Quiet and Secluded Beaches

Understanding Secluded Beaches

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise - truly secluded beaches on Nantucket require trade-offs. No facilities means no restrooms, no lifeguards, no snack bars. Access challenges mean you'll need to walk, drive a 4WD vehicle, or take a boat. But for those of us who seek quiet, these trade-offs aren't drawbacks - they're the price of admission to some of the most beautiful, unspoiled shoreline on the East Coast.

What to Expect

• No Facilities: Bring everything you need - water, food, shade, and a plan for bathroom breaks
• No Lifeguards: You're responsible for your own safety in the water
• Variable Access: Conditions change with weather, tides, and seasons
• Wildlife Priority: Nesting birds and seals may restrict beach access seasonally
• True Solitude: On many days, you may have these beaches entirely to yourself

Eel Point

Eel Point is where I go when I need to remember why I live on this island. This conservation area on Nantucket's western shore offers some of the most dramatic coastal scenery you'll find anywhere - and most visitors never make it here because it requires a commitment.

How to Access

Getting to Eel Point requires a 1.5-mile walk from the end of Eel Point Road. The path crosses through conservation land managed by the Nantucket Conservation Foundation. You can bike to the trailhead, but from there, it's on foot only.

• Parking: Limited parking at the end of Eel Point Road
• Walk Distance: Approximately 1.5 miles each way
• Terrain: Sandy trail through scrub oak and heathland
• Bike Access: Ride to trailhead, then walk

What You'll Find

The beach at Eel Point faces west and north, with views across Nantucket Sound toward Tuckernuck Island. The swimming is calm on most days, and the sunset views are exceptional. Shorebirds feed along the tidal flats, and the fishing can be excellent for those willing to carry their gear.

• Water Conditions: Calm, protected from open Atlantic swells
• Sand: Soft, clean sand with shell fragments
• Wildlife: Excellent shorebird habitat, especially during migration
• Sunsets: Among the best on the island

Best Times

• Season: May through October
• Time of Day: Late afternoon through sunset
• Crowds: Lightest on weekdays, early mornings
• Avoid: July 4th week and August weekends

Trade-offs

The walk filters out casual visitors, which is exactly the point. No facilities means you'll need to plan ahead. During bird nesting season (April-August), portions may be closed. But if you're willing to make the effort, Eel Point rewards you with genuine solitude and some of the island's most pristine shoreline.

Smith's Point

Smith's Point sits at the southwestern tip of Nantucket, where the Atlantic meets Madaket Harbor. This is true remote beach territory - the kind of place where you can walk for an hour and not see another person. Getting here is the challenge, and that's what keeps it special.

How to Access

There are two ways to reach Smith's Point, and neither is easy. You can drive with a 4WD vehicle and an oversand permit, or you can walk from Madaket Beach - a roughly 2-mile trek along soft sand.

• 4WD Access: Oversand vehicle permit required from Town of Nantucket
• Walking Access: 2 miles from Madaket Beach (west end)
• No Bike Access: Sand is too soft for cycling
• Parking: Limited at Madaket for walkers; 4WD vehicles park on beach

What You'll Find

Smith's Point offers Atlantic-facing beach with powerful surf on the ocean side and calmer waters on the harbor side. The point itself shifts and changes with storms - this is dynamic coastal landscape where nature is still in charge. Seals haul out on the sandbars, and the fishing is legendary.

• Ocean Side: Strong surf, powerful currents - experienced swimmers only
• Harbor Side: Calmer, warmer water, good for wading
• Wildlife: Seal colonies, shorebirds, osprey
• Fishing: Excellent surf fishing for stripers and blues

Best Times

• Season: Late May through October
• Best Days: After a few days of calm weather (easier driving conditions)
• Fishing: Dawn and dusk, moving tides
• Beach Time: Midday for warmth; afternoon for photography

Trade-offs

Smith's Point demands commitment. The 4WD permit costs money and requires vehicle preparation. The walk is long, hot in summer, and exhausting in soft sand. There's no shade, no water, no help if something goes wrong. But for those who seek truly wild beach, Smith's Point delivers. This is Nantucket before the ferries and the hotels - raw, beautiful, and humbling.

