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Nantucket Attractions
The Nantucket Parks and Recreation Commission (tel. 508/228-7213) organizes various free and low-cost activities for kids, such as sports camps, puppet shows, and tie-dye workshops (bring your own T-shirt). The Artists' Association of Nantucket (tel. 508/228-0294) sponsors a variety of classes for children and adults in different media (including the option of a one-off "art party"), and the Nantucket Island School of Design and the Arts (tel. 508/228-9248) offers all sorts of summer courses. The Nantucket Atheneum (tel. 508/228-1110) holds readings and lectures and sponsors several visiting artists series, including one that brings top ballet dancers to the island.
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- Tour
Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge Natural History Tour
The Trustees of Reservations, a private statewide conservation organization that oversees the bulk of the Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge, offers a 3-hour naturalist-guided tour twice a day. The trip is over sand dunes via Ford Expedition out to the Great Point Lighthouse, a partly… - Museum
Egan Maritime Nantucket Shipwreck and Lifesaving Museum
The Lifesaving Museum preserves the memory of those islanders who risked their lives to save shipwrecked mariners. The building is a replica of Nantucket’s Life-saving station. Inside is an interesting display of objects on the topic including historic photos and actual surfboats… - Tour
Endeavor Sailing Excursions
The Endeavor is a spirited 31-foot replica Friendship sloop, ideal for jaunts across the harbor into Nantucket Sound. Skipper James Genthner will gladly drop you off at one of the beaches for a bit of sunbathing or beachcombing. - Historic Site
Hadwen House
In the mid–19th century when Nantucket was a wealthy boomtown because of the success of sea captains in the whaling industry, there sprang up luxe houses like this Greek Revival beauty on Upper Main Street. Docents give a good feeling for the time period as they give tours around… - Historic Site
Jethro Coffin House (“The Oldest House”)
If you’re only going to see one historical site, it should be the Whaling Museum, but if you have time for two sites, this should be your second choice. On an island of historic buildings, this is officially the oldest, built in 1686 as a wedding gift for Jethro Coffin, a blacksmith,… - Museum
Maria Mitchell Association
Maria Mitchell (1818–89), considered America’s first professional astronomer, grew up on Nantucket, looking at the stars. She used to scan the sky from the roof of the Pacific National Bank, where her father was a cashier. While in her 20s, she was scanning the skies one day with a… - Tour
Nantucket Historical Association Guided Walking Tours
Stroll along downtown's cobblestone streets on this Historical Association tour that spotlights the history and architecture of Nantucket. The tours are led by Nantucket Historical Association docents trained in Nantucket history. Among the tours is a Literary Walking Tour (lots of… - Museum
Whaling Museum
One of the region’s top museums, this is a must see on Nantucket. The museum building is a former candle factory that was built by the Mitchell family immediately following Nantucket’s Great Fire of 1846. It was operated as a candleworks until the end of whaling in 1860. Included in…
Nantucket Shopping
Antiques
Rafael Osuna Auctions is the island's top antiques vendor, where the high prices reflect the high value of the items on view. Specialties include highly sought-after examples of Nantucket crafts like lightship baskets, scrimshaw, and sailors' valentines. It is located at the American Legion Hall at 21 Washington St. (tel. 508/228-3942; www.nantucketauctions.com). Auctions take place May to December; see website for dates and viewing times.
Art & Crafts
The Artists' Association of Nantucket has the widest selection of work by locals, and the gallery at 19 Washington St. (tel. 508/228-0294; www.nantucketarts.org) is impressive. In February and March, it's open by appointment only.
The Gallery at Four India Street (https://thegallerynantucket.com) is at that address, on the second floor above The Bean Coffee shop. Primarily a purveyor of contemporary art from Europe and across the United States, it hosts a sculpture garden in the park on India Street, a good reminder that many of the sculptures they carry work as lawn ornamentation.
The celebrated sculptor David L. Hostetler was the founder of the Hostetler Gallery (tel. 508/228-5152; www.hostetlergallery.com), today located at 42 Centre Street. His work in various media appears as spiritual icons expressed in the female form, and is still often featured at the gallery, alongside works of other noted American artists.
Books
Mitchell's Book Corner, 54 Main St. (tel. 508/228-1080; www.mitchellsbookcorner.com), features an astute sampling of general-interest books and an entire room dedicated to regional and maritime titles. Nantucket Bookworks, 25 Broad St. (tel. 508/228-4000; www.nantucketbookworks.com), is a charming bookstore, strong on customer service and with a central location. The two stores are affiliated, and both are very involved with the annual Nantucket Book Festival which brings notable authors to the island each June.
