From breezy beach days to crisp harbor evenings, summer to fall in Nantucket calls for layers of coastal elegance. Here’s your ultimate guide to packing smart—and stylishly—for the season.
There’s a very particular energy on Nantucket. It’s coastal without being beachy, elegant without being flashy, and deeply seasonal in a way that reminds you time really does slow down in the right place. From blue hydrangeas lining quiet lanes to lobster rolls on back porches, this island has always felt like a style mood board in motion. And what you wear here matters—but only if you look like you didn’t try too hard.
If you’re heading there this summer or fall, here’s what to pack for days by the water, nights at the yacht club, and everything in between.
Where to Stay in Nantucket
The White Elephant remains the gold standard if you want charming, quiet luxury. It’s walkable to everything and has the best view of the harbor at sunset. The Greydon House is equally chic with more of a design-forward angle and a great bar tucked inside. If you’re going in the fall, book early—October is secretly one of the best times to visit.
Where to Eat in Nantucket
You can’t talk about Nantucket without talking about food. Get your lobster roll at Cru, grab your morning pastries and espresso from Born & Bread, and if you’re there in time for a rosé lunch, Galley Beach is unbeatable—beachfront tables, great people-watching, and an ideal place for a long meal that turns into a late afternoon.
Netflix fans will recognize the setting from the upcoming adaptation of The Perfect Couple and this year’s Sirens. Nantucket is suddenly trending again, but it never really went out of style.
What to Pack for Summer to Fall in Nantucket
This is not the place for over-styling. Think laid-back, coastal polish. If it works for Sag Harbor, San Sebastian, Big Sur, or Montecito, it works here—with the caveat that Nantucket prefers neutrals, textures, and old-money staples.
Final Packing Notes Summer to Fall in Nantucket
Everything here works in other coastal towns too— Mallorca, San Sebastian, Sag Harbor, Montecito, Laguna Beach, and Newport Beach. What changes is the attitude. In Nantucket, you pack like you’re going to run into an ex you don’t mind seeing. You don’t try too hard, but you still bring your best sundress. You eat the lobster roll, you drink the rosé, and you leave with sand still in your tote bag. And that’s the whole point.
