Nantucket Island Beaches
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Super Admin
By Super Admin
Published on 09/22/2007
The North Shore Beaches of Nantucket Island generally have gentle surf suitable for children. The exception to this is Brant Point which has a strong current. A lot of these beaches can be reached easily from town. All of them have great views of Nantucket Sound or the harbor. Beaches included on the North Shore are:
Nantucket Island Beaches
Without a doubt Nantucket Island has some of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in the world.
The North Shore Beaches of Nantucket Island generally have gentle surf suitable for children. The exception to this is Brant Point which has a strong current. A lot of these beaches can be reached easily from town. All of them have great views of Nantucket Sound or the harbor. Beaches included on the North Shore are:
• Brant Point: No lifeguard here. There is strong current on the beach. It is an easy walk or bike ride from town. The beach drops off suddenly under the water. It is advisable that scenic experienced swimmers use this beach. The Brant Point Lighthouse sits on the beach. It is a nice place to sit and watch the boats rounding the point.
• Children’s Beach: Harbor beach is an easy walk from downtown Nantucket, Massachusetts. Flotation devices are not permitted within the guarded area. This beach is ideal for small children. There is a park, playground and bandstand. A lifeguard is present. Restrooms, showers, food service and picnic tables are available.
• Jetties Beach: Is an easy bike ride from town or you can take the shuttle bus. It is a great beach for families. Lifeguards are present. There are changing rooms, playground, volleyball nets, restrooms, showers, public phones, restaurant and take-out food service. Concession stands and restrooms are handicap accessible. There is a boardwalk to the beach. Other activities include Tennis, Windsurfing, sailboat, and kayak rentals. Swimming lessons are offered for children age 6 and up by the Park & Recreation Commission. There is also shuttle service from town to Jetties Beach seasonally.
• Francis Street: This is a small beach at the end of Francis Street, and a five-minute walk from Main Street. The harbor waters are calm for swimming. There is no lifeguard. There is a Jungle Jim, kayak rentals, and bathroom facilities. No parking areas at this beach.
• Dionis: This beach is sheltered by dunes, calm waters for swimming and is safe for children. It is approximately three miles from town on a bike ride on the north side of Eel Point Road off Madaket Sheltered by dunes. The ride is on a calm road. It is safe for children. There is a lifeguard, restroom facilities and parking. You can also take NRTA shuttle bus to Eel Point Road, stop and walk.
• Steps Beach: Be prepared to descend many steep steps to get to this beach and to ascend just as many steps when you leave. There is gentle surf, lovely views of Nantucket Sound and Great Point.
South Shore Beaches of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts face the Atlantic Ocean and are generally heavier surf. Some of these beaches also have rip tides. Several beaches on the South Shore of Nantucket Island are accessible by bike path or shuttle bus and have parking, facilities and/or lifeguards. Included on the South Shore are:
• Surfside Beach: Is located at the end of Surfside Road. It is a three-mile ride on a paved bike path or you can take the shuttles. There is easy parking areas, plenty of surf, wide beach good for picnics, beach games, and surfcasting. You can fly kites west of Surfside. For safety reasons, they do not allow kite flying east of Surfside toward the airport. It is also advisable to fly kites during the peak beach going hours. There is a lifeguard present. Restrooms, showers, public phones and food service are available. Seasonal shuttle service from town to Surfside is available.
• Cisco: Is a four-mile bike ride to end of Hummock Pond Road. A lifeguard is present and there is heavy surf. No other facilities available on this beach. The rip currents can be strong.
• Miacomet Beach and Pond: Is located at the end of Miacomet Road on the Nantucket Island in Massachusetts. The Miacomet Pond is a fresh water pond and good for young children. There is parking, but no lifeguard and no other facilities. Be careful of snapping turtles!
• Madaket: This is a six mile bike ride on a scenic, paved bike path, famous for heavy surf. There is a lifeguard and restrooms. You can also take the shuttle bus to the Madaket Beach on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts.
• Tom Nevers: The surf can be heavy. There is very coarse sand. No lifeguard and no facilities. It can be difficult to get to this beach.
• Nobadeer: Is located near the airport. There is parking, but it is difficult to access. There is plenty of surf and is a wide beach good for picnics, beach games, surfing, and surfcasting. No facilities.
The East Shore Beaches are at the inner harbor and are generally for the more adventurous. The outer beaches require permits to drive to them and 4-wheel drive. There are some car rental companies that can provide you with a permitted vehicle. Included on the East Shore are:
• Sconset: There is regular shuttle bus service or a seven-mile ride on paved bike path. The surf can be heavy. There is a lifeguard. Food is available in the nearby village of Sconset.
• Pocomo Beach: Is great for kayaking and to learn to windsurf. It is just west of the Head of the Harbor and a good place for children. There are no lifeguards and no facilities at Pocomo Beach in Nantucket Island, Massachusetts.
• Great Point: Requires a permit and 4-wheel drive. Home of the Great Point Lighthouse which is a spectacular lighthouse. Heavy surf with no lifeguards or facilities and good fishing.
• Coskata/Coatue: Located at the end of Wauwinet Road, past The Wauwinet Inn. Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge managed by Trustees of Reservations. Beach sticker is required for vehicles from Trustees of Reservations. Great place for fishing and for seeing Great Point Lighthouse up close, not inside. There are rolling dunes, bayberry, beach plum, heather, and beach grass, and the largest red cedar savanna and woodland in New England. Dogs are permitted at Coskata/Coatue Beach in Nantucket Island, Massachuetts from September 16 thru March 31 and must be leashed. Guided tours are also available in-season. Seasonal hunting is permitted.
Written by: Connie Limon For more information about Nantucket Islands in Massachusetts, visit http://smalldogs2.com/NantucketMassachusetts For a variety of FREE reprint articles and other special topic articles visit Camelot Articles at http://www.camelotarticles.com
This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.
© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved
The North Shore Beaches of Nantucket Island generally have gentle surf suitable for children. The exception to this is Brant Point which has a strong current. A lot of these beaches can be reached easily from town. All of them have great views of Nantucket Sound or the harbor. Beaches included on the North Shore are:
• Brant Point: No lifeguard here. There is strong current on the beach. It is an easy walk or bike ride from town. The beach drops off suddenly under the water. It is advisable that scenic experienced swimmers use this beach. The Brant Point Lighthouse sits on the beach. It is a nice place to sit and watch the boats rounding the point.
• Children’s Beach: Harbor beach is an easy walk from downtown Nantucket, Massachusetts. Flotation devices are not permitted within the guarded area. This beach is ideal for small children. There is a park, playground and bandstand. A lifeguard is present. Restrooms, showers, food service and picnic tables are available.
• Jetties Beach: Is an easy bike ride from town or you can take the shuttle bus. It is a great beach for families. Lifeguards are present. There are changing rooms, playground, volleyball nets, restrooms, showers, public phones, restaurant and take-out food service. Concession stands and restrooms are handicap accessible. There is a boardwalk to the beach. Other activities include Tennis, Windsurfing, sailboat, and kayak rentals. Swimming lessons are offered for children age 6 and up by the Park & Recreation Commission. There is also shuttle service from town to Jetties Beach seasonally.
• Francis Street: This is a small beach at the end of Francis Street, and a five-minute walk from Main Street. The harbor waters are calm for swimming. There is no lifeguard. There is a Jungle Jim, kayak rentals, and bathroom facilities. No parking areas at this beach.
• Dionis: This beach is sheltered by dunes, calm waters for swimming and is safe for children. It is approximately three miles from town on a bike ride on the north side of Eel Point Road off Madaket Sheltered by dunes. The ride is on a calm road. It is safe for children. There is a lifeguard, restroom facilities and parking. You can also take NRTA shuttle bus to Eel Point Road, stop and walk.
• Steps Beach: Be prepared to descend many steep steps to get to this beach and to ascend just as many steps when you leave. There is gentle surf, lovely views of Nantucket Sound and Great Point.
South Shore Beaches of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts face the Atlantic Ocean and are generally heavier surf. Some of these beaches also have rip tides. Several beaches on the South Shore of Nantucket Island are accessible by bike path or shuttle bus and have parking, facilities and/or lifeguards. Included on the South Shore are:
• Surfside Beach: Is located at the end of Surfside Road. It is a three-mile ride on a paved bike path or you can take the shuttles. There is easy parking areas, plenty of surf, wide beach good for picnics, beach games, and surfcasting. You can fly kites west of Surfside. For safety reasons, they do not allow kite flying east of Surfside toward the airport. It is also advisable to fly kites during the peak beach going hours. There is a lifeguard present. Restrooms, showers, public phones and food service are available. Seasonal shuttle service from town to Surfside is available.
• Cisco: Is a four-mile bike ride to end of Hummock Pond Road. A lifeguard is present and there is heavy surf. No other facilities available on this beach. The rip currents can be strong.
• Miacomet Beach and Pond: Is located at the end of Miacomet Road on the Nantucket Island in Massachusetts. The Miacomet Pond is a fresh water pond and good for young children. There is parking, but no lifeguard and no other facilities. Be careful of snapping turtles!
• Madaket: This is a six mile bike ride on a scenic, paved bike path, famous for heavy surf. There is a lifeguard and restrooms. You can also take the shuttle bus to the Madaket Beach on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts.
• Tom Nevers: The surf can be heavy. There is very coarse sand. No lifeguard and no facilities. It can be difficult to get to this beach.
• Nobadeer: Is located near the airport. There is parking, but it is difficult to access. There is plenty of surf and is a wide beach good for picnics, beach games, surfing, and surfcasting. No facilities.
The East Shore Beaches are at the inner harbor and are generally for the more adventurous. The outer beaches require permits to drive to them and 4-wheel drive. There are some car rental companies that can provide you with a permitted vehicle. Included on the East Shore are:
• Sconset: There is regular shuttle bus service or a seven-mile ride on paved bike path. The surf can be heavy. There is a lifeguard. Food is available in the nearby village of Sconset.
• Pocomo Beach: Is great for kayaking and to learn to windsurf. It is just west of the Head of the Harbor and a good place for children. There are no lifeguards and no facilities at Pocomo Beach in Nantucket Island, Massachusetts.
• Great Point: Requires a permit and 4-wheel drive. Home of the Great Point Lighthouse which is a spectacular lighthouse. Heavy surf with no lifeguards or facilities and good fishing.
• Coskata/Coatue: Located at the end of Wauwinet Road, past The Wauwinet Inn. Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge managed by Trustees of Reservations. Beach sticker is required for vehicles from Trustees of Reservations. Great place for fishing and for seeing Great Point Lighthouse up close, not inside. There are rolling dunes, bayberry, beach plum, heather, and beach grass, and the largest red cedar savanna and woodland in New England. Dogs are permitted at Coskata/Coatue Beach in Nantucket Island, Massachuetts from September 16 thru March 31 and must be leashed. Guided tours are also available in-season. Seasonal hunting is permitted.
Written by: Connie Limon For more information about Nantucket Islands in Massachusetts, visit http://smalldogs2.com/NantucketMassachusetts For a variety of FREE reprint articles and other special topic articles visit Camelot Articles at http://www.camelotarticles.com
This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.
© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved