Nantucket offers endless possibilities for vacationers, mainly thanks to its amazing beaches, which stretch over 80 miles.

The island is a beloved destination for people who enjoy watersports, such as surfing, kite surfing, scuba diving, and more.

Best of all, Nantucket is a place where surfers of all ability levels can enjoy their favorite sport. It is an excellent location to pick if you are an absolute beginner. There are clubs and shops where you can rent surf equipment and get private or group surfing lessons at the most suitable beaches and places for newbies.

The summer at Nantucket is especially suitable for people making their first steps in surfing. This is because the waves are mostly tame and are wind-swell generated. If you are planning on taking surf lessons, choose a south shore beach, as they have plenty of sandbars that will allow you to paddle and step on the bottom safely on soft sand.

But you can also enjoy surfing if you are an intermediate or an advanced surfer.

If you plan to surf in Nantucket, read for more information about the surfing conditions, the best surfing locations, the local surf clubs, shops, bars, and more.

Hopefully, this article will help you plan your Nantucket surf trip so that you make the most of it.

Summary of Nantucket Surf Conditions

• Surf ability level – all abilities, as there are different suitable beach breaks for all surfers, including newbies, intermediate and advanced.
• Local surfer community vibe – friendly. There is a local core surfing crew from Massachusetts, but there are enough beaches and sandbars for everyone.
• Crowd factor – the surfing locations can be rather crowded in the midst of the summer and less so in the winter.
• Nantucket Surf break rating – there are some excellent beach break peaks in the winter and fall. The rips can get quite strong when there are groundswells. The best conditions and swells for advanced surfers are in the winter, but it can be freezing cold.
• Cleanliness of the water – despite its proximity to the East Coast, the waters around Nantucket remain pretty clean.
• Potential hazards – the winter can be freezing, which can lead to hypothermia. The summer could be very crowded.
• Ease of access – there are available regular shuttles to most beaches and surfing locations, as well as beachside parking on many of them.
• Types of equipment to bring – a shortboard, funboard, longboard, or fish.
• Seabed type – sand.

Nantucket Beaches

North shore Nantucket beaches – calmer and warmer waters, gentler waves, best for newbies

• Jetties Beach – close to the town, available parking and shuttle service, a good Sandbar restaurant, restrooms, changing rooms, playground, and lifeguards throughout the season.
• Brant Point – excellent for sightseeing and photos, thanks to the lighthouse and high boat traffic.
• Children’s Beach – the best for small kids and the closest one to town, it has a playground, park, picnic tables, showers, and restrooms.
• Dionis – a peaceful and calm beach and waters, a 3-mile bike ride from town, with a 300-foot sand path.

South shore Nantucket beaches – a heavy surf for intermediate and advanced surfers

• Surfside – this is one of the most popular Nantucket beaches. There is a regular shuttle service to and from it, lifeguards, available parking, restrooms, showers, and a snack bar.
• Miacomet – located about 2.5 miles from town, is one of the island’s most peaceful south shore beaches.
• Tom Nevers – fun beach with a big parking lot, a roller rink, and a playground for the kids
• Cisco – one of the busiest beaches. There is a surf school, food cart, and more. It is a favorite beach for surfers and young people.
• Madaket – this is the best beach to enjoy the beautiful sunsets on Nantucket. It is situated on the furthermost west end of the island, and it can have heavy surf.

Eastern shore Nantucket beaches – there may be some heavy surf

• Siasconset – at walking distance to the Sconset village, this beach is big and wide, with quite heavy surf.
• Quidnet –  located next to the large saltwater Sesachacha pond. This beach has fine sand with nice shelling, and there are no restrooms or restaurants.
• Pocomo – definitely one of the best beaches for kayaking and surfing. Pocomo is located in the harbor and has much warmer water than the other beaches on the island. There are facilities or lifeguards there, though.
• Coatue – this is a stunning beach, part of a wildlife refuge system. It is accessible only by 4-wheel drive vehicles with special permits. The area is closed for all vehicles during the summer when the shorebirds are nesting.

Nantucket Surf Schools, Camps Rentals, and Shops

Being a popular destination for surfers of all skill levels, Nantucket has some excellent surf schools, as well as a variety of surf rentals, surf shops, and other surf-related entities and locations.

The Nantucket Island Surf School is the first one on the island, established by Gary Kohner. It is set on Cisco Beach. The school offers organized mini-camps for kids, group lessons, and private surf lessons. It offers surfboards, SUP (stand-up paddle) boards, wetsuit rentals, and everything you will need to start surfing. Check out the school’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages and profiles for the latest info.

The ACK Surf School is another excellent option if you want to learn how to surf at Nantucket. It is located on Nobadeer Beach and is owned by local surfer Gaven Norton.

You can sign up for private or group lessons starting at $60 per hour. Or you can rent a boogie board, surfboard, or SUP board and enjoy yourself without a tutor. You can check it out on Facebook or Instagram.

Next Level Watersports – Nantucket Kiteboarding School and Watersports Camp is the one to pick if you want to learn and enjoy other water sports, such as kiteboarding, wakeboarding, tubing, eFoiling, winging, and hydrofoiling on Nantucket. The company offers water sports camps, private parties, and other events. Learn more about this potentially amazing experience on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.

When you are visiting Nantucket and need any type of surf equipment, apparel, or accessories, you don’t have to worry because many rentals and shops are available on the island.

You can check out the Indian summer surf shop or the Force Five Watersports shop for all kinds of new and used boards and equipment, as well as bathing suits, water shoes, hats, sunglasses, wetsuits, and many more clothes and accessories.

Another top-rated surf shop is the Nantucket Surf Club. It offers rentals and sells surfs, paddleboards, and various clothes, accessories, and gifts. Check it out on Facebook and Instagram.

At the Levitate Surf Shack, you can buy fashionable apparel from Levitate.

The Spyder Wright Surf Shop – Facebook, Instagram is the Nantucket surf shop to go to if you are looking for some premium surfboards and men’s wear and accessories.

Don’t forget to check out the current Surfline Nantucket surf report and forecast before heading to Nantucket to surf!