By itself, I'm not sure I would recommend Hadwen House to shorter term visitors to Nantucket. There…read moreare a lot of wonderful things to do with your time on the island, and the exhibits re: scrimshaw, basketmaking, and historical chairs and china are probably not a huge draw for those without a pre-existing interest. But.... if you are a regular on the island, I do strongly recommend a visit to this Greek revival home-turned-museum commissioned by William Hadwen, one of the owners of the candle and whale oil company that now houses the Whaling Museum. And in particular, you must go when Anne is serving as the docent on premises. This retired Nantucket High School English teacher is worth her weight in gold, a true fountain of knowledge and enthusiasm when it comes to Nantucket history! You can glean some interesting information by reading the exhibit plaques; you can glean so very much more by chatting with Anne: Stories about the Hadwen and Starbuck family, how the family reconciled great wealth with their Quaker values, how the Great Fire of 1946 somehow spared the house, how the house changed over time as whaling became less important to the town and smells from the harbor became less pungent. The Hadwen House is included on tickets to the Whaling Museum and worth an hour or two of your time if Anne is there to breathe life into its history!

Great little spot a little away from the main downtown district but easily walkable in the shade as…read morelong as you watch out for the ground, which is uneven, has jagged steps and concrete elevated by massive tree trunk roots, and loose brick. Their garden is beautiful with climbing roses. They were under construction at the main entrance but access to the building is in the side and back. The staff were friendly and informative. You learn a lot about basket making and see some interesting artifacts. There's even an on-site basket weaver to give demos and a tutorial. Worth stopping by for about 30-45 minutes.

Brant Point Lighthouse is a must visit on Nantucket. The iconic white tower is part of the National…read moreRegister of Historic Places, and one of the first things that visitors and locals alike see when they "round the Point" on the ferry on or off island. I love walking here on a summer or fall afternoon and perching on one of the rocks below the lighthouse with a good book and an iced tea or matcha from Handlebar Cafe. Truly, one of the best ways to while away a Nantucket day! The panoramic views of the water and yachts and sailing vessels can't be beat, either. As another reviewer cautioned, this is definitely a New England beach situation, so make sure to stay shod and avoid barefoot walking over the rocks and seashells (on the other hand, the shells make a great souvenir! I have a jar of Brant Point seashells on my desk :) If you find yourself on Nantucket and want a low key respite from downtown, Brant Point Lighthouse is a great spot to visit!

I find lighthouses so fascinating even though they're not that exciting. They're exciting to me!…read more The station was established in 1746 and still in operation. The tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 28, 1987. It is an easy, quiet walk through multimillion-dollar homes. There's no sidewalk on either side of the road leading to the lighthouse. The beach had only a handful of people at around 9 PM. The sunset absolutely stunning and pictures don't do it any justice. There are tons of broken seashells so you don't want to walk barefoot on the sand. Great many spots for photos. Definitely a stop to make if you're in the downtown district and want to marvel at all the beautifully landscaped and manicured homes as well.

Fun little stop if you are looking for something to do and it's FREE!! We rode our bikes here since…read moreit wasn't far from town. They have tour guides there that will take you on a quick tour of the house and tell you everything about it! It's unique and interesting to see how houses were built long ago. The grounds are super pretty as well! After a tour of the oldest house, There is a marsh land public park across the street called Lilly Pond Park. We walked over there and took a stroll on the board walk which was beautiful! We saw rabbits and lots of birds!

An easy walk from Town; just make sure you bring water, especially if it is a warmer or hot, sunny,…read moreday. The Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) does another a great job of preserving and keeping up their attractions. Very interesting place, but a little on par with the Adams' houses up in Quincy, Mass. not much in them. Then again, they did not have a whole lot back in the day. Must see when on the island. Enjoy the beauty of Nantucket!

Seems to me the Old Mill has been on a multi-year renovation project, if so, please keep up the…read moregood work! We all know it will be wonderful when completed. Another must see, walkable from Town, but be sure to bring water!

Iconic Old Mill Slow turning in Summer's breeze…read moreFull-sails; grinding corn #NOLA_Haiku @ACKhistory #GreyLady #CapeCod #ACK #Nantucket #Summer21 #OldMill #WindMill #Haiku

Made a trip over to the island just to visit Greater Light. Well worth it if you are an…read moreartist/painter. Two sisters, of means, artists and collectors; a think tank of sort. A nice house that reminds me of a Spanish design, in the inside... open airy, work spaces for ink, etc. not much in it. The garden, like most on Nantucket, is a hidden gem. This one, being a NHA property is also top notch. A nice take.

The fact that I'm the first review makes me feel better about the fact that I have been coming to…read morethe island for a long time and somehow had never even heard of this truly very interesting spot. Nice grounds to sit and relax or picnic (not sure that's allowed). For a small place, there is a lot to contemplate and look at. Easy walk from downtown, with really enthusiastic and informative guides. Definitely recommended.

Initially tried to duck in to get out of the rain, the Nantucket Visitor center turned out to be a…read moregreat stop to plan out our short Nantucket stay. There was a super nice guide manning the counter, getting to each group in order and providing advice. The center also has a ton of brochures and maps for different activities and businesses, and a sitting area. Finally, they have a free charging station with various plugs to get you going if you are running dangerously low.

Stopped in with my wife to get literature and scope options. It was cold outside and my wife and I…read morewere reading restaurant reviews and working on a reservation on my mobile phone. The gentleman at the counter never uttered a word to of assistance but he did make a point of telling us that we needed to complete our discussion outside because it was too distracting to other visitors. We were the only people in the building and he was not on the phone. When I pointed this out he stated that hypothetically someone else could enter the building so he needed to ask us to take our tourism conversation outside. We complied. But WOW! Hostile rather than hospitable. That's the impression he left on me and my wife. 12:45pm 6/5/2023 in case anyone cares to know who really doesn't belong in such a position. I left two stars because there was good info. Poor attitude but good literature.

Hey. It's a lighthouse. And that alone gives it plenty of stars…read more But it's kinda lame as far as lighthouses go. Not very cute. Way out in the middle of the water. So hard to see. Not even a cute park or anything to view it from. We were on a roadside kitsch trip. And this was on our itinerary. But I wouldn't make the trip just for this one.

A very mucky…read morelighthouse The Bulter Flats Lighthouse is located on the mouth of the Acushnet River and New Bedford Channel. Rather than rocks or ledges that threaten ships, muck is the problem. This part of the channel clogs up with mud and many ships have gone aground here. The light was finally built in 1898 and is 53 feet tall. A typical and inexpensive lighthouse, it served it's purpose well until it was decommissioned in 1978. As was common with this type of lighthouse the cast iron foundation was towed out to the proper located and then filled with rocks and cement. Then the top part that housed the keeper was built. A cool little lighthouse that can be seen distantly from land but the best by yak or other small craft. Care must still be taken when going out to the light because although modern navigational aids are now available the muck is still lurking and just waiting to grab your boat

You could not have asked for a better day than today, stopping in to see Ned's Point (named after…read moreNed Dexter, a local farmer who once owne the land) on a mostly sunny and warm afternoon. The parking lot was mostly empty and so it was easy to stop the Sprinter van and pop out to walk Ned's Point and view the lighthouse from all angles without anything in the way. The Ned's Point Lighthouse was commissioned in 1837 and first lit in 1838. The tower stands 39 feet tall and features a unique architectural detail: a cantilevered granite staircase with 32 steps embedded directly into the inner wall, built without mortar. Unfortunately, it's not open to the public. Ned's Point Light was deactivated between 1952 and 1961, then modernized and reactivated with a 6-second isophase white light. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, preserving its legacy as a symbol of Mattapoisett's maritime heritage. It was well worth the drive to see and experience this fabulous structure. Five stars. [Review 1095 of 2025 - 1245 in Massachusetts - 24649 overall]

Ned's Point Lighthouse is a beautiful relaxing and comforting place to stop and have a picnic, to…read moreenjoy the beautiful lighthouse and water view. There's plenty of parking. The weather was fantastic on the day we stopped. You really need to stop here and enjoy the beautiful scenery.