Nantucket Recreation

With many miles of wonderful beaches, and tremendous waters all around, it is unsurprising that these feature prominently in any recreational itinerary. Whether you enjoy water sports, fishing, sailing or taking tour boats to watch the seals or whales, the waters around Nantucket offer a great deal. Never far from these shores are the wild and rugged moors and heath lands that make up the majority of the island, and taking a bicycle or a hike across the island will be utterly picturesque, and an ideal way to blow out all the stale air from your lungs and enjoy the fresh sea breeze as it rides the waves of heather.

With nearly eighty miles of beaches, finding a quiet spot to yourself is very easy. With a fantastic array of little private harbours, beaches and inlets, it is easy to find a quiet tranquil spot for enjoying utter peace, some quiet fishing, or somewhere to lie and stare at the clouds. Whether walking or biking, finding such a spot is very straightforward, and there are plenty of access paths to beaches that can be reached by those who may find mobility somewhat limiting. However, it is worth bearing in mind, perhaps especially if you are with children, that many of these private quiet beaches are not patrolled by life guards. Couple this fact with the very strong and somewhat unpredictable tides of the Atlantic Ocean, and it is worth making sure that you take great care. If enjoying a private quiet beach, make sure that there is always an adult with children who venture in the water, use ropes tied to any inflatables, and if you have a mobile handy, even better. However, there are many family oriented beaches which do have patrolling life guards, and you may prefer to use one of these.

Although one imagines the Atlantic to be cold, in fact Nantucket is closer to the Gulf Stream than the mainland, and so the waters are considerably warmer. However, for those who enjoy surfing, the waters around some parts of the island are very rough, and ideal for surfing. In particular, areas such as Madaket or Siasconset are particularly popular, as is Miacomet and Cisco. The waters elsewhere are much gentler, and there is a dedicated and labelled Children’s beach which may be ideal. If you have plenty of spare time, and a good pair of feet, why not explore all the beaches, and walk right round the island? It is possible to do this because every single inch of coastline around Nantucket is open to the public – even those parts of the beach which occupy private land are still open to the public.