Bicycling
The best way to tour Nantucket is by bicycle. Nearly 30 miles of paved bike paths wind through all types of terrain from one end of the island to the other: for details, consult the maps posted by Wheels, Heels, and Pedals (www.wheelsheelsandpedals.com), which supports alternative modes of transportation. It is possible to bike around the entire island in a day; should you tire, however, you and your bike are welcome aboard the in-season Nantucket Regional Transit Authority (NRTA) buses. The main bike routes start within ½ mile of town. That first stretch can be dauntingly congested. All routes are well marked and lead—eventually—to popular beaches. The paths are also perfect for runners and bladers—but not mopeds, which must remain on the road (to the frustration of impatient drivers). Note that Nantucket requires bike riders 12 and under to wear a helmet. Several shorter spurs connecting popular routes have been continuously added in the island’s quest to make Nantucket even more bike-friendly. There are multiple bike rental outfits downtown, very close to the ferry terminal; most offer delivery to lodging per request.
The easy 2.2-mile Surfside Bike Path leads to Surfside, the island's premier ocean beach. A drinking fountain and rest stop are placed at about the halfway point. The Milestone Bike Path, a straight shot linking Nantucket Town and ’Sconset, is probably the most monotonous of the paths but can still be quite pleasant. (It's about 6 miles; paired with the scenic Polpis Road Path, it becomes a 16-mile island loop.) The Old South Road Bike Path spurs off from the Milestone Rotary and ends about 1½ miles later close to the airport. At 1.2 miles, the Cliff Road Path, on the north shore, is one of the easiest bike paths, but it's still quite scenic, with gentle hills. It intersects with the Eel Point and Madaket paths.
The Eel Point/Dionis Beach Path starts at the junction of Eel Point Road and Madaket Road and links the Cliff Road and Madaket bike paths to Dionis Beach; it's less than a mile long. The 9-mile Polpis Road Path skirts scenic bays and bogs as it wends its way toward ’Sconset; it intersects with Milestone Path east of the rotary. The Madaket Path starts at the intersection of Quaker and Upper Main Streets and follows Madaket Road out to Madaket Beach on the island's west end, about 6 miles from the edge of Nantucket Town. About a third of the way along, you could turn off onto Cliff Road Path or the Eel Point/Dionis Beach Path.
