ALL THE FAMILY + KID-FRIENDLY THINGS WE DID ON NANTUCKET

One of the questions I got asked the most as I shared photos from our trip to Nantucket on Instagram earlier this summer was if I was going to share a post with all the fun things we did with the kiddos. So today, I’m going to pause all the design and architecture to share some of our favorite things to do on island, as promised!

We’ve visited Nantucket since my children were two and five and they still love doing pretty much all the same things since our first visit (plus many more, now that we aren’t hindered by a stroller like the very first trip, lol) Nantucket is about as family and kid friendly as it gets, with so many opportunities to be outside all day, which is great for the kids but also for me as there is SO MUCH eye candy literally everywhere you turn. Here are a few of our favorite things we did our last trip:

Steps Beach – The grown ups’ favorite beach spot, hands down! My daughter and I walked the half mile from the house to Steps first thing every morning. It’s such a beautiful walk and the view from the top of Steps is simply breathtaking. This was also a favorite spot to grab sandwiches and a blanket and have lunch. For those of you who like to house stalk like me, the way to Steps is pure eye candy. The famous green shuttered cedar shake home that once belonged to Tommy Hilfiger is right on the way, along with many other beauties that look straight out of a story book. If you’re staying in town, Steps Beach is a quick bike ride away and well worth the stop!

Children’s Beach – Such a cute spot right on the water with just enough stretch of beach for parents to sit and watch the kiddos play in the water; you also have a bird’s eye view of the ferry and sailboats coming in. There is a playground directly behind with a snack shack, but my kids stuck to the beach section due to the crazy number of crabs and hermit crabs they found and made habitats for before releasing them back into the sea. We came here pretty much every day, it was their favorite spot. Island Coffee is right around the corner for a cup of Joe and one of their cinnamon muffins!

House stalking – Okay, so not exactly the kids’ favorite thing to do, but, considering we walked everywhere, I always tried to take a scenic route and promised ice cream at the end. It’s impossible to go to Nantucket and NOT admire the architecture and landscape design!

Pizza from Pizzeria Gemelle – The BEST pizza on island and, quite possibly, the best I’ve had outside of Italy. There is very limited counter space, so we would walk down, pick up our pies and then head down to either Children’s Beach or one of the many spots near the wharf to enjoy lunch and then do some shopping. I can’t recommend their pies enough! The Emilia, the Salciccia and the Funghi e Speck were our favorites!

Ice cream from Juice Bar – the very best flavor variety on island. We always looked forward to walking her after dinner, grabbing ice cream and then heading down to the wharf to window shop (and walk off dinner), lol.

Rent bikes for the day – One of the very best ways to spend a morning or afternoon! You can ride out to Sconset, to Steps Beach or just make your way around town (not exactly ideal if you’re stopping every three or four yards to snap pics of houses, but still fun!)

Breakfast at Black Eyed Susan’s – We were fortunate enough to be able to make breakfast at the house we stayed in many days, but we made it to Black Eyed Susan’s twice for, in our opinion, the best breakfast on the island! The Huevos Rancheros and French Toast with orange Jack Daniel’s butter and toasted pecans are to die for!

Bluff Walk in Sconset – Walking through people’s back yards (close enough to be able to see in the windows of some) with the coast directly on your other side….admittedly, this isn’t the kids’ favorite thing to do, but they DO love the sandwiches from Claudette’s in town and the ice cream from the Sconset Market after. There is also a playground below the bluff walk, right by the public beach entrance that the kids love to stop and play at (but we make sure to ply them with these treats once they make it down and back from the Bluff walk, lol!)

Feed turtles at Long Pond – We found this little dock out on the way to Madaket Beach that’s so small that if you blink, you miss it, but if you pay attention, it’s a fun spot to watch the biggest snapping turtles! We used to bring rotisserie chicken and the turtles would come out in droves. Sadly, this time around, there were signs asking not to feed them, but we still got to admire them. Definitely worth making a stop if you have littles!

Fish tacos and margaritas at Millie’s – I could do a whole separate post on the food alone on Nantucket, but Millie’s in Madaket would still be at the top of our list of restaurants to visit on island. We go for dinner and then walk down to the beach. The water on this side of the island is always so green/turquoise! It’s actually the pic I snapped and then blew up here years ago!

Window shopping – there are so many incredible small shops in which to find real treasures, from the sweetest book shops and toy store to home decor, art, apparel, antiques, even adorable accessories for the pups! There really is something for everyone.

I’m sure there are a hundred more family-friendly things to do, but these really were some of our favorites! If you’re lucky enough to visit Nantucket, you truly are lucky enough! Hope this has inspired you to visit the island and experience the magic for yourself!