Great Point

Great Point is the crown jewel of Nantucket's secluded beaches - 7 miles of pristine barrier beach accessible only by 4WD vehicle or on foot. The locals know this place intimately, and for good reason. It's where Nantucket shows you what coastal wilderness really looks like.

How to Access

Access requires either a 4WD vehicle with permits or a very long walk. Most visitors go by vehicle, but the truly committed can hike the 7 miles from the Wauwinet gatehouse. Guided tours are available for those without their own vehicle.

• 4WD Access: Requires both Town OSV permit ($150-200) and Trustees permit ($180-300)
• Walking: 7 miles each way from Wauwinet gatehouse - only for serious hikers
• Guided Tours: Available through The Trustees and private operators
• Driving Time: 30-45 minutes each way on soft sand

What You'll Find

At the tip of Great Point, the 1986 replica lighthouse stands where the original has guided mariners since 1784. The beach stretches endlessly in both directions. Seals sun on sandbars, ospreys dive for fish, and the convergence of Nantucket Sound and Atlantic Ocean creates some of the best fishing on the East Coast.

• Lighthouse: Great Point Lighthouse - iconic and photogenic
• Wildlife: Seal colonies, shorebirds, osprey, occasional whales offshore
• Fishing: Legendary striped bass and bluefish at the rip
• Swimming: Strong currents near the point - extreme caution required

Best Times

• Season: May through October for permits
• Wildlife: Seals best November-May; birds during spring/fall migration
• Fishing: May-June and September-October peaks
• Solitude: Weekdays, early morning, shoulder seasons

Trade-offs

The permit costs add up, and the vehicle requirements are real - you need true 4WD, not AWD. The drive is slow and demands attention. There's nothing out there - no bathrooms, no water, no cell service in some spots. But Great Point offers something increasingly rare: true wilderness beach within reach of civilization. Worth every penny and every minute of the drive.

Complete Great Point Guide

Pocomo

Pocomo is the local's secret that's hidden in plain sight. This north shore beach sits in a residential area, which is exactly why most visitors never find it. The beach itself is small, calm, and perfect for those seeking quiet without an expedition.

How to Access

Pocomo is accessible by car or bike via Pocomo Road off Polpis Road. Parking is extremely limited - just a small pull-off area for a handful of cars. Biking is often the better option and keeps you from competing for sparse parking.

• By Car: Take Polpis Road to Pocomo Road, follow to end
• By Bike: Pleasant ride from town, mostly flat
• Parking: Very limited - 4-5 cars maximum
• Walk from Parking: Minimal - beach is right there

What You'll Find

Pocomo faces north into Nantucket Harbor, offering calm, warm water perfect for swimming. The beach is small but beautiful, with soft sand and gentle waves. Views stretch across the harbor toward Coatue. It feels like a private beach, and on many days, it essentially is.

• Water Conditions: Calm, warm, protected - ideal for swimming
• Beach Size: Small - enough for a few families
• Views: Nantucket Harbor, Coatue peninsula
• Atmosphere: Quiet, residential, unhurried

Best Times

• Season: June through September
• Parking: Arrive early (before 10 AM) or late (after 4 PM)
• Best Days: Weekdays for fewest people
• Water Temperature: Warmest in August

Trade-offs

Parking is the main challenge - show up at noon on a July Saturday and you'll find nowhere to leave your car. The beach is small, so even a few families fill it up. No facilities, no lifeguards. But if you time it right, Pocomo offers easy access to peaceful swimming without the commitment required by more remote beaches.

Coatue

Coatue is the barrier beach that stretches like a crooked finger along Nantucket's north side, separating the harbor from Nantucket Sound. Getting there requires either a boat or a very long walk, which is why Coatue remains one of the most pristine and uncrowded beaches on the island.

How to Access

Most people reach Coatue by boat - kayak, paddleboard, or motorboat from the harbor. You can also walk from the Wauwinet area, but it's several miles of soft sand. There's no road access.

