8 must-know facts about the beaches on Nantucket

If you are planning a trip to the beaches on Nantucket then you will surely want to know a little bit more about the area that are are visiting, and in this article I will share with you 8 essential facts about these fascinating beaches. Ready to learn more about the beaches on Nantucket? Read on…

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The Beaches of Nantucket

The Beaches of Nantucket

Have you been thinking of flying to the beaches on Nantucket for your next summer escape? If yes, before you pack your bags, read our 8 must-know facts about the beaches on Nantucket to make the most of your trip.

With shimmery beaches, warmer temperatures, and pleasant waves, Nantucket beaches are indeed a picturesque location to discover. Having an extended 82 miles of shoreline, the beaches here offer something for everyone.

Because these beaches have so much to explore, first-time travelers might often miss out on many things. Worry not because our guide won’t let you skip out on anything while enjoying your destination vacation.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into these 8 must-know facts about the beaches on Nantucket.

1. Beaches of Nantucket Are Safe for Families With Children

Have you been planning a grand family vacation and wondering whether you can take them to beaches on Nantucket? If yes, the good news is that you can take your younger kids with you to any of the beaches of Nantucket.

For children who aren’t fond of water, the Children’s Beach has beautiful parks and a huge shoreline. Here kids will have a fun time while playing in huge playgrounds. Plus, the water here is shallow and calm, so you don’t have to worry about your little ones being unsafe.

This is an ultimate fun beach destination where kids can splash themselves in the water while spotting beautiful ferries. Parents afraid of getting bored with their children don’t have to worry. Adults can enjoy their time at the grassy park or attend concerts and music classes on the grounds during summer.

Another children’s friendly beach on Nantucket is Dionis Beach. And this is the perfect beach for your kids if all they care about is sand dunes. The shoreline here is full of beautiful shells and shallow sandbars where your babies can make beautiful memories.

In addition, Madajet is one of the beaches on Nantucket that is exclusively for those visitors with children. The waves at this beach are gentle, with plenty of playful sand that is safe for kids. Also, if you have toddlers and they are picky eaters, restaurants nearby the shoreline will surely satisfy them.

2. Every Beach of Nantucket is Safe for Swimming

Not many beaches in the world would have direct access to swimming due to high waves. But guess what beaches of Nantucket aren’t among them. Every beach here has gentle waves that are good to go for swimming.

Dionis Beach is one of our favorite swimming-friendly beaches on Nantucket. Even though almost every Nantucket beach is safe, this one is still the safest of all. The shoreline has calm water for swimming and plenty of lifeguards to help you out steadily.

This beach also has various restrooms, changing rooms, and shower areas to rinse off the sand after spending a day there. However, the shore is full of sea shells which might be fun to collect but painful to walk on, so you better bring your beach sandals.

Another lovely beach that is safe for swimming is Francis Street Beach. Here the water is so gentle that you don’t even need help from a lifeguard. Oh, and don’t forget to take a shot of the harbor while relaxing on this beach.

Visitors who want a safer and more secure swimming experience should try visiting Jetties Beach. The amazing thing about this beach is that it is well protected by a jetty, making it one of the calmest beaches on Nantucket.

3. Nantucket Beaches Offers Remarkable Hiking

Who said that you couldn’t hike while vacationing on a beach? Yes, you can stroll while enjoying a picturesque beachside landscape on several beaches of Nantucket. Our favorite Nantucket beach for hiking is Ladies Beach, which hikers of every level adore.

The sand here is way too different from other beaches on Nantucket. It is rough and has various sand excursions along the trails. This beach has an ideal terrain for a hiker that longs for a scenic view while trekking. Also, the zigzag tracks here are worth a stroll to explore the preserve more closely.

Low Beach is our second favorite Nantucket beach for hiking trails. What excited us about this beach was its beautiful trail with several wildlife migratory birds. This beach is perfect for hikers fond of a natural habitat away from the hustle and bustle of a city.

Visitors who want a longer hiking trail can head towards Great Point Beach. It is one of the beaches on Nantucket that’s a 7 miles long track and is home to the iconic Great Point Lighthouse. You can never spot the picturesque scenery on any other beach.

Those hikers searching for adventure must have a shot at visiting Dionis Beach. This beach has some of the most stunning trails with awe-struck landscapes. Make sure to capture some pictures as you come across wonderful wooded areas while trekking here.

4. World Class Surfing Is Available on Every Nantucket Beach

In terms of surfing, beaches on Nantucket are top-notch. The tranquil waves these beaches provide are a paradise for surfers. And the best part is that if you’re unfamiliar with surfing but want to learn, several beaches here offer valuable surf lessons.

Beginners can start their surfing journey by attending the Nantucket Island Surf School at Cisco Beach. This is one of the renowned beaches on Nantucket that offers amazing lessons on surfing. Not only this, but they will also provide you with a handful of tips and tricks to use as you surf through the waves.

Madaket Beach is a lovely beach for those surfers that are experts at the game. The waves here are strong, so we recommend checking on the weather conditions beforehand. All in all, the waves here will give you a good adrenaline rush.

