Nantucket Whaling Museum
A 46-foot sperm whale skeleton in an old candle factory.
Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard
Two summer islands off Cape Cod: cobblestones and gray-shingled whaling houses on Nantucket, and gingerbread cottages on the Vineyard.
Nantucket was the world's whaling capital in the 1800s, and its town is a National Historic Landmark. Martha's Vineyard has the colored cliffs of Aquinnah and the historically Black resort of Oak Bluffs.
- Best Time
- June to September
- Time Needed
- 2–3 days
- Cost Level
- $$$$
- Open
- Year-round
- Getting There
- Ferries from Cape Cod; short flights from Boston.
What to See
2 of 3 are freeOak Bluffs
Carpenter Gothic cottages and the oldest carousel in America.
Aquinnah Cliffs
Clay cliffs on Wampanoag land.
Know Before You Go
- Book ferries and rooms early.
- Prices are high in summer.
Where to Stay
Stay in Nantucket Town or Edgartown.
Where to Eat
Our picks are on the way.
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Last checked 2026-11-01. Part of the Northeast list.