• By Boat: Launch from town or Children's Beach; paddle or motor across harbor
• By Kayak/SUP: 1-2 mile paddle from town depending on landing spot
• Walking: Access via Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge (permit required)
• No Direct Road Access: Boat is the practical option for most visitors

What You'll Find

Coatue offers two distinctly different beaches in one. The harbor side has calm, warm water and views back toward town. The sound side has cooler water and a more exposed feel. The sand dunes between are fragile and protected - stay on the beach. Wildlife abounds, and the sense of isolation is remarkable given the view of town across the water.

• Harbor Side: Warm, calm, protected swimming
• Sound Side: Cooler water, more exposed
• Wildlife: Shorebirds, osprey, seals (northern end)
• Views: Nantucket Harbor and town from harbor side

Best Times

• Season: June through September for water access
• Paddling: Calm morning conditions, before afternoon winds
• Bird Watching: Early morning, especially during migration
• Photography: Evening light on town from Coatue is spectacular

Trade-offs

You need a boat or willingness to walk miles through sand. No facilities whatsoever. Weather can change quickly and paddling back against wind and chop is no joke - always check forecasts. But Coatue offers something unique: wilderness beach with a view of civilization, close enough to see but far enough to feel like another world.

Miacomet Pond Area

The area around Miacomet Pond, on Nantucket's south shore between Surfside and Cisco, often gets overlooked by visitors heading to the more famous beaches. That's good news for those seeking space.

How to Access

Park at Miacomet Beach access (limited parking) and walk west along the shore. The further you walk from the parking area, the fewer people you'll encounter. The beach extends for over a mile with plenty of room to spread out.

• Parking: Miacomet Beach parking lot (limited spaces)
• Walking: Head west from parking for more solitude
• Distance: Walk 10-15 minutes for significantly fewer people
• By Bike: Bike path connects from town

What You'll Find

South shore Atlantic beach with good surf and wide sandy beach. The area near the pond itself offers slightly different character than Surfside or Cisco - same ocean, same waves, but far fewer beach chairs and umbrellas.

• Water Conditions: Atlantic surf - can be rough
• Beach: Wide, sandy, plenty of room
• The Pond: Miacomet Pond is separate from ocean - freshwater, no swimming
• Surfing: Can be good with right conditions

Best Times

• Season: June through September
• Time: Early morning or late afternoon
• Weather: Calmer days for swimming; surf days for wave watching

Trade-offs

Parking fills up on busy days - same as other south shore beaches. You'll need to walk to find solitude; the area near parking can be crowded in peak season. Strong Atlantic currents require swimming caution. But the effort of a 15-minute walk transforms a crowded beach into a peaceful stretch of sand.

Finding Quiet at Popular Beaches

Here's what most visitors don't realize: even the busiest beaches have quiet corners if you know when and where to look. The crowds cluster around parking lots and facilities. Walk 10 minutes in either direction and the density drops dramatically.

Timing Strategies

• Early Morning: Arrive before 9 AM and you'll have most beaches nearly to yourself
• Late Afternoon: After 4 PM, families with children head home
• Shoulder Season: June before schools let out; September after Labor Day
• Weekdays: Monday through Thursday are significantly quieter than weekends
• Weather Days: Overcast days empty beaches; the swimming is just as good

Location Strategies

• Walk Away from Parking: 10-15 minutes of walking reduces crowds by 80%
• Jetties Beach: Walk west toward the jetty - fewer families, more space
• Surfside: Walk east or west from main entrance; crowds stay near facilities
• Cisco: Walk toward Miacomet; beach is continuous
• Madaket: Already quieter; walk south for even more solitude
• Sconset: Walk south along beach - quickly becomes very quiet

Strategic Beach Choices

• North Shore: Dionis is quieter than Jetties with similar calm water
• South Shore: Miacomet is less discovered than Surfside
• West End: Madaket always has space; it's further from town
• East End: Sconset Beach is quieter due to distance