For softer but thrilling waves, Surfside Beach is another superb option. However, the waves aren’t safe for swimming, but one can easily ace it with a surfboard. It can get pretty crowded during the summer season at midday, so you better get there early.

Another surfing beach is Nobadeer Beach which is located on the north shore and is one of the popular beaches on Nantucket for surfing. The waves here can become big at times, making them perfect for experienced surfers. However, for beginners, we advise taking preventive measures before surfing at this beach.

5. Beaches of Nantucket Offer Many Sports Opportunities

Surfing isn’t the only sport actively practiced at the beaches on Nantucket. There are a lot of other fun-filled water sports as well as inland sports to try at these beaches. Popular watersports here include paddleboarding, kiteboarding, hydro foiling, and fishing.

For experiencing high-class paddleboarding Madaket Beach is a perfect location. What we loved about this beach was its shallow sand bar, which made paddleboarding amusing. The Madaket Harbor here has some of the most beautiful landscapes, colorful ferries, and sailboats.

For kiteboarding and hydro foiling, Jetties Beach offers lovely waves. The best thing about this beach is its soft waves that are suitable for beginners. However, the area might often become overcrowded. If you want to surf in a private space, we suggest heading towards Water Tower Beach. It is one of the beaches on Nantucket with adventurous waves while providing a secluded experience.

You must not miss out on Cisco Beach to spot some rare marine wildlife animals. This beach receives intense currents and is not blocked by any land formations. Due to this reason, the shoreline is often visited by big fishes like halibut, cust, and pollock.

If you aren’t a water sports enthusiast, you don’t have to worry because the beaches here also offer a lot of inland sports ranging from volleyball and frisbee to soccer. Jetties Beach and Madaket Beach are famous beaches on Nantucket that offer sturdy nets for playing volleyball and frisbee. Moreover, Children’s Beach is also an ideal spot to enjoy beachside soccer.

6. Nantucket’s Beaches Are All Packed With Safety Measures

Sadly beaches on Nantucket are constantly changing due to environmental factors like erosion, deposition, and tidal currents. Now, this is not something new; almost all of the islands in the world are somehow victims of this phenomenon.

Nantucket beaches receive extremely high tidal currents due to their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, stepping in the water or even just visiting the beach without precautions can sometimes be dangerous.

But you can still visit the pristine beaches of Nantucket. The legal authority has taken extraordinary preventive measures to help visitors stay safe and enjoy their beach vacation. Regardless of the coast you travel to, you can spot flags indicating whether the water is safe. These flags can vary in different colors depending on the conditions that prevail.

If you spot a green flag at all of the beaches on Nantucket, it indicates the water is safe. However, if you spot a yellow flag, you must read it carefully because that means you must take precautionary measures before stepping into the water.

Lastly, on spotting red or purple flags, you must stay away from the beach water at any cost. These flags indicate that the water is unsafe for swimming or contains potentially dangerous marine life.

7. Nantucket Beaches are Home to Wonderful Shorebirds

It is often impossible to spot shorebirds at beaches because of overcrowding. However, that is not the case with Nantucket’s beaches. The shoreline here has rare shorebirds like Terns, Piping Plovers, and American Oystercatchers.

Madaket Beach is one of the beaches on Nantucket famous among tourists for its variety of shorebirds. Birdwatchers from around the world visit this lovely beach to witness the unreal birdlife and the pristine sunsets in the background.

People fond of a more secluded experience along bird-watching should try their luck at Great Point Beach. Here visitors can come across some rare species of birds, including gulls and terns. Plus, the beach is much more secluded and calm, all away from the city’s crowds.

The Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge also boasts many shorebirds, especially the Piping Plovers. These birds were previously known to be extinct until a treaty was signed to protect them. You can spot these tiny powdery birds at almost all beaches on Nantucket.

However, if you spot them on the beach, give them some space, and don’t bother them much as they are an extinct bird species. Another protected bird on Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge is the Least Terns. These are fierce birds and are often spotted when they are diving into the water to catch fish.

8. Stargazing Is a Thing on Nantucket Beaches

Beaches on Nantucket are world widely famous for stargazing. The prime location of these beaches makes the sky completely dark at night. As a result, these beaches are perfect for gazing at stars and other orbitary planets.

Madaket Beach is one prominent beach on Nantucket that has a breathtaking sight of the milky way at night. Additionally, if you are lucky enough, you might also spot a shooting star while staying at this beach.

Another gorgeous beach to get a hold of stars is Siasconset Beach. This is one of the beaches on Nantucket that offer exclusive views of the sky and provides out-of-world views of the milky way as well as other celestial wonders.

If you want to make your stargazing dream come true on these wonderful beaches, you can also visit the Maria Mitchell Association. It is a non-profit organization providing valuable astronomy research and guided stargazing tours.

One tip to experience the best ever stargazing of your life is to look for a location with an unobstructed view of the sky. Bringing a small telescope or binoculars to the beach will also be great.

Bottom Line

An adventure-filled summer vacation wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the beach. And if you want your beach vacation to be memorable, there could be no better option than visiting the beaches on Nantucket.

Hopefully, this guide was helpful in stocking you up with the essential information before you travel to Nantucke’s beaches. But make sure to pack lots of sunscreens and of course summer clothes.

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