Nantucket Attractions
Nantucket Attractions
![]() | Jethro Coffin House 16 Sunset Hill Lane Nantucket, MA • 508-228-1894 Built in 1686, the Jethro Coffin house is the oldest house remaining on the island, from one of the original European settlement families. The "saltbox" structure features first-floor living areas and bedrooms on the second floor, but the sheep farm remains the fun for kids who can watch sheep shearing and weaving demonstrations during the house's annual Sheep Shearing Festival. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12) |
![]() | Nantucket Beaches Nantucket, MA As an island, it's the island's beaches that appeal most to families. Children's Beach, located within steps of the Harbor Town, is so called because of its calm waters, playground and picnic tables. Free concerts are offered on the beach on summer evenings, as well as activities like tie dying during the day. Jetties Beach and Brant Point are located near each other, with Brant Point Lighthouse standing sentinel over its beach. Brant Point experiences strong currents and does not have lifeguards and is not recommended for families. However, Jetties Beach features a playground, changing rooms, public tennis courts, and water sport equipment rentals for boating, windsurfing and kayaking, making it an excellent family beach. Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
![]() | Nantucket Bike Rentals Straight Wharf & Steamboat Wharf Nantucket, MA • 508-228-1999 One of the best ways to get around the island is by bike, especially if you've hopped a passenger ferry and don't have a car for your stay. The 80-mile island features 50 miles of bike trails. Rentals are available by day, week or month, with delivery available for multiple-day rentals. Kiddie Karts, jogging strollers, strollers and scooters are also available. Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
![]() | Starlight Theatre & Cafe 1 North Union Street Nantucket, MA • 508-228-4479 The island's premiere movie theater is open year-round and includes a full-service bar and cafe with a decidedly un-movie-theater-like menu of scallops and local produce. The theater also hosts live performances and sporting events. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
![]() | Whaling Museum 15 Broad Street Nantucket, MA • 508-228-1894 Nantucket once was the capital of the whaling industry, and the island's history is told in this fabulous museum. Beginning with the native Wampanoags to the whaling industry that brought worldwide fame and fortune, to the island's Great Fire of 1846 and it's rebirth as a summer vacation resort, the museum is filled with videos, artifacts, displays and artwork. Visit if just to see the 46-foot sperm whale skeleton (he was just a baby when he washed up on the shores of Nantucket). A Discovery Room provides hands-on, interactive activities for children. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
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