My brother has taken a new job in Boston. He wants to plan a family trip with parents and siblings to Nantucket in the Fall for a few days. We are the average middle class and upper-middle class American family. We can afford it if we spend in moderation there but will we feel out of place? My brother is determined to experience this place, and he wants company!

I think it might be for the very rich if you planned to buy a home there or wished to live on the scale of the residents.
But as a visitor, it is like going to the Hamptons, you can still eat at the restaurants and enjoy the place, sightseeing, shopping etc.
No one would go to any of these rich enclaves if one had to be rich to visit..if you feel out of place, I think that comes from you, not the place. The people we know that we have visited with who own homes in Nantucket are friendly and have good manners, I think most of the people there are the same.

Yes and no -- "very rich" is very subjective. Go and enjoy.

Nantucket is for the very rich, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it for a day trip or a week.

I have only been to Nantucket once, but really loved it. It is just so relaxing and serene. My boss' family has two houses on the island and he invited me for a few days. He always explained that there were two kinds of residents on the islands--the old "Mayflower" families who are very conservative and don't like to show off, and the "new money" people who buy old cottages to rip them down and put up McMansions. These people like to be seen.

So, just because you don't have a Vacheron Constantin on your wrist doesn't mean that people will think you aren't a resident.

Christine

Nantucket doesn't allow building that "shows" money. Building codes are so strict that nothing looks like a McMansion (IMHO). Everthing is cedar shingled and tasteful. You won't feel out of place at all as long as your Visa charge goes through. There are no rental cars, so plan to bring your bicycle or rent one there. There are lots of bike paths so you can easily get from/to anywhere on the island. Forget the Cape, Nantucket is New England at its best.

I'm too lazy to pack all my stuff into a car and take a ferry over there, but the word from a friend of mine who does spend a lot of time there is that it can be difficult to get onto a beach, as a lot of them have pretty restricted access, so that may be a factor that makes it not so friendly to non-regulars.

Perhaps someone else will know better? Hope you have fun and your brother enjoys Boston!

Hello
I'm a frequent visitor of Nantucket. Just got back from our annual 2-week vacation there.
I will mention that it's difficult to "do Nantucket on the cheap", but not impossible.
Here are some suggestions:
Their public transportation (NRTA) is awesome. It runs constantly (a spacious a/c bus), and picks up in the center of town, and goes to all the popular beaches, every 1/2 hour. It's only $2, