A Guide to Nantucket’s Best Beaches

Finally, it’s July!

What if we told you that before you know it, that crazy-making traffic will be gone, as will the crowds at the grocery store, and the line at your favorite coffee shop? Before we all know it, this season will be over, so drop whatever plans you have and head straight for the beach. Oh that pristine water, the soft sand, the distant conversations and laughter, the echo of a Cape Air plane above… it’s why we’re all here, isn’t it? Because of this, we at Congdon & Coleman Real Estate have created a guide to our favorite beaches to take the guess work out of where you spend your next glorious afternoon.

Steps Beach

We don’t know how it can get better than this. Given its name from a long wooden set of steps down to a pristine and soft sand beach, the view from above is spectacular, and definitely worth a photo or two. We particularly enjoy watching the boats come in and out of the harbor. Here the water is calm and great for families with small children. This beach is also conveniently located near Something Natural, where you can gear up with sandwiches, chips and drinks for an unspoiled afternoon.

Surfside Beach

Lifeguards, bathrooms, showers and a snack bar – literally everything you need for a perfect summer beach day. Did we mention there’s plenty of parking too? By day this beach is super popular and crowded, but for good reason- it’s a fantastic place to bring the family with a fun surf for boogie boarding and body surfing, and easily accessible from mid-island. However, we particularly love going for sunset here, after the crowds have gone and the sky turns a beautiful color peach. Magic hour, indeed.

Cisco Beach

A local favorite, this popular beach has a happy, endless summer vibe. Maybe it’s the surfers that line up for waves (some experts but also some beginners too, taking classes with the local surf school that teaches here) or maybe it’s the families set up in a circle of beach chairs, but regardless, it’s always a jovial place to be. We love spending a day here playing in the surf, then heading to Cisco Brewers located just down the road for a beer or two, sandy feet and all.

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Miacomet Beach

This lovely and centrally located south shore beach is unique in its natural beauty and light crowds. We sometimes call it our “mid-island escape hatch” in that it’s just right next door but feels a million miles away. The soft sand and the green beach grass and the waves are truly spectacular, and in our mind, constitutes as the most quintessential Nantucket beach.