Steamship Wharf
Step off the boat
The fast ferries (Steamship Authority's Iyanough and Hy-Line) both land you right in town, about an hour from Hyannis. No car needed — everything below is walking, biking, or a quick Wave shuttle ride.
Today, specifically
Reading today's conditions…
Before you go
⛴️ You need the ferry to get here
Steamship Authority (car + fast ferry) & Hy-Line high-speed, both from Hyannis. Book cars weeks ahead in summer.
🚲 Bike or shuttle over a car
The NRTA "Wave" shuttle covers town, the beaches, ’Sconset & the airport. Downtown parking is scarce and cobblestoned.
🏖️ Most beaches are free & public
Jetties, Surfside, Cisco, Madaket, Dionis — no resident-only stickers like the Cape. The Wave and bike paths reach all of them.
🌫️ Fog is a real island thing
The island socks in fast off the water. Ferries can delay in heavy fog — check status before you head to the boat.
The day, stop by stop
The sleeper pick — worth the bike ride
Bartlett's Farm
The island's oldest working farm, about 2 flat miles from town — the Farm Kitchen for lunch, pick-your-own flowers, and a market that photographs better than it has any right to.
Shop Main Street
Dairy Boy
the apparel brand's real Nantucket storefront — sweats, loungewear, the beachy-preppy uniform
Lunch, the see-and-be-seen way
Cru
champagne, oysters and rosé right on the water — the see-and-be-seen lunch on Straight Wharf
Beach time, the photogenic way
Jetties Beach
The in-town family beach — lifeguards, snack bar, a short bike or Wave ride from downtown. Warm, shallow, and it photographs well. (Tight on time? Children's Beach is steps from the Steamship dock instead.)
The most photogenic stop, saved for last
Toss a penny at Brant Point
tradition says a penny overboard passing the light means you'll come back
Good to know
The perfect day trip to Nantucket
No car, no overnight bag, just the boat both ways — how to make the most of a single day on Nantucket entirely on foot, by bike, and the Wave shuttle.
How often is this page updated?
Daily. The "Today, specifically" plan above pulls live weather, tide and event data for Nantucket each time it's regenerated, and the picks below rotate day to day.
Go on, then. The day isn't going to spend itself.
Updated daily by the Nantucket Now local team · last refreshed July 8, 2026. Today's plan pulls live weather, tides and what's open right now. Conditions change, so always confirm hours and follow posted signs.
← Nantucket Now: live conditions, beaches, ferry & more