3 Best Sights in Nantucket, Massachusetts

Surfside Beach, accessible via the Surfside Bike Path (3 miles) or by shuttle bus, is the island's most popular surf beach. This wide strand of sand comes fully equipped with conveniences. It draws teens and young adults as well as families and is great for kite flying and, after 5 pm, surf casting. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

A short bike or shuttle-bus ride from town, Jetties Beach is popular with families because of its calm surf. It's also a good place to try out kayaks and sailboards. The shore is a lively scene, with a playground and volleyball nets on the beach and adjacent public tennis courts. There is a boardwalk to the beach (special wheelchairs are available). You'll have a good view of passing ferries—and an even better one if you clamber out on the jetty itself. (Careful, it's slippery.) Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming; windsurfing.

Known for its wild surf and for its dunes, this beautiful spot is repeatedly blasted by winter erosion. Restaurants and restrooms are in the nearby village. Amenities: lifeguards. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.