Nantucket is just as much a state of mind as it is in an actual destination. Just thirty miles off the coast of Cape Cod, the island beckons visitors arriving by ferry via the iconic Brant Point lighthouse. Otherwise, air arrivals must navigate the island’s signature fog that earned its nickname, “The Grey Lady.” Today, many visitors are as likely to arrive via private jet as they are on JetBlue, and the island has become synonymous with a certain class of East Coast elite. As such, prices have risen, room vacancy has lowered, and reservations are eternally elusive.
There is one spot on the island, however, that remains dedicated to the ‘Old Nantucket’ — when the island was wilder, freer, and more accessible. The recently renovated Nantucket Inn is an oasis centrally located in the mid-island neighborhood, where various bike paths offer scenic routes to explore. Plus, the Inn is open year-round in Nantucket, which is perfect for travelers looking to escape the maddening crowds. Luckily, the New England island is gorgeous in all four seasons. Paradise awaits.
An Old Nantucket Oasis
(Image provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
Though The Nantucket Inn opened in 1986, the hotel underwent a massive renovation in 2022, resulting in the coastal chic aesthetic that permeates the property. The largest hotel on the island, the Inn boasts 100 guest rooms spanning three acres of the island’s signature shingled cottages and manicured gardens. Though conveniently located near to downtown and the airport, you feel tucked away and quite secluded while staying at the inn. My cottage abode and its surrounding environs reminded me of the charming cobblestone streets of Siasconset, a sleepier, more remote neighborhood on the island's eastern end.
Though you may feel you are tucked away amidst a secret garden, the Nantucket Inn is actually the only true resort on the island. The family-owned establishment is the only hotel with an indoor pool on Nantucket — perfect for year-round visitors — as well as the only place with hard tennis courts that isn’t a club requiring membership to play. Such accessibility is the point at the Nantucket Inn: “We want to bring back the spirit of the old Nantucket before there was such a barrier to entry to visit Nantucket — even the ferry is expensive,” says co-owner Lauren Hill Theodorakos. The Theodorakos family has frequented the island for decades, and she is dedicated to preserving Nantucket’s original allure on the property: “We want it to be the way we remember, nostalgic— come as you are, bare feet, and bonfires on the beach.” Luckily, at the inn, the best beaches are conveniently located nearby, and it’s a free seven-minute shuttle to Fisherman's Beach and Stone Beach.
(Image provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
The shuttle is convenient for travelers as they needn’t deal with renting a car, and it runs every hour during the day and every half hour in the evenings. Plus, the costs are far less expensive than at other resorts on the island, with rates as low as $200 depending on the time of year. It harkens back to a time before the New England island was a hotspot for trendy tourists: “The Inn is trying to preserve that old islander vibe: accessible, approachable, and if you want to visit Nantucket, you’re not priced out,” says Theodorakos.
Your money certainly goes a long way at the Inn, which also boasts an outdoor pool, a gym, and the NobaBar, which is designed to look like the interior of a ship (and is perfect for a nightcap). The rooms are also larger than many offered on-island and are decorated in the traditional Nantucket motif of blue and white, with pieces commissioned by local artists. And, if you want a bit more privacy, there are a total of six cottages with functioning fireplaces and adjacent doors, in case you want to separate the parents from the children.
An Island Retreat for All Seasons
(Image provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
The island’s charms don’t fade away after peak season — in fact, there’s no shortage of activities and events for visitors to Nantucket all year-round. And, luckily, the Nantucket Inn doesn’t close its doors after the Labor Day crowds depart. While tennis, sailing, and beach-hopping are classic summertime pastimes, the island grows even more beautiful in the fall, when the days are sunny and the coastline less crowded. Scalloping season runs from October 1st to March 31st, in which recreational scallopers can comb the sands from Wednesday through Sunday — an event that is heralded with a Scallopers Ball in early October.
(Image provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
Come wintertime, the Christmas Stroll is an annual festivity that draws devoted visitors year after year to celebrate the upcoming holiday on the first weekend of December (the 50th annual will be held next month on December 6th to 8th). Expect carolers, and an iconic floating Christmas tree in the Nantucket harbor. Another beloved event occurs when the weather warms up for springtime, with the 49th annual Daffodil Festival, which will take place from April 25th to 28th. Expect a flower show and a legendary car parade and tailgate in ‘Sconset. Shortly thereafter, the Nantucket Wine and Food Festival will be held on May 14th to 18th, and given the high-level of culinary talent on the island, the event becomes more and more delectable with each passing year.
In short, there’s no wrong time to visit Nantucket. And whether you’re an avid traveler to the island, or it’s your first experience visiting, the Nantucket Inn offers guests the opportunity to live like a local (or a seasonal local). So, what are you waiting for? The Grey Lady awaits.