Nantucket Bike Paths > Young's Self-Guided Bike Tour of Nantucket

Interested in a self-guided tour of Nantucket?

Our self-guided tour is a great way to explore the sites and scenery of Town:

  • This route will give you a little bit of everything so you come away with a great taste of the island.
  • If you only have a half day to explore and don't want stray too far from the ferry this ride is an excellent option.
  • You'll pass a lighthouse, beautiful beaches, quaint cottages and seaside mansions, as well as a number of historic sites and places to eat and drink.
The Old Mill on Nantucket is the oldest operating mill in the US

Logistics

📍 How far is it:

~4.5 miles roundtrip

🕘 How long does it take?

1-2 hours roundtrip

🚽 Bathrooms:

Public restrooms are available in several locations

🚰 Water:

There is a seasonal water fountain across from the Old Mill on the Prospect St bike path

🍽 Food:

You'll pass plenty of opportunities to grab a bit on this route

Points of interest

Young's Bicycle Shop map of Nantucket Town, complete with points of interest and bicycle routes

Download our famous map of Nantucket

The best part about our self-guided tour is we'll take you to all the best spots in Town! Just follow the purple line on our famous paper map.

Here are some of the highlights:

  • Brant Point Lighthouse
  • Jetties Beach
  • Steps Beach
  • Oldest House on Nantucket (Jethro Coffin House)
  • Mariah Mitchell Observatory
  • Hadwin House museum
  • The Old Mill
  • Museum of African American History

How to do the YBS self-guided tour on a bike

YBS Self-Guided Tour of Nantucket (4.5 miles, 1-2 hrs)

The route packs in a ton of site seeing in a short amount of distance. Depending on how many stops you take and how long you explore, you can easily fill a half day of exploring.

This route is best done as a counter clockwise loop, starting at Young's Bicycle Shop and ending back on Main St.

Click to open Map

Step by step directions

  1. From our shop, take a quick right and head north on South Beach St.
  2. At the four way intersection, take a right onto Easton St. and take that all the way to the end at Brant Point Lighthouse. Hang out long enough and you might see boats or ferries pass by!
  3. Turn back then take a right onto Hulbert Ave. Here are some of the most expensive properties on the island.
  4. Once you get to the intersection of Bathing Beach Rd, you can either turn right and check out Jetties Beach (restaurants and amenities) or turn left and bike up Cobblestone Hill.
  5. At the top of the hill, take a right and do the loop around Lincoln Circle, and be sure to stop at Steps Beach before heading back.
  6. Pass Cobblestone Hill and take a right on Nantucket Ave and cross Cliff Rd (unless you want to stop at Something Natural for some food).
  7. Take North Liberty St until you come to Sunset Hill Ln, where you can take a detour to visit the oldest house on the island (the Jethro Coffin House).
  8. Sunset Hill Ln spits you out onto West Chester St where you'll go right and ride to New Ln where you'll go left.
  9. Take New Ln to the intersection of Upper Main St and Madaket Rd and go straight onto Quaker Rd.
  10. Ride for a bit then take a left onto Vestal St where you'll pass the Old Gaol and the Mariah Mitchell Museum and Observatory.
  11. Take a left onto Milk St, then a quick right onto Main St and you'll come to the Hadwin House museum worth visiting when it's open.
  12. Take a right at the Hadwin House onto Pleasant St and then take another right onto South Mill St that leads you to The Old Mill.
  13. After checking out the mill, turn onto York St (The Museum of African American History is across the street) then turn left onto Pleasant St again.
  14. Take a right onto Jefferson St then left on Fair St, which will lead you right back to Main Street, where you can finish off your loop with a meal, an ice cream, or a nice easy stroll by the wharf.

Ready to ride?

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