Nantucket
Covers the six Hawaiian islands, Key West, Nantucket, Hilton Head, Fiji and Bora Bora, plus the passport rules for US citizens.
UpdatedThis page carries dated prices, schedules or seasonal facts checked on the date above, and that window has now passed. Re-check the sources at the foot of the page before you book.
Nantucket is a small, flat island south of Cape Cod with one historic town, cedar-shingle villages and beaches on every side. In summer it is one of the most expensive places to stay in the United States. On Kayak, the cheapest room rated 3 stars or better on Wednesday, July 14, 2027, was $709 a night with tax, at the Jared Coffin House in town.
Winter is a different island. For Wednesday, January 13, 2027, the cheapest 3-star room was $129, but only five properties at that level showed any availability. Year-round flights shrink to Cape Air's small planes, the high-speed ferry is seasonal, and many shops and restaurants close. We rank Nantucket on its summer, and we tell you plainly: this is a June-to-September trip.
At a glance
- Best for
- Couples and families with a big budget in June, July, August or September
- Skip it if
- You are traveling November to April, or you need a beach vacation under $300 a night
- Getting there
- Ferry from Hyannis (1 hour fast, 2 hours 15 traditional) or fly to ACK; most nonstops are summer-only
- Hotel, mid-January
- $129 with tax at one of only 5 bookable 3-star hotels; mid-July $709
- Island size
- About 48 square miles (124 km2); flat, with bike paths to Sconset and Madaket
In this guide
How Nantucket scores
Six factors, scored 0 to 10 the same way for all 64 islands. Our verdict on this island is “it depends”, which takes 0.4 off the weighted average. There is no island-level visitor count we trust, so crowds are left out and the other five factors are re-weighted. How we score
- WeatherData · 20%3.3
- Beaches & seaEditors · 25%6.5
- Things to doEditors · 25%6.0
- Getting there from the USData · 10%10.0
- ValueData · 10%2.4
- Room to breatheData · 10%Not scored
Weather month by month
Best months by our weather score: June, July, August. Daytime highs, rain and sunshine are 2016–2025 averages at Nantucket Memorial Airport (Open-Meteo historical weather archive); sea temperatures are 2022–2025 averages for the nearest sea area (Open-Meteo marine archive). Months marked in the storm row fall in the Atlantic hurricane season (June 1 to November 30); the score takes that risk into account.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 42 | 42 | 43 | 48 | 54 | 62 | 70 | 71 | 67 | 62 | 53 | 46 |
| Sea °F | 41 | 39 | 41 | 46 | 54 | 60 | 66 | 68 | 67 | 61 | 53 | 46 |
| Rain (in) | 5.0 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 4.4 | 6.5 | 3.2 | 4.3 |
| Weather score | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Storm season | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
The numbers behind the score
- Gateway airport
- Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK)
- US nonstops
- BOS, CLT, DCA, EWB, EWR, HPN, HYA, IAD and 6 more
- Distance
- 2,660 mi from Los Angeles, 199 mi from New York
- Passport
- Not needed for US citizens
- Hotel, one night
- $129 on Jan 13, 2027 · $709 on Jul 14, 2027 (Nantucket Town)
- Visitors a year
- 152,789 overnight visitors (2025)
- Bringing a dog
- Easy: No quarantine. Massachusetts asks for a health certificate and a rabies vaccination given within 12 months for dogs over 6 months old.
Hotel prices: Cheapest 3-star-or-better double, 1 night, 2 adults, Kayak 'stay total' including taxes and fees, member-only and private deals excluded, checked 2026-10-20. January: Cliff Lodge (only 5 properties rated 3 stars or better showed availability). July: Jared Coffin House.. Visitor figures: FAA, CY2025 commercial service enplanements (Nantucket Memorial Airport, ACK).
Who Nantucket is for, and who should skip it
Nantucket suits couples who want a quiet, walkable town with good restaurants and bike rides to the beach, and families with a generous budget who like calm harbor beaches and flat cycling. It is not a party island and not a cheap one.
Skip it if you want warm water, if your budget tops out below about $300 a night in summer, or if you can only travel in winter. For warm water without a passport, compare St. John or Puerto Rico. For a cheaper East Coast beach week, Hilton Head Island priced at $167 in July against Nantucket's $709.
Where to stay and what it costs
Almost all hotels are in or near Nantucket Town, where the ferries dock. Staying there means you can walk to restaurants and the harbor beaches and bike to the rest. Sconset (Siasconset), on the east end, and Madaket, in the west, are mostly rental cottages and houses.
Our Kayak check on October 20, 2026, one night, two adults, taxes and fees included:
- January 13, 2027: $129 at Cliff Lodge. The Nantucket Inn was $152. Only five 3-star-or-better properties were bookable.
- July 14, 2027: $709 at the Jared Coffin House. Life House was $809, and the White Elephant and The Wauwinet were over $1,500.
Bring your car only if you must. The Steamship Authority charges $205 one way for a car under 17 feet from January to March 2026, rising to $370 on summer weekends. A passenger ticket on the same boat is $21.50.
Beaches: calm harbor side, surf on the south shore
Nantucket's beaches split by coast. The north shore faces Nantucket Sound and is calmer; the south shore faces the open Atlantic and has real waves. The water is cool even in August, which is the main reason our beach score is 6.5, not higher.
- Children's Beach: on the harbor, a short walk from the ferry, with gentle water. The easy pick for small children.
- Jetties Beach: just west of town on the Sound, calm and sandy, with facilities.
- Steps Beach: a quieter Sound-side beach reached by wooden stairs.
- Surfside: the main south-shore beach, wide and sandy with surf. Watch the conditions with children.
