Nantucket Island?

In June, a bus company is taking a trip to Cape Cod and is including a trip to Nantucket Island. They will have a guide to take us around the Island and then people can do things on their own. My question is - can I walk to the lighthouse(s) easily? Can I rent a bike or moped on the island to get to the lighthouse(s)? I have been to Cape Cod but never to Nantucket so I was going to take this trip just to get to the island. What do you think?

Let me ask my dad when he gets home. He has sailed to Nantucket several times, and thus could have some helpful hints for getting around sans-car.

If it's anything like Martha's Vineyard, and I believe it is, you can rent bikes, mopeds, cars, etc. Getting around to the lights, I'm anxious to hear about also. Nantucket is one that I haven't been to. Where are you sailing from?

Bert

Stan and I took the ferry (sans car) to Nantucket last May and hooked up with one of the many taxi/tour guides that are parked just off the dock. The female driver is a local resident who picks up extra $ during the tourist season driving people around the island. She was super nice and very chatty about the island. She drove us to Sankaty Head Light where we took a number of pictures and had we wanted to walk to Great Point (about 2 miles each way!!), she would have waited.
Coming in by ferry, we got some great pics of Brant Point and Brant Point Range Lights.
There are a number of shops near the dock with food, gifts, etc.
One of the web pages I logged onto a few minutes ago indicated there are "5 major road-separated paths covering 25 miles" for people electing to rent and ride bikes or mopeds so that mode of transportation is available.
Hope your weather is as good as ours was.

It looks like we will be sailing from the Hy-Line Docks. It says that we will have a Nantucket Island Tour with a guide and the guide will point out restaurants, galleries, shops and museums that we within walking distance of the dock. We will only be spending one day there and will be back in Hyannis for supper. It looks like a nice trip but I hope that I can get to see some of the lighthouses on the island.

Carol, maybe you could skip the scheduled tour in lieu of your own as long as you got back to the ferry on time?

Sandy, are there two sets of range lights, new and old?

http://www.lighthousefriends.com/1ma168.jpg

http://www.lighthouse.cc/brant/photo11.html

I think that if I actually do go, I will check with the tour guide when we get to the island to see what is included in the tour. If it does not include the lighthouses, I will take your suggestion, Mombo, and do my own tour so I can see them. Thanks for the suggestion.

The ferry docks are right at the center of town. Brant Point Light and Old Brant Point are about a 15 minute walk from the ferry dock. You also pass right by Brant Point light on the starboard side as you enter the harbor. You should be able to get a few good pics as you go by.

Sankaty Head Light is on the other side of the island. You can forget walking there because it is too far. Your best bet would probably be by taxi.

Great Point is only accessible with a 4-wheel drive vehicle with a permit. Then you pay $20 or so a day to drive on to the beach and out to the light. It is absolutely beautiful out there and worth the $150 a day 4-wheel drive rental (might even be more now)to go out there.

If you are on somewhat of a limited budget, I would skip Great Point. Brant Point is close and free, as well as the Old Brant Point. Sankaty will cost you a cab ride, to and from. There are usually some "Island Tour" buses around to. Most of the roads you would ride a bike on are crowded with cars and the view isn't that great because the roads are not along the coast. They are more in the center of the island. Nantucket's richest residents own most of the property along the coast and there isn't that much access to the water from these roads.

There are plenty of great stores and restaurants in the center of town. Walk the docks and surrounding areas for some superb scenic beauty. In season there are some beautiful flowers and bushes you don't usually see in other areas.

Nantucket is a beautiful island but public access to some of it's beautiful areas is somewhat limited. Maybe the Island Tour Buses is the way to go but I would ask if they give you a few minutes at the lights to get off and take pictures.

Bob

Ray & I did Natucket a year or so ago. We took the ferry over from Hyannis. Once on Nantucket we rented Mopeds (I've never been on one before) and easily rode to all the lighthouses.
Sankaty Head was beautiful. For Great Point we signed up ahead of time for a "Nature" tour of the area. It was a little pricey but well worth it. They drove us out to the light in a pickup truck that had seats in the back. The guide stopped periodically to talk about the birds, grasses, etc. The best part of course, was the lighthouse. She let us spend about half an hour walking around taking pictures. We then climbed to the top. What a breathtaking view. I would recommend this to anyone.
Great Point Wildlife Tour

Mombo,
Didn't know about the second set of range lights on Nantucket--where did you get your info from? This picture was taken from the ferry as we pulled into the docking area. The "decapitated" lighthouse to the right of the range lights is the 1856-built Brant Point LH now used as a Coast Guard communications station.

Sandy, got that photo from Jeremy D'Entremont's site, more info here:

http://www.lighthouse.cc/brant/history.html

And here, with directions to them:

http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=631

I guess I'd never noticed a photo of the other ones before. Great picture of them in relation to the old lighthouse. Thanks for posting it!

Nantucket is a beautiful island and june is a great time to go with warm weather for visiting the lighthouses.You can rent bikes and mopeds in town .Just as you get off the ferry.You can find a shop on the opposite side of the street from the whaling musuem.It can be expensive. They have mopeds for two persons.They supply maps as well and Sankathy is a neat bike ride as I have done it several times both bicycling and mopeds.Great Point ,which I havent seen since 1976 was a walk. I was told it was destroyed and rebuilt and can be visted either by tours or rental of vehicle .Which is suppose to be very expensive.Brandt point is seen on the way in to port and is easy to vist by bike.The ferry times are tight. I suggest watching your time and keep your expectations reasonable or you will be dissappointed.Its a great place and the day goes by quick.Cobblestone streets in town,a windmill which is just out of town ,and can be seen on the way to Sankathy light.Some beautiful old homes as well.Have a great trip.