While summer is the high season on the island of Nantucket, you can still enjoy this enchanting island during the shoulder seasons in the spring and fall.
There are things to do, views to admire, and events to attend even if you go before the peak of the season begins on this beautiful East Coast island.
Here are some reasons for booking a vacation rental and a ferry or plane ticket to Nantucket for a spring trip.
Why choose springtime for a trip to Nantucket?
In the spring, the island of Nantucket awakens from the long cold winter. It is the time when the overflowing daffodils and hydrangeas become blooming from just about any corner and garden. It is also the time when most museums, restaurants, and exclusive stores start re-opening and preparing for the busy summer months.
The official season on the island begins from the end of May and ends in early October. But the peak is during the months of July and August. It is during the high season that the population there can swell up five times, and when the crowds can make it difficult to enjoy the stunning beaches, the untouched nature, the famous museums, restaurants, and other venues and sights.
Suppose you want to beat the crowds, find more affordable accommodations in one of the many short-term rentals in Nantucket, and get reservations for your top-preferred restaurants. In that case, you should consider planning your trip somewhere in May or June.
Here are some of the other top reasons for selecting spring for your trip to the island
To relax
While Nantucket is always a great place to go to get away from the hustle-bustle of the noisy and busy big city, in the spring it has fewer tourists and vacationers and thus is less crowded. This means that you can enjoy spending time on any beach, seeing some of the stunning sights, strolling through the charming cobblestone streets, or exploring the enchanting smaller villages without having to deal with the crowds.
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Accommodations and traveling are more accessible
If you plan your trip early on and for a time before or after the peak of the summer, the chances are that you will be able to book a more affordable vacation rental residence or hotel than if you choose to go in the summer.
By picking one of the short-term rentals and sharing it with friends or family, you can reduce your travel costs even further.
In most cases, getting to and from the island is more affordable out of the high season both by ferry and by air.
Events in the spring in Nantucket
When you go to Nantucket in the spring, you can plan on attending one or more of the following annual spring events, which are held traditionally on the island:
Easter Weekend April 15th to 17th
You can check out the various Easter deals offered for the Easter Weekend this year. Some include restaurant celebrations, egg hunts organized for children and adults, and other special offers you can find provided by the leading restaurants and venues in Nantucket.
Daffodil Festival Weekend April 22nd to 24th
This is a traditional festival that is held every year in Nantucket on the last weekend of April to celebrate the upcoming spring arrival.
The daffodils in Nantucket will start blooming as early as March but will peek in April.
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There are various events to look forward to and participate in during this festive weekend on the island, which this year will take place on April 22-24th.
Some of them include various contests and shows for daffodils, a daffodil hat pageant, an antique car parade, a children’s parade, a dog parade, various art exhibits, tailgate picnics, and more.
Mother’s Day Weekend May 6th to 8th
You can plan a trip to celebrate mother’s day on Nantucket in early May. Some of the great things to do during this special weekend are to plan a brunch in some of the best restaurants on the island, such as Via Mare, Straight Wharf, or Black-Eyed Susan’s.
Or you can enjoy delicious lunches and dinners while admiring the astonishing views of the ocean, the architecture, and the blossoming flowers all around town.
The Wine & Food Festival May 18th to 22nd
This is another traditional festival held in Nantucket every year in May at the beginning of the summer season. This year’s edition is the 23rd one in a row and will take place from May 18th to 22nd.
You can buy tickets for the event and then enjoy the many wine tastings, the expert pairings of wines with dinner and lunch, and learn everything you need to know about wines and matching foods by world-class sommeliers, chefs, and winemakers.
Other venues and ideas for a spring trip to Nantucket
Some of the other things you can enjoy during your trip to the island of Nantucket in the spring include taking long and leisurely walks through downtown or the village of Siasconset. Or strolling and enjoying time on the many beaches, as well as visiting the leading museums and restaurants, which usually re-open for the new season in April.
You can also visit the Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge to see the wildlife and shorebirds and admire some of the most majestic views of the natural landscape and the infinite ocean.
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The refuge is located on two peninsulas and includes 16 miles of trails for walking through the dunes, the marsh grasses, the biggest red cedar savannah, the maritime oaks, and other wildlife.
The refuge can be reached with a 4WD vehicle and a beach permit. You can go to the northernmost point of the island at the end of the sanctuary to see the Great Point Lighthouse too.
The weather in the spring
When packing for your springtime trip to Nantucket, make sure to pack up clothes and accessories for all kinds of weather. The temperatures in the spring there can vary from 40 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit and can be very rainy or sunny and warm. So take your sunscreen and sunglasses as well as a raincoat and some shoes suitable for colder and wetter weather too.
