Nantucket

Nantucket is an island and town located 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The island offers quiet harbors, dramatic cliffs, sandy beaches, beautiful old mansions and gardens, interesting history and even a series of (sometimes bawdy) limericks about its residents.

Nantucket is a small island, 3.5 by 14 miles long. It is frequented by the rich and the famous as well as by average folks looking for a getaway. Nantucket has some of the most exclusive golf clubs, lodges, restaurants, beaches and homes in the country.

About 36 percent of the island is protected and maintained by the Nantucket Conservation Foundation. Protected lands include beaches, hardwood forests, dunes, bogs, marshes, grasslands, meadows and ponds. The Foundation also works to preserve the local wildlife of the island. Whale, seal and bird watching are all popular pastimes on Nantucket, as are boating, fishing and even surfing.

One factor that attracts many families to Nantucket is that it is a safe place for children to wander around on their own. Kids can ride their bikes into town with friends and grab ice cream at The Juice Bar or a bite to eat at the local Pharmacy.