When to Go

Every July and August, Nantucket's population balloons from about 10,000 to 50,000 or more. Summer is peak season, but autumn is the smart time to visit. Though the ocean is slow to warm up (few people brave the waters in June), it tends to stay warm into fall, so beaching it all the way up to Columbus Day is not out of the question. Hotels rates tend to drop after Labor Day, and they'll stay low—with temporary blips for Christmas Stroll in early December and Daffodil Festival in late April. If you're up for walks alongside blustery surf, winter can be a very atmospheric time to visit.