Nantucket Harbor

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Welcome to Nantucket Harbor

THINGS TO SEE
PLACES TO EAT
PLACES TO STAY
WHERE TO DOCK

The beach in front of Brant Point Light is a great place to boat-watch.
Photos/New England Boating, Tom Richardson.

NANTUCKET HARBOR HAS COME A LONG WAY SINCE ITS DAYS AS A WHALING HUB. TODAY THE WELL-PROTECTED PORT WELCOMES MARINERS OF A VERY DIFFERENT SORT, WHO COME TO STROLL THE NARROW COBBLESTONE STREETS, DINE IN 5-STAR RESTAURANTS, BROWSE THE BOUTIQUES AND ART GALLERIES OR RELAX ON THE BEAUTIFUL BEACHES.

AND IT’S SURPRISINGLY ACCESSIBLE, EVEN FOR DAYTRIPPERS, LYING JUST 26 MILES SOUTH OF HYANNIS. IF APPROACHING FROM THE WEST, USE THE CROSS RIP CHANNEL, BETWEEN CROSS RIP SHOAL AND HORSESHOE SHOAL. KEEP TUCKERNUCK SHOAL TO STARBOARD AS YOU PLOT A COURSE FOR THE RED-WHITE “NB” BUOY.

 


Nantucket Harbor Chart

SAT map

The twin jetties flanking the harbor entrance are 1.7 miles south-southeast of the buoy. If traveling after dark, take care to get your bearings and line up the navigational lights correctly before making your approach lest you find yourself hard aground on the jetties or surrounding shallows.

DOCK IN STYLE

As you enter the harbor, passing Brant Point Lighthouse to starboard, you’ll see the buildings and docks of the town to starboard. Ahead is the Nantucket “skyline,” dotted with church steeples and historic sea captains’ homes.

Boaters looking for a slip should head for the Nantucket Boat Basin, at the southern end of the waterfront just before the town pier. Conveniently located two blocks from town, the Boat Basin (celebrating its 5oth anniversary in 2018) is a renowned transient marina catering to boaters from around the world, and can accommodate vessels from 35’ to 316’. A full-time concierge service is on-call to make restaurant reservations, arrange tee times and organize special outings, including clambakes on the beach. You can even get a pedicure for your dog!

Slips may also be available at the town pier, adjacent to the Boat Basin, but strictly on a first-come, first-served basis via the harbormaster’s office (VHF 9 and 14). A third option is to rent a mooring from Nantucket Moorings, which also provides launch service. Anchoring may also be possible east of the mooring field.

GREAT INNS & RESTAURANTS

Beautiful boats of all sorts call Nantucket Harbor home.

If you’d rather stay on shore during your visit, there are numerous options on or near the harbor. Among them are the cozy Cottages and Lofts lining the wharves in and around the Boat Basin. Arrangements can be made through the Boat Basin office.

In addition, the White Elephant Hotel, at the foot of Brant Point, offers onsite dockage for its boating guests. Once an eclectic mix of cottages, the White Elephant is now one of Nantucket’s best-loved resorts, overlooking bustling Nantucket Harbor and adjacent to Children’s Beach. The hotel’s restaurant, the Brant Point Grill (known simply as “BPG” to locals), serves mouthwatering steaks and lobster, and features an award-winning wine list. Boaters can sometimes arrange short-term dockage in front of the restaurant.

Also close by is Topper’s at the Wauwinet Inn, featuring a romantic atmosphere and breathtaking views. With 1,500 different wines from which to choose, Topper’s has consistently received Wine Spectator magazine’s Grand Award. A more casual choice is the heated Topper’s Deck, or you might elect for a dinner cruise aboard the Wauwinet Lady, which departs from the White Elephant dock with service to and from Topper’s.

HISTORIC CHARMS

The quaint harbor is filled with shops.

If you’re curious about the island’s rich maritime history, pay a visit to the Nantucket Whaling Museum. Less than a half-mile from the waterfront, the museum features a restored 1847 candle factory and a rooftop observation deck overlooking Nantucket Harbor. Among its displays are the 46’ skeleton of a sperm whale that washed ashore on New Year’s Day 1998, and the 1849 Fresnel lens once used at Sankaty Head Lighthouse.

