I'm hoping someone can help me with this one...We are going to Nantucket this summer. It's our first time and we cannot get a handle on whether or not

[heatherdh]

Nantucket--do we need a car?

I'm hoping someone can help me with this one...

We are going to Nantucket this summer. It's our first time and we cannot get a handle on whether or not we should bring our car over on the ferry. The cost is $400.

Once we are there, can we manage for a week without a car? We're renting a house so we'll need to grocery shop and we're not staying right in the main town.

Advice? Suggestions?

 

[MIke R]

Re: Nantucket--do we need a car?

you will certainly need a car......and do the car/ferry reservation sooner rather than later because they sell out quickly, especially on weekends.......I assume you are taking the Steamship Authority out of Hyannis??

 

[heatherdh]

Re: Nantucket--do we need a car?

Ah, MikeR! I thought I'd get a response from you!

Yes, we'd take the Steamship out of Hyannis. There are still reservations available that coincide with the house we want to rent. We're trying to rent from Monday to Monday to avoid the weekend crowds on the ferry. I just cannot imagine leaving the car in Hyannis and schlepping our bikes and luggage on the ferry. We have a five year old who is quite the traveler but not exactly able to lug a suitcase and her bike!

All of the Nantucket website say "leave your car at home." But I've heard that if you are there for more than a few days you need a car and it's $125 a day to rent one.

 

[MIke R]

Re: Nantucket--do we need a car?

yeah they definetly have a car problem on the island that time of year....they are trying more to discourage the day tripers from bringing their cars though...you wil need it for sure.......and do go to the Black Eyed Susan for breakfast...its a cant miss

 

[MIke R]

Re: Nantucket--do we need a car?

get to the boat early.yeah Monday is better than Saturday but in summer EVERY day on the Cape is insane.....and traffic going to the boat docks can e horrendous

 

[andynap]

Re: Nantucket--do we need a car?

We stayed in Sconset and absolutely needed a car but the Shuttle into town is very reliable Nantucket Transportation and there are bikes for rent- the bike trails are the best in the world and almost circle the island. $400- huh- wow- they have really gone up.

BTW- the reason they tell you to leave your car home is that there is NO PARKING- and I mean no parking. The supermarket in town has maybe 20 spaces which are always filled and the diagonal parking in the rest of town is also filled. We were there there after Labor Day and parking was horrible. I can't imagine what it's like in the summer.

 

[heatherdh]

Re: Nantucket--do we need a car?

Thanks, Andy. Yep, we've heard the crowds are bad, but I am a teacher so going in September will never be an option for me. So we'll go in high season and see what it's like.

We are definitely leaning towards taking the car.

Now the trick is getting the ferry schedule and house availability to jive! This must be what it's like to go to SBH in high season!

 

[andynap]

Re: Nantucket--do we need a car?

Well if it's too crowded you can always leave the car and take the shuttle.

 

[MIke R]

Re: Nantucket--do we need a car?

heather...I live in Provincetown in the summer which is as bad as Nantucket in terms of crowds and cars and parking in the summer....I park my car the day I get there in June and with little exception I don't use my car until its time to go back home in September....I walk or take my bike to get whatever I need or go where ever I need to go....but P Town is a little more compact than Nantucket so its easier to do.....

just take the car....
also I don't know when you are going but there is a little lull Cape wide the week after the 4th of July...very similar to the lull which exists right after New Years Day in the tropics....also from mid August to Labor day it its still crazy, but not as crazy as mid July to mid August

 

[andynap]

Re: Nantucket--do we need a car?

I was talking about taking the car but leaving it at the rental and using the shuttle.

 

[heatherdh]

Re: Nantucket--we're taking the car!

Thanks, MikeR and Andy, for the feedback. We booked our ferry tickets and I just got the rental agreement for a little cottage on Surfside beach. So, we are all set. We are going just after the 4th of July week so maybe the crowds won't be at their peak. And if it's totally nuts, our little cottage is right on the beach so we can just stay put and enjoy the view.

Inerestingly, I posted a message about the car on the Fodors board and the replies all said "No car!" But, when I spoke to the owner of the cottage, one of the first things she said was, "It's good you are bringing the car."

Now that we have a place to stay and the tickets to get there, we can turn our attention to the fun stuff!

Thanks for your input. This board amazes me in how it connects people and the advice one can get!

 

[MIke R]

Re: Nantucket--we're taking the car!

enjoy...as I said, that is usually the last quiet week before it gets intensely insane....Surfside faces the south which is where the wind blows from just about everyday in the summer on the Cape and the Islands....so you will have a nice ocean breeze keeping you cool, but the surf might be rough at times compared to the other beaches

if you re waiting on the Ferry in Hyannis and have time to kill go to Tugboats http://www.tugboatscapecod.com/about.shtml right there within walking distance for killer fried clams and beer