Nantucket is no doubt a children’s paradise. From beach-combing to the Critter Cruise, to the best ice cream on the planet, the Grey Lady knows how to keep the little ones entertained. Here is Fisher’s list of recommended, Nantucket kid-friendly activities for your next vacation. The list includes outdoor and educational activities, rainy day ideas, where to find the best sweets & treats, crafting and, our favorite category, salty activities! Please note: many of these companies operate during the summer months only, so check with each buisness for availability.
Salty Activities
Kid-Friendly Beaches
The beaches on the North Shore have warm, calm and shallow water making them ideal for young children and those learning to swim. Popular beaches include Jetties Beach, Brant Point, Children’s Beach and Dionis. See “Sandbar at Jetties Beach” and “Children’s Beach” below for more details on these popular, in Town spots.
Critter Cruise
Captain Josh invites you aboard the Monomoy for a 1 hour cruise. Because the boat doesn’t leave the harbor, you don’t have to worry about inclement weather or rough seas. Kids get to haul up lobster traps, fish with poles and bait, and get up close and personal with the on-board touch tank. Purchase tickets online, or for a truly salty experience. Don’t forget your camera and sweatshirt if it’s overcast!
Surf Lessons
Nantucket has two very popular surf schools available for surf camps, and private orgroup lessons. Find Nantucket Island Surf School at Cisco Beach or ACK Surf School at Nobadeer Beach. Both are found on the South Shore where there is heavier surf. Surfboard and SUP rentals are also available. Read Danno’s great blog on Learning how to Surf on Nantucket for some tips to get started!
Fishing
The Nantucket experience is never complete until you join the rich fishing history of the island and catch a fish. No matter your age, you can chase fish around the 82 miles of shoreline. Hop on a boat and fish the rips off Great Point or Tuckernuck, and you are bound to have an unforgettable experience. With four main species of fish (bluefish, striped bass, bonito and false albacore), Nantucket waters keep you active and eager for more.
Kayaking
If your kids are adventurous and don’t tire easily, we highly recommend renting double kayaks from Sea Nantucket Kayak. They are located just outside town on Washington Street. Paddle along the shore line, to Coatue (pure magic!) or through the Salt Marsh Creeks. Guides are available.
Ice Cream Cruise
Ice cream and boating? SIGN US UP! Private and public trips are available, and kids get a chance at steering the boat on the Shearwater Excursions Harbor Tour. Gluten-free and non-dairy options make sure there is something for everyone. Shearwater also has special boating & fishing trips for children, where they learn the basics of fishing, boating and tying knots.
Sailing on a Pirate Adventure
Q: What did the ocean say to the pirate?
A: Nothing, it just waved.
Learn about the legends of the most infamous pirates and embark on a pirate hunt complete with maps and treasures! The Endeavor is located on Straight Wharf.
Sesachacha Pond
Take Polpis Road to Quidnet and park yourself at Sesachacha Pond for a day filled with beautiful views and swimming in the warm pond.
Outdoor Activities
Children’s Beach
Children’s Beach is by far the kid-favorite destination on Nantucket. It’s located at the end of Harbor View Way next to the White Elephant Hotel. It has everything you could need including a playground, restrooms, park, lifeguards, wave-free waters and the kid cafe called GypSea. Visit the Town of Nantucket Cultural & Tourism website for the calendar of events including live music on Sunday nights. Or, keep reading this blog for information on their movies and concerts.
’Sconset Playground
Together the residents of ’Sconset and the Nantucket Land Bank constructed a play area for children and families to play amid the natural beauty of Codfish Park. The design includes swings, benches, picnic tables, a rope climber and a ship based play structure. Little ones like to call this “Boat Playground.” Grab a blueberry muffin at the nearby ’Sconset Market or a meatloaf sandwich at Claudette’s.
Tom Nevers Field & Playground
Children love to take their remote controlled cars there, fly kites, and play sports on the baseball field, and outdoor concrete rink. Take Milestone Road all the way to the end of Tom Nevers Road and you will not be able to miss it!
Bike Paths + Bike Rentals
We love the Surfside Road bike path, as well as Hummock Pond Road, Polpis Road, and Milestone Road bike paths for older kids who are comfortable with longer stretches of bike riding. It’s not hard to find bicycle rentals, there are plenty of shops Downtown (mostly on Broad Street) as well as Mid Island. Many of the bike shops will even deliver to your door if you are renting a Nantucket vacation home!
Pick Your Own Flowers at Bartlett’s Farm
Enjoy a picturesque morning in the certified organic flower fields at Bartlett’s Farm. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the Farm as you pick flowers and capture unforgettable moments with your family. Their experienced team will provide you with clippers and guidance to help you create the perfect bouquet that matches your style. Senior (65+) and Youth (6-12) pricing is available, children under 5 can enjoy the experience for free.
