Wild untouched nature, long white beaches, cute middle age houses, charming lighthouses, and incredibly friendly locals. Biking in Nantucket is the best way to experience this pleasant island off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. In an otherwise expensive destination, it’s also the most cost-efficient and sustainable way to see the island whether you bring your own bike or you rent one on the island.
There are plenty of things to do and see in Nantucket and it makes the perfect weekend getaway from Boston to escape the city. Here is everything you need to know about getting to Nantucket and spend a memorable bike vacation on the island.
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How to get to Nantucket
There are two ways to get to Nantucket unless you fly. Either by ferry or by speed boat. The closest place to travel from is Hyannis, though there are boats leaving from Harwich Port, New Bedford and New York. There are also boats going between Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket if you are up for some island hopping. There is an extra fee to bring bikes on the ferries, so I recommend you check on the companies’ official sites for exact prices.
Boat
From Hyannis
Ferry
Steamship Authorities run a car ferry between Hyannis and Nantucket island. The ferry leaves six times a day in the summer months from 20th of June to 23th of October. It takes just over 2 hours for the ferry ride, but it is also the cheapest alternative. The price is less than half the price of the speed boat.
Speed boat
The other option is to take the speed boat. There are two companies running, Hy-line Cruises and Steamship Authorities. Together they run 14 departures each direction a day between mid-May and the start of September. Steamship Authorities is slightly cheaper than Hy-line Cruises but they both range around 40 dollars one way. They both take 1 hour.
From New Bedford, MA
High-speed ferry with Seastreak from New Bedford MA to Nantucket takes one and a half hour one way and costs around 50 dollars each way. The ferry runs in the summer months mid-June to the start of September.
From Harwich Port, Cape Cod
Fast Ferry from Harwich Port to Nantucket takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. Freedom Ferry runs 3 times a day and costs approximately 40 dollars one way.
From New York City
There is one departure a week from New York City to Nantucket and back, also with Seastreak ferries. The journey takes just over 6 hours and costs around 200 dollars each way. The ferries only run in the summer months from the end of May to the beginning of September.
Plane
Nantucket has its own airport on the south side of the island. In the summer months, you can fly from various national cities like Boston, New York, Hyannis, Washington, White Plains, and more.
Book your flight to Nantucket here
Best time to visit Nantucket
If you plan on biking in Nantucket, the best time to visit the island is definitely the summer months from May to September. The island gets rather windy and winter temperatures can drop below zero between November and February. For anyone that has lived in a windy place knows that temperatures feel way colder than they actually say on the meter.
For this reason, Nantucket becomes close to a ghost island in winter, according to the locals I spoke to on my visit.
The shoulder seasons are nice, though I recommend checking the weather forecast before you go on your biking trip.
Though Nantucket island is mainly a summer destination, it’s in fact one of the best places to visit in October in the USA. This is when the Cranberry Festival takes place. The cranberry bogs are full on and the celebrations are ace!
Wildlife
Nantucket has wild and untouched nature, and for this reason, there is also plenty of wildlife. You can expect to see rabbits on the path if you are hiking, but also around quiet, inhabited areas. I observed a lot of them jumping passed peoples gardens as well as crossing my path while hiking in the forest.
There is also a lot of deer in Nantucket. If you go hiking in the forest you are likely to spot one as there are not many people around.
However, you want to watch up for deer tick when being outside. They are smaller than the regular dog ticks and can carry Lyme disease. It is recommended to not walk outside the marked paths and to wear light-colored long pants with long socks covering them to avoid this nasty bug.
Further, Nantucket is home to more than 120 different bird species.
There are also a few different turtle species on the island. In case you see a turtle crossing the road, check if it is safe to help it cross to prevent it from being hit by a car. Especially in June when nesting season is, they are very vulnerable. Especially the rare Eastern Box Turtles and the Spotted Turtles.
On Great Point, you can also spot seals. Populations have grown the last years and it is said that they attract an ugly amount of Great White to the coast.
Another great creature to spot around the island are whales. You can mainly see humpback whales and finback whales. However, you have the best chances of seeing them at 30 kilometers offshore. There are whale watching tours from the island.
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Nantucket bike trails
Nantucket bike trails cover most of the island with a total of 56 kilometers of trails. This makes it easy to get to the main points of interest. As a result, it is great for both a day trip to Nantucket and a several days stay. Also, you can chase the best spot for sunsets in Nantucket by bike.
There are three main bike trails on the island. They connect to Surfside in the south, Siasconset on the east side and Madaket on the west side.
Note: When biking in downtown there are no marked bike trails, and bikers have to keep on the road and follow normal traffic rules.
Biking in Nantucket
Biking in Nantucket is extremely safe. Surprisingly safe. Coming from Spain, where bicycles are lowest on the priority in traffic. I was surprised that every single car stopped for me. Whether they would have time to drive before me or not. Even when it meant that they would have to drive behind me in super-slow holiday biker-speed they still stopped to give me the way. No complaints, no horns, only courtesy.
In Spain it is more like, cars first, the bigger the more authority. Then comes motorbikes and scooters, even though they have a fair chance of being tipped over by a car that doesn’t have time to look in the mirror. After comes anyone walking, because they can use the footpath, where they can find one at least. Then, finally, comes bicycles. They have to use the road together with the big cars, the smaller cars, the motorbikes, and the scooters. That means, do whatever it takes to survive.
Back to biking in Nantucket. There are several bike trails which I will get back to later. The only place I recommend leaving the bike and walk is in Downtown Nantucket. The reason for this is not the traffic, but the town is covered in uneven cobbled streets and not very comfortable to explore by bike.
Otherwise, the island is mainly flat, so there is no necessity to be fit before you head out on your biking adventure on Nantucket island.
Biking to Siasconset
Siasconset, or ´Sconset as known by the locals, is said to be the nicest place in Nantucket. All the locals I talked to suggested this as the #1 place to go to. The little village is one of the most charming places I have been to. Dark gray cottages from the 18th Century surrounded by cute little green gardens sit everywhere around you separated by small, quiet streets. Even if you are only on a day trip in Nantucket, I Suggest you find your way here.
If you take to the right in the roundabout you get to the beach. One of the nicest beaches on the island. From here you can take a secret little walk that takes about an hour to the Sankaty Head Lighthouse. This is the best spot for watching the sunset in Nantucket.
Walking along the cliff, on Sconset Bluff Walk, only separated from the beach by messy, wild bushes, you cross gardens and witness some amazing-looking houses. Be mindful when you do the hike and respect all signs saying “Private”. There are actually people living there, allowing you to pass by their property.
The bike trip to ‘Sconset takes about 40-45 minutes one way. There is a bus service running back if you stay for sunset.
Biking to Madaket
To get to the west side of the island, follow the Madaket biking trail. It takes approximately half an hour to get there by bike from downtown. Madaket also has some stunning white sanded beaches that should not be missed.
If you take to the left along the Madaket biking trail you can also go hiking in the forest where you might meet wildlife like rabbits and deer. The forest is also excellent for bird spotting.
Biking to Surfside
Surfside is the southern part of the island and is connected to downtown through the Surfside bike path. It only takes about 20-25 minutes to get there if you go straight without stopping.
On Surfside you find some beautiful sand dunes meeting the long, white beaches where you can go for a swim on a warm day.
There is a café where you can get some food and drinks at lunchtime. Otherwise, there is a good place to get take-away to bring to the beach on Surfside Road about 5 minutes bike ride from the beach (on your right). They have pizzas, wraps, paninis, etc. that you can take with you at a reasonable price for being Nantucket.
Where to rent a bike
There are several bike rental shops in Nantucket. I used Young’s Bike Rental which delivered the bike to the hostel within an hour from I called them and picked it up again for only 10 dollars extra. They take 40 dollars for 24 hours.
The bike was in good condition and got me where I wanted, both on asphalted streets, dirt roads, and sandy areas. It also had a basket to put things if necessary.
With the bike, you get a helmet, bike lock, bike trail map and an emergency number in case you should get problems with the bike.
Other bike rental services on Nantucket:
Where to stay in Nantucket
As mentioned, Nantucket is an expensive island and accommodation is no exception. There are several hotels in the downtown area if you want to stay central. Prices range from around 100 to more than 2000 dollars per night.
I stayed at a dorm in the only hostel on the island, Hostelling International Nantucket on Surfside and only paid around 50 dollars a night.
It takes a little more to get there, but then again you save a fair bit on the bed. They have shared dorm rooms for the best price you can get on Nantucket island.
The atmosphere is chilled, clean facilities and friendly staff. The best of all is that though bathrooms and showers are shared, they have actual bathrooms that you have all by yourself once you lock the door. They include toilet, bathroom sink, and shower.
Be mindful when biking in Nantucket
When biking in Nantucket there are a few things you should be mindful about as a responsible traveler. First of all, respect all signs that say “Private”. Don’t go on those streets even though they seem tempting. People live there and don’t want strangers on their property.
Further, don’t throw any waste on the ground. Make sure you bring everything with you to a bin. If possible, recycle it. I also recommend bringing your own steel water bottle that you can refill instead of buying plastic bottles. Tap water is safe to drink on the island.
Nantucket is home to some of the most beautiful hikes on the East Coast, so make sure you practice leave no trace.
Also, if you meet wildlife, stand still and observe it. Don’t try to scare them away.
If you spot turtles trying to cross the road, help them cross. It is important that you help them over exactly the same direction they are moving as turtles that look for a place to nest will return to the same spot every time. If they get places somewhere else, they will only get confused and try to find back to where you picked them up (which will be crossing the road back again).
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I recently read a book where one of the locations was in Nantucket, so it was wonderful to find this post that tells me in more detail what the place is actually all about!
– Laura || https://afinnontheloose.com
Hi Laura! That is so nice to hear:) Glad you enjoyed the post. If you ever visit the island I am sure you will love it!