Nantucket

Lay of the Land
About 30 miles offshore from Cape Cod and just 15 miles long, Nantucket has a more remote, exclusive feel than its sister island of Martha's Vineyard. There's just one main hub, Nantucket Town, which fronts the harbor midway along the sheltered northern coast; this is where ferries from the mainland dock throughout the day and where most of the island's hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops are clustered. The rest of the island is made up of residential neighborhoods, with one charming exception: the village of Siasconset, on the southeastern coast, with its rose-covered cottages and bluffs overlooking the sea. The southern shore, with windy ocean beaches such as Cisco and Surfside, is where surfers gather; the north coast, which faces Nantucket Sound, has calmer beaches good for families. The northeasterly point of the island, Great Point, is a long, sweeping sand spit only accessible by 4x4 (with a permit); rent one and head out for the day to surf-cast for blues and picnic amid the island's most unspoiled scenery.

WHEN TO GO

Memorial Day to Labor Day is prime time here, meaning huge crowds and high prices. Waits of 30 minutes or more are common at popular restaurants, and the car traffic in Nantucket Town can reach near-Manhattan proportions (well, it seems that way). Although the weather is mildest during this time, it's not unusual to get trapped by rain and fog—they don't call Nantucket the "Gray Lady" for nothing. For the best value, come in early fall, when temperatures are still high and the Atlantic is still warm enough for swimming.

HOW TO GET THERE

Reaching Nantucket almost always requires a multileg journey; depending on where you start, you'll likely find yourself having to do some road traveling, some ferrying, and possibly some flying. To ease the trip, check out Smart Guide, which lists car-free ways to get to and around the island (www.smartguide.org/nantucket).

Ferry: Both the Steamship Authority (508-477-8600; www.steamshipauthority.com) and Hy-Line Cruises (508-778-2600; www.hy-linecruises.com) run traditional car-and-passenger ferries, as well as passenger-only Fast Ferries, several times a day between Hyannis and Nantucket Town. The trip takes about two hours for the car ferries and just an hour for the Fast Ferries. When the weather is bad, call ahead to make sure the boats are running on schedule.

Air: Nantucket's airport is practically a parking lot for private jets, given the number of well-heeled part-time residents. But a number of commercial carriers also fly in: JetBlue flies direct from New York's JFK Airport, Cape Air has service from Boston, Martha's Vineyard, New Bedford, Mass., and Providence, R.I. Island Airlines, Nantucket Airlines, and US Airways Express provide service from Hyannis. US Airways Express also has service from New York's LaGuardia Airport, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.; Continental Express flies from Newark, N.J.

Cape Air
Tel: 800-352-0714
www.flycapeair.com

Continental Express
Tel: 800-523-3273
www.continental.com

Island Airlines
Tel: 800-248-7779
www.nantucket.net/trans/islandair

JetBlue
Tel: 800-538-2583
www.jetblue.com

Nantucket Airlines
Tel: 800-635-8787
www.nantucketairlines.com

US Airways Express
Tel: 800-428-4322
www.usairways.com

GETTING AROUND

Given the bumper-to-bumper traffic in summer, it's smartest to leave your car on the mainland and get around the island by bike, bus, or foot. Wheels, Heels, & Pedals is chock-full of information about walking tours, as well as Nantucket's 25 miles of bike trails (www.wheelsheelsandpedals.com). Bike rentals are available at Steamboat Wharf and Straight Wharf downtown. Taxis are plentiful year-round, with stands near the ferry docks, at the airport, and in town. Public transportation is available from mid-May through mid-September, via the Nantucket Regional Transit Authority's shuttle buses, known as the NRTA (508-228-7025; www.shuttlenantucket.com).

TOURIST INFO

Nantucket Visitor Services is located at 25 Federal Street in Nantucket Town (508-228-0925; www.nantucket-ma.gov).