Brant Point Light marks the entrance to Nantucket Harbor.

Speaking of lighthouses, you can pay a visit to 47’-tall Brant Point Light, which has stood sentry over the harbor since 1856 and is the second oldest light station in the country. It’s one of many local structures that offer insight to island life in the 17th and 18th centuries. Many of the historic homes are still owned and occupied by descendants of old Nantucket families, and the island boasts the largest concentration of pre-Civil War houses in the country. The Jared Coffin Houseon Sunset Hill is the oldest. Built in 1686, it’s now an elegant inn where guests can relax in style and immerse themselves in island history.

Nantucket’s Dioness Beach is ideal for families.

If it’s more aquatic fun you seek, there are several nearby beaches that are ideal for families. Visiting boaters can beach their dinghies, kayaks and other small craft on the backside of Coatue Point and frolic in the warm, protected shallows on both sides of this narrow strip of land. Children’s and Jetties Beaches also feature protected waters and are within walking and biking distance of town.

For side trips farther afield, you can rent a bike or use the public bus system. On the way to Cisco Beach you’ll pass Nantucket Vineyard, which produces 9 varietals of red and white wine, in partnership with Cisco Brewery, which makes vodka, rum, gin, single malt whiskey and micro-brewed beer and ale. The brewery has a lively beer garden with live music, a raw bar and wood-fired pizza.

NIGHTBIRDS ON NANTUCKET

The Cisco Bewery makes for a refreshing side trip.

Of course, Nantucket Harbor is also known for nightlife. Some standout places to hang out include theBoarding House, which features an award-winning restaurant and bar with an intimate, neighborhood feel that attracts a hip singles crowd. The Club Car is another fun spot. Built on the site of a former train station, this restaurant and bar has been a Nantucket institution since the 1970s, serving eclectic fare that ranges from rabbit to octopus, while enticing visitors to the piano bar, where the sound of boisterous sing-a-longs often carries to lower Main Street.

For live music, the Chicken Box offers jazz, blues and reggae in a roadhouse atmosphere. Muddy Waters once appeared at the unpretentious setting, which opened 50 years ago. Appealing to a younger crowd is The Muse, which showcases live bands and DJs.

Young or old, day or night, land or sea—whatever your pleasure, Nantucket Harbor serves as a boater’s gateway to an exotic world of magnificent beaches, stunning landscapes, historic streets, good food and lots of fun things to do and see.

GETTING THERE
NOAA Chart 13242

Chart: Nantucket Harbor

If approaching Nantucket Harbor from the west, use the Cross Rip Channel, between Cross Rip Shoal and Horseshoe Shoal. Keep Tuckernuck Shoal to starboard as you plot a course for the red-white “NB” harbor entrance buoy. The twin jetties flanking the harbor entrance are 1.7 miles south-southeast of the buoy. If traveling after dark, take care to get your bearings and line up the navigational lights (there are also a set of range markers on Brant Point) correctly before making your approach, lest you find yourself hard aground on the jetties or surrounding shallows, which unwary boaters do each season. Also be aware of ferries and large private yachts coming and going.

Dockage, Moorings & Service:

  • Nantucket Boat Basin (508) 325-1350. Pet-friendly, full-service marina with transient slips for vessels up to 350’. Services include WiFi, fuel dock, water, electric, showers, laundry and more.

  • Nantucket Town Pier (508) 228-7261.Transient slips on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact the harbormaster to check on availability.
  • Nantucket Moorings (508) 228-4472. VHF 68. Mooring rentals and launch service in the harbor. Reservations accepted, and recommended.
  • Brant Point Marine (508) 228-6244. Service, repair, moorings, storage and small-boat rentals on the harbor.
  • Grey Lady Marine (508) 228-6525. Service facility, repair, storage.
  • Nantucket Marine (508) 228-6505. Boats sales and service.

Anchorages

The anchorages in Nantucket Harbor (see chart) are all outside the main mooring fields and a good distance from the Town Pier (just south of the Boat Basin), where the public dinghy dock is located. Free restroom, shower and pumpout facilities are located here, as well. You can often find room to anchor in 7’ to 9’ of water in a few spots east of the main mooring field. The holding ground is mixed sand and grass, but be aware that the strong, shifting currents can create rode issues, especially for deep-keeled sailboats. Another potential spot to drop the hook is northwest of Brant Point. This area is protected by the jetties and Brant Point, but is a rather long (and sometimes wet) dinghy ride to town.

Harbormaster:

Ramp:

A free town-managed launch ramp can be found at the base of Brant Point, adjacent to Childrens Beach. However, street parking is extremely limited.

Boat Rental:

Kayak & SUP Rental:

Getting Around:

Provisions:

  • Stop & Shop (508) 825-8833. Large grocery store near the waterfront.

Where to Eat:

  • Brant Point Grill (800) 426-8718. Fine dining with a harbor view at the White Elephant Hotel. Specializes in steaks and seafood, and boasts an award-winning wine list.
  • Topper’s Restaurant (508) 228-8768. Acclaimed restaurant with outside dining on a heated deck with great views of the harbor.
  • Straight Wharf (508) 228-4499. Upscale waterside restaurant specializing in fresh seafood. Outside deck overlooking the harbor.
  • Boarding House (508) 228-9622. Relaxed vibe and unsurpassed venue for people watching. Don’t be surprised by the occasional famous face.
  • Sophie T’s Pizza (508) 325-6265. Family-friendly restaurant serving imaginative pizza, subs, salads, and Italian dishes.
  • Something Natural (508) 228-0504. Great sandwiches just outside town. Those in the know call ahead to place orders.
    •  

Shops:

  • Murray’s Toggery (508) 228-0437. Inventors of “Nantucket reds” (the iconic trousers) clothing for men, women and kids.
  • Coastal Nantucket (508) 228-4662. Vintage and contemporary home and outdoor décor.
  • Sara Campbell (508) 680-1626. Upscale “garden-party” clothing.
  • Cavalier Gallery (508) 325-4405. Nantucket’s largest gallery featuring contemporary paintings, photos and sculpture.
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Where to Stay:

Things to See & Do:

  • Nantucket Whaling Museum (508) 228-1894. Features a restored 1847 candle factory, an expanded exhibition space, an observation deck overlooking Nantucket harbor, and a sperm whale skeleton.
  • Cisco Brewery (508) 325-5929. Brew pub, brewery tours and a lively beer garden with raw bar, live music, and wood-fired pizza.
  • Dreamland Film & Performing Arts Center (508) 332-4822. First-run movies, plays, musicals and more.
    •  

General Information:

Town & County of Nantucket

Nantucket Chamber of Commerce

Photo Gallery

The harbor launch ramp, adjacent to Childrens Beach.

Surf fishing off Brant Point Light.

Small shops and galleries abound in Nantucket Harbor.

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Nathaniel’s In The Hawthorne Hotel

18 Washington Square W, Salem, MA
978-825-4311
HawthorneHotel.com

Salem’s famed author,
welcome hotel guests

Nathaniel’s In The Hawthorne Hotel

18 Washington Square W, Salem, MA
978-825-4311
HawthorneHotel.com

Salem’s famed author,
welcome hotel guests

Nathaniel’s In The Hawthorne Hotel

18 Washington Square W, Salem, MA
978-825-4311
HawthorneHotel.com

Salem’s famed author,
welcome hotel guests

Nathaniel’s In The Hawthorne Hotel

18 Washington Square W, Salem, MA
978-825-4311
HawthorneHotel.com

Salem’s famed author,
welcome hotel guests

Nathaniel’s In The Hawthorne Hotel

18 Washington Square W, Salem, MA
978-825-4311
HawthorneHotel.com

Salem’s famed author,
welcome hotel guests

Nathaniel’s In The Hawthorne Hotel

18 Washington Square W, Salem, MA
978-825-4311
HawthorneHotel.com

Salem’s famed author,
welcome hotel guests