Chocolate
Ambrosia, 29 Centre St. (tel. 508/292-3289), is an exquisite little organic chocolate and spice shop. Its specialty of the house is the otherworldly hazelnut "noisette," a delicate treat for coco connoisseurs. Aunt Leah's Fudge, located in the courtyard on Straight Wharf, a few steps from the Hy-Line ferry (tel. 800/824-6330; http://auntleahs.com) is where you find cranberry port-wine truffles and other undreamt-of delicacies, only with basic bonbons. Sweet Inspirations, Zero India St. (tel. 508/228-5814; www.nantucketchocolate.com), has been satisfying sweet tooths on Nantucket since 1981. This is artisan chocolate, carefully crafted on-site. Even better, the beautiful Nantucket-themed packaging makes this a great place to come for gifts. The Rainbow Fleet tin containing chocolate scallop shells, clipper-ship medallions, and Nantucket mints, among other chocolates, is a delight.
FashionBlue Beetle, 12 Main St. (tel. 508/228-3227; www.bluebeetlenantucket.com), is the place to find summer cocktail dresses, cashmere throws, and bling to pull it all together.
Current Vintage, 4 Easy St. (tel. 508/228-5073; www.currentvintage.com), is one of the most original shops to open in recent years. Beth English, who is known on the island for exquisite taste, sells gorgeous vintage gowns and accessories, such as antique bags and jewelry, as well as special wines from small wineries.
Haul Over, 7 Salem St. (tel. 508/228-9010; http://haulovernantucket.com), is where you go for basic, wear-it-all-summer-long sportswear, perfect for a day on the sailboat or an evening singing oldies at the piano bar at the Club Car.
Martha's Vineyard may have spawned "Black Dog" fever, but this island boasts the inimitable "Nantucket reds" -- cotton clothing that starts out tomato red and washes out to salmon pink. The fashion originated at Murray's Toggery Shop, 62 Main St. (tel. 800/368-2134 or 508/228-0437; www.nantucketreds.com). Legend has it that the original duds were colored with an inferior dye that washed out almost immediately. However, customers so liked the thick cottons and instant aged look that the proprietor was forced to search high and low for more of the same fabric. Roland Hussey Macy, founder of Macy's, got his start here in the 1830s. Today's management also keeps up with current trends.
You'll find Lilly Pulitzer Nantucket, which has sensational minidresses, and other items in orchid colors, at 5 S. Water St. (tel. 508/228-0569; https://www.lillypulitzer.com/store/details/?StoreID=80228-290).
Ralph Lauren's store, at 16 Main St., scandalized Nantucketers when it first opened (there are no chains here, not even upscale ones), but now everyone is used to it. The store is stocked with high-end resort wear.
Gifts/Home Decor
Nantucket Looms, at 51 Main St. (tel. 508/228-1908; www.nantucketlooms.com), is the place to ogle exquisite brushed-mohair chaise throws and other handmade woven items. The weaving studio is upstairs, where they also make blankets and sweaters of cotton and cashmere.
Erica Wilson Needle Works, 25 Main St. (tel. 508/228-9881; www.ericawilson.com), features the designs of its namesake, an islander since 1958 and author of more than two dozen books on needlepoint. The shop offers hands-on guidance for hundreds of grateful adepts, as well as kits and handiwork of other noteworthy designers.
Liquor
Murray's Liquor Store, 23 Main St. (tel. 508/228-0071), has the best prices and is conveniently located just a couple blocks from two very good restaurants that are BYOB: Centre Street Bistro and Black-Eyed Susans.
Souvenirs
The Hub, 31 Main St. (tel. 508/325-0200; www.thehubofnantucket.com), offers a selection of hats, games, mugs, greeting cards by local artists and reading material. It's also a good place to stop for a cuppa Joe.
Nantucket Nightlife
Nantucket usually has an attractive crowd of bar-hoppers making the scene around town. You'll find good singles scenes at the The Nautilus and The Club Car, which are reviewed earlier as restaurants, or Slip 14 on South Wharf at 14 Old South Wharf (tel. 508/228-2033; www.slip14.com). Live music comes in many guises on Nantucket, and there are a number of good itinerant performers who play at different venues. The Gaslight (https://gaslightnantucket.com) at 3 North Union St. has live music 7 nights a week in high season. Meanwhile, it may be Reggae Night at The Chicken Box, 16 Daves St. (tel. 508/228-9717; www.thechickenbox.com), when the median age of this rocking venue rises by a decade or two.
Theatre buffs will want to spend an evening at the Theatre Workshop of Nantucket, 2 Centre St. (at the Methodist Church; tel. 508/228-4305; www.theatreworkshop.com). This shoebox-size theater assays thought-provoking plays as readily as summery musicals. The season runs 8 months, well into the fall. You can catch the children's productions from mid-July to mid-August.
Movies -- Nantucket has a non-profit foundation that supports three different screens in town, a boon for movie lovers. Usually the movies will be a mix of first-run blockbusters, indie films and foreign movies. To see the complete line up, go to www.nantucketdreamland.org.
