of you heading 30 miles out anytime soon.
Happy July, friends!
I hope you have the BEST start to your month! xx
Sherry says
I recently watched a hgtv special about Island Life and they highlighted the couple who own Handlebar Cafe. The show walked us through their journey of buying a home and opening their business in Nantucket. Such a lovely couple and a lovely story.
Mix and Match Mama says
Well that is so fun!
Elspeth Mizner says
Hoping to make it to Nantucket one day, so I’m saving this post! Thank you, Shay!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Sam Chan says
Hi Shay! I love love love your Nantucket posts! My family is finally making our way there at the end of July – so excited. I was looking at the Hy-Line reservations this morning… do you think the Captain’s View seats are worth it? Thanks!!!
Mix and Match Mama says
You will love it! I personally have never purchased them…but in July, it’s going to be a really full boat, so it might be worth it just from that perspective.
Susan P Fitzpatrick says
Thanks for putting this together! There’s a lot of great info here!
Jeanie H says
Do you find that the sudden popularity of Nantucket with the influencer set has made it less desirable to visit? I don’t know what algorithm I’ve fell into but it’s literally all over my TikTok. I would think it would be hard to live/visit there in terms of reservations, crowds, etc. There is even a popular social media stream for the thrift store and thrifting finds. How does it compare with the Hampton’s?
Mix and Match Mama says
You’re asking me this question July 4th week which is the busiest week of the entire year and makes me want to pull my hair out when I need to drive some place…BUT yes, it can be crowded in certain areas and at certain times, but for the most part, it’s relatively easy to find the chill and the calm. In the mornings and at the end of the day when the day trippers are off island, it’s downright peaceful even this week. I thought the Hamptons were beautiful, but my one takeaway was the traffic. It felt like we sat in traffic the entire trip. It would not feel that way here because if you’re visiting, you don’t really ever need to get in a car.
Jeanie H says
Good to know! I never thought about the traffic!
Taylor says
I have been to Nantucket a handful of times. My husband and I went on Labor Day weekend two years ago and that was hands down my favorite time. The island wasn’t too crowded and the weather was perfect.
Mix and Match Mama says
I have NEVER asked a true local what their favorite month is on Nantucket and not heard the answer “September”.
Casey says
Is it just me, or did Black-Eyed Susan’s get left off the breakfast list? Crowded, but delish! And, right across from the Hospital Thrift Shop, which is such a cool little shop.
Mix and Match Mama says
You’re right, it did! On India Street. I’ll add it to the list. The wait can be daunting, but the food is delish. They do dinner now too!
Christy says
This is random, but can you please send me the link to the straw/floppy hat you always use on vacay?
I cannottt find one I like!
Mix and Match Mama says
Gosh, I love that hat! Here you go: https://amzn.to/4ej1a69
Sheaffer says
How exciting that when I come that you’ll just hold my hand (and my license and credit cards) and just lead me where I need to go. It’s the only way to travel.
Mix and Match Mama says
I am more than happy to do so 😉 .
Nicole B says
This is SUCH a great guide! Thank you for sharing it with us! Happy (early) 4th!
Laci Murray says
bucket list place!
Kristen Sass says
This is perfect timing! My husband is bringing me out next Friday for a day trip to celebrate my 40th birthday!
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh my goodness, I hope I bump into you! Happy birthday to YOU!
Shannon says
Hi! What do you recommend for tick prevention when visiting Nantucket? Do you have favorite bug sprays? Should visitors avoid certain areas at certain times? I have heard that ticks and related illness/ER visits are so bad on the east coast this year. Do they spray for mosquitos or ticks on the island? I live out west where we have bears ….but not as many bugs…and its the bugs that freak me out 🙂
Mix and Match Mama says
Okay, don’t ever listen to me for any sort of advice because you guys know I’m not much of a worrier…so everything I say should come with a big old grain of salt…but I don’t worry about it. Most of Nantucket is open spaces/state forest/undeveloped land, which are places that yes, if you’re hunting or hiking through that, you should give yourself a good check, but I’m not. I’m always reminding my family to check, but we’ve never found one on any of us. Our dogs are using tick meds from the vet…and I know all of the deer we have certainly isn’t helping, but I think if you’re staying in town for a visit, it wouldn’t be something I would worry about (but again, I’m not much of a worrier, so I’m probably the wrong person to ask).
lauren says
Do you have a post or any gluten free finds in Nantucket?
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh goodness, I don’t think I do.