- Madaket: the west-end sunset beach. Waves and currents can be strong, so treat it as a place to watch, not to swim.
The beach season is short. Outside June to September you will walk these beaches, not swim at them.
Things to do
- The Whaling Museum in town, run by the Nantucket Historical Association, tells the story of the island's whaling fleet.
- Lighthouses: Brant Point at the harbor mouth, Sankaty Head above the bluffs near Sconset, and Great Point at the far northern tip.
- Biking: paved paths run from town to Sconset, Surfside and Madaket, and the island is flat.
- Sconset: rose-covered cottages and the bluff walk on the east end.
- Boat trips: sailing, fishing and seal-watching trips leave from the town wharves in summer.
That is a good three or four days in summer, which earns a 6 for things to do. From November to April the list is shorter, because many businesses close for the season.
When to go: be honest about winter
July and August are peak: warmest, busiest and most expensive. June and September are the sweet spot, with most businesses open and somewhat lower prices. October is cool and quiet. From November to April the island is cold, windy and largely shut, and storms can cancel ferries and flights. Our 12-month weather table below shows the months in numbers.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, according to the NOAA National Hurricane Center, with the peak around September 10. Storms reach this far north less often than the Caribbean, but they do arrive. See our hurricane season guide.
Data from Placer.ai cited by the Nantucket Chamber and Town showed visitor numbers for summer 2025 down 2% on 2024 and up 8% on 2019, according to the Nantucket Current. No official annual visitor count is published.
What a summer trip costs
Do the math before you book. Three July nights at the cheapest 3-star hotel we found come to about $2,127 for two people with tax. Add two round-trip high-speed ferry tickets at $93 each, and you are past $2,300 before a single meal, bike rental or taxi. The same three nights in mid-January would be about $387, but you would be visiting a closed island.
The cheaper alternative is a shoulder-season trip in June or September, or a day trip from Hyannis on the traditional ferry at $43 round trip.
Getting there from the US
By ferry. The Steamship Authority sails from Hyannis on Cape Cod. The traditional ferry takes 2 hours 15 minutes and costs $21.50 one way for an adult; the seasonal high-speed boat takes 1 hour and costs $48.50 one way. Both fares include a 50-cent town fee per trip. Book the fast boat ahead in summer, when it can sell out on weekends. Hy-Line Cruises also runs from Hyannis.
By air. Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK) has nonstops from 14 US airports, but most are summer-only. According to the airport, Cape Air flies year-round to Boston, New York-JFK, Hyannis, New Bedford and Martha's Vineyard. American (Charlotte, Chicago-O'Hare, Philadelphia, Washington-National), Delta and JetBlue (New York-JFK and LaGuardia, Boston) and United (Newark, Washington-Dulles) are seasonal.
No passport is needed. To fly you need a REAL ID-compliant license or a passport; TSA charges a $45 ConfirmID fee if you arrive without one. Dogs need a health certificate and a rabies shot given within 12 months under Massachusetts rules, with no quarantine. Nantucket ranks among our best islands in the US for summer only.
Tickets and tours you can book
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nantucket worth visiting in winter?
Only if you want a quiet, cold island and accept closures. In January only five 3-star-or-better hotels showed availability on Kayak, year-round flights are limited to Cape Air, and the high-speed ferry is seasonal.
How much does it cost to stay in Nantucket in summer?
On Kayak, the cheapest 3-star room for July 14, 2027, was $709 a night with tax. Several hotels were over $1,500. January was $129.
How long is the ferry to Nantucket?
From Hyannis, the Steamship Authority's traditional ferry takes 2 hours 15 minutes ($21.50 one way) and the high-speed ferry 1 hour ($48.50 one way).
Do you need a car on Nantucket?
No. Most hotels are in town, the island is flat and bike paths reach Sconset, Surfside and Madaket. Bringing a car costs $205 to $370 one way on the Steamship Authority.
Are Nantucket beaches good for kids?
Yes on the harbor side. Children's Beach and Jetties Beach have calm water near town. South-shore beaches such as Surfside have waves, and the water is cool all summer.
Further reading
Official sources
- Kayak hotel search, Nantucket, July 14-15, 2027 (2 adults, 3 stars and up) – Cheapest stay total with taxes and fees $709 (Jared Coffin House); January 13-14, 2027 search: $129 (Cliff Lodge), 5 properties available; checked October 20, 2026
- Steamship Authority, Fare Information (visitors) – Hyannis-Nantucket adult one-way $21.50 traditional (2 hours 15 minutes), $48.50 high-speed (1 hour); car under 17 feet $205-$370 one way in 2026; checked October 20, 2026
- Town of Nantucket, Nantucket Memorial Airport: Airlines and Destinations – Year-round Cape Air routes and seasonal American, Delta, JetBlue and United routes; checked October 20, 2026
- Wikipedia, Nantucket Memorial Airport: Airlines and destinations – Cross-check of seasonal routes, including Cape Air Norwood and United Chicago; checked October 20, 2026
- Nantucket Current, Data indicate tourism to Nantucket was roughly flat during summer 2025 – Placer.ai visitor estimates down 2% on 2024, up 8% on 2019; no annual count published; checked October 20, 2026
- FAA, CY2025 commercial service enplanements – ACK 152,789 enplanements in 2025 (used only as a proxy in our data); checked October 20, 2026
- Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Importing and exporting pets – Health certificate and rabies vaccination within 12 months for dogs over 6 months; checked October 20, 2026
- TSA, REAL ID – Enforcement since May 7, 2025; $45 ConfirmID fee; checked October 20, 2026
- NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology – Atlantic season June 1 to November 30, peak September 10; checked October 20, 2026
