A Day Spent Biking on Picturesque (but Pricey) Nantucket

Located approximately 30 miles out to sea from Cape Cod, this former whaling port is amazingly picturesque and oozes with quaintness. Bike around for amazing scenery. Walk downtown to soak up the history while admiring the seaside cottages and old-fashioned street lamps. Visit the museums and learn about the whaling history. You'll want to take pictures of everything, so be certain your digital camera has full batteries and plenty of memory!

For those who enjoy nature, you will be pleased to know that nearly forty percent of Nantucket is protected conservation land. Lush plants, beautiful flora, and and migrating birds abound on this idyllic island. Birdwatchers may be treated with glimpses of the piping plover, least tern, or osprey.

Quick Tips:

The island urges you to reduce traffic, so leave your car behind, if you can.

If you take the ferry to Nantucket, you can easily rent a bike from Nantucket Bike Shop or Young's Bike Shop, located next to one another on Steamboat Wharf.

Nantucket Bike Shop rents bikes which are good for off-road, such as Specialized & Gary Fisher. They also have single- and double- seat Yamaha scooters.

Young's has been voted "Best Bike Shop" for nine years in a row. They do not offer scooter rentals, but have plenty of family-friendly bikes, such as tandem bicycles and bikes with child seats.

The ocean breeze can cool things down quickly, even in the middle of summer. Be certain to bring a cardigan or a light jacket for outdoor activities at night.

During the winter, the island is about 10% warmer than Massachusetts due to the Gulf Stream.

Best Way To Get Around:

If you plan to stay in the downtown area, walking along the cobblestone streets is utterly charming. However, if you wish to explore other areas of the island, you can easily rent a bike or even a scooter.

Alternatively, there is the island's shuttle service--the Nantucket Regional Transit Authority (NRTA).

The Tavern is a lively restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating. You can sit indoors in the cool shade and watch a game on TV. Or you can sit outside and enjoy the sea breeze while people-watching. My friends and I preferred to sit outside, which was separated from the sidewalk by a fence.

There is even an area called the Gazebo, which is located apart from the main restaurant. This is a festive gathering spot where drinks flowed and laughter was abundant. Due to all the alcohol, I would not recommend this seating area for young children.

The restaurant is located in downtown Nantucket, at the entrance to Straight Wharf at the bottom of Main Street. Though it is near the water, I was not actually able to see the water. Perhaps the people who were seated on the balcony were able to have a bird's-eye view of the ocean.

My friends and I were seated immediately, which was a good thing, as we were all famished after our long bike ride. Our waitress was pleasant enough, though rather harried and inattentive. The restaurant was full of diners, so she was probably quite busy.

The menu contained the typical food you would expect in a seafood place called The Tavern. Salads, pasta, clams, shrimp, fish, and, of course, lobster. Not the worst selection, but not very inspiring, either. In addition, prices were typical of Nantucket--on the high side.

For appetizers, we had clams casino for $10.95 and two cups of quahog chowder for $8.50. For the entrees, we had fish-and-chips for $13.95, sea scallops for $21.95, and a spinach salad for 10.95. Local beer on draft was also available at $5.00 per glass.

The portions were small by American standards, but large by Japanese standards. I suppose I should say that the portions were "normal" or "just enough," meaning that we were satisfied after our meal--not stuffed and not hungry.

The taste was average. No gourmet cooking here. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't fantastic, either. My salad probably had like two cherry tomatoes on it and not much else. The scallops were on the greasy side, and the fish was not the flakiest.

But, this being Nantucket, unless we were willing to fork over more money for better food, this was as good as it was going to get. Great atmosphere, casual dress, and local seafood.

With over 25 miles of bicycle paths (and more to come), biking is a great way to explore Nantucket. In addition, the island is only about 14 miles by 3.5 miles, so it is very manageable.