Yoga at Children’s Beach
Join fun-loving Bettina Broer at the Children’s Beach bandstand Monday through Saturday from 7:30am to 8:30am. No sign up is required, but more info can be found here.
Sustainable Nantucket’s Farmers & Artisans Market
Every Saturday from 8:30 am-12:30 pm, local artisans and farmers bring their goods into Town. Find the little market on Cambridge Street directly behind our office on Main Street. Come stop by and say hi on your way to the market!
Ray Owen Farm
This hidden treasure is open to public and just outside town on Hawthorne Lane, with lots of farm animals including goats, bunnies, chickens, turkeys and donkeys!
Educational Kids Activities
MMA Aquarium
The MMA Aquarium and Sea Shop are open for the 2024 season at their new location at 32 Washington Street. The Aquarium is open: 10am – 4pm Monday – Friday and 10am – 1pm Saturday.
Nantucket Whaling Museum
The Discovery Room is a family space at the Museum that dives into Nantucket history through activities and crafts. The room is always open during Museum hours. The Nantucket Historical Association also offers Arts & Crafts classes from June through October at the 1800 House on Mill Street. Kids also love the huge sperm whale skeleton in the main room!
Workshops with the Linda Loring Nature Foundation
The LLNF offers various programs including workshops, bird/plant walks, and more during summer months. Their “Citizen Science” research program works hand-in-hand with education providing opportunities for involvement. They also offer the Story Walk project, an interactive book trail that gets kids out in nature to read!
Nantucket Atheneum
Keep scrolling through the blog to ‘Rainy Day Activities’ to see some of the program offerings at the Nantucket Atheneum.
Sweets & Treats
Read our full blog on Family Friendly Dining on Nantucket to find the best places to go out to eat!
Sandbar at Jetties Beach
Parents will rejoice when they visit the Sandbar at Jetties restaurant for lunch or dinner! There is a large, safe beach (away from the water) where kids can play and parents can watch. There is also a large playground across the parking lot.
Candy Room at Force Five
Escape to the secret room and be amazed by their wall-to-wall candy display. You will find all the staples and some fun hard-to-get candy as well! We love that they hire high school students (who will impress you with the math skills!) to ring you up.
The Juice Bar
Always worth the wait, their special ice cream flavors always impress but the kids always seem to go back to vanilla and chocolate with sprinkles! Check out our great ice cream blog with all of your Nantucket ice cream destinations around the Rock.
Nantucket Bookworks & Mitchell’s Book Corner
Stop into one of Nantucket’s two amazing book stores and search for the kids section for a wide selection of Nantucket themed books, games, toys and more.
Something Natural
The ultimate sandwich shop in the Cliff neighborhood just outside town. Great for a picnic at the beach, or enjoy at their beautiful property. Kids love playing in the boat with a PB&J and chocolate chip cookie.
Downyflake
An island institution with famous donuts! An easy kid-friendly diner for breakfast or lunch.
Arts & Crafts
Artists Association of Nantucket
The Artists Association of Nantucket offers year-round classes at their beautiful Visual Arts Center at the end of Amelia Drive. During the summer months they have over TWO DOZEN classes to choose from, for children ages 2-18. Fun workshops include Hand-Drawn Comic Strips, Oil Painting and Wearable Art.
Create Art Supply Store
Also on Amelia Drive, Create is a great art store filled with creative art projects to bring home. They offer everything for beginners to professionals including crafts, projects, paper, canvas, paints, gift ideas and projects.
Theatre Camp at the Dreamland
There are summer camp programs at the Dreamland. that end each session with a musical theatre production.
Rainy Day Activities
Nantucket Atheneum
All of the programs and events at our library are free and open to the public! Some classes include Music in the Morning, Toddler Time, Nanpuppets, and Lego Club. Arrive early to reserve your space, especially on a rainy day. For non-rainy days, they have outdoor concerts in their beautiful fenced in garden! The Weezie Library for Children is also nice if you’ve gotten too much sun at the beach and need some time in the air conditioning!
Dreamland Movie Theatre
You may not want to be indoors on your Nantucket vacation, but if you end up inside the state-of-the-art Film and Performing Arts Center, you will not be disappointed. They always have a children’s movie on rotation and offer some special kid-friendly performances as well.
Shopping in Town
It may sound silly to go shopping in Town on a rainy day, but that’s what everyone does on Nantucket. There are lots of little shops filled with toys and apparel including Peachtree Kids (our favorite!), Sunken Ship, Force Five, Nantucket Surf Co, Nantucket Bookworks, Kidding Around, Four Winds Gifts, Pinwheels and MORE!