Currently, there are 10 bicycle paths to choose from, each marked with a color-coded sign. They are:

• Madaket Road
• Eel Point-Dionis Beach
• Cliff Road
• Polpis
• Milestone
• Nobadeer
• Old South Rd.
• Airport Rd.
• Surfside Beach
• Bartlett-Surfside

Each path varies (some are less than a mile long, some are more than 8 miles), so choose accordingly. However, some bike paths run along the NRTA's route (the island's shuttle service), so if you do get tired, you can probably just hop onto a shuttle. In addition, you may want to check with your bike rental store to see if they will pick you up.

Each paved bicycle path is separated from the roadway for an ease and convenience. This is great for children as they will not have to bike in the streets with cars. However, in some cases, in order to arrive at the path, you may have to bike on the street for a bit. I should warn you that it is quite a challenge to bike on the cobblestone streets! I decided to walk my bike on the sidewalk instead.

You must obey all one-way street and stop signs. There is no riding on the sidewalks--you must walk your bike. Most cars seem accustomed to biking tourists and will generally yield--especially if you are trying to cross a rotary/roundabout!

Off-road enthusiasts need not fret--there are many opportunities to go off-road. Just be certain to pick up a map so you won't get lost (most maps are free with the bike rental). My friends and I started on the Milestone bike path, but soon veered off onto dirt roads. These roads are often narrow with many rocks and branches jutting out. However, it is a very interesting way to explore Nantucket as some roads led us to magnificent residences.

Biking on Nantucket was a wonderful way to see the island. Breathtaking scenery, refreshing breezes, and blue skies made it a most enjoyable activity!

Siasconset (aka 'Sconset) Beach is located (not surprisingly) in the village of Siasconset, which is about 7 miles east of downtown Nantucket.

Only two miles of the 82 miles of beaches on Nantucket are owned by the town. The remaining 80 miles are actually privately-owned beaches, whose owners kindly open them to the public, free of charge.

We arrived at Siasconset Beach via bicycle, which is a good thing as parking was limited. In addition, there were no facilities, not even a faucet to rinse the sand off your feet!

There was a lifeguard on duty, though the surf was a bit heavy. As far as I know, 'Sconset Beach does not have high bacteria levels.

After a long bike ride, the sea breezes at the beach were quite refreshing. The sand was clean (and hot!). It was not very crowded, so there was plenty of space. It is a pristine beach that one would expect on such a lovely island.

If you're already in Massachusetts and want to head over to Nantucket, the easiest way to get there is probably by ferry.

There are two companies which have ferries to Nantucket:

The Steamship Authority
www.SteamshipAuthority.com

Hy-line Cruises
www.HyLineCruises.com

They both leave from Hyannis, MA, and both companies have traditional ferries as well as high-speed ferries.

Traditional Ferry:
The passage takes about two hours, but the round-trip fares are only approximately $30.00 for adults and $15.00 for children 5-12 years. Please note that fares change according to the seasons, so be certain to check out their websites for the current rates.

Both companies allow you bring bikes on board for approximately $10.00 round-trip.

Hy-line Cruises offers an upgrade option to First Class-this allows you access to a newly renovated climate-controlled lounge with private sundeck. I believe the food service is also better.

The Steampship Authority has ferry your automobile to Nantucket. The rates for autos only range from $115.00-$200.00 depending on the size of the vehicle and the time of the year. Please note that you still must pay for your passage aboard the ferry.

High-Speed Ferry:
This method is much faster-only about one hour. However, though your time is cut in half, your price is doubled. The round-trip fares are approximately $60.00 for adults and $45.00 for children 5-12 years. Again, as the fares change according to the seasons, please check out their websites for the current rates.

The high-speed ferry for Hy-line Cruises is called "The Grey Lady". The high-speed ferry for the Steamship Authority is called the "Flying Cloud". Both allow bicycles for approximately $10.00, but neither can transport vehicles.

During peak seasons, reservations are strongly recommended. You must check-in at least a half hour in advance of scheduled departure or risk losing your spot.

My friends and I took the Flying Cloud to Nantucket. The interior was spacious and air-conditioned (almost to the point of being too cold!). The seats were mostly booth-like cushions around a table. There were two levels, and you could go out onto the deck on the second level. There was also a refreshment bar. It was fast and enjoyable, though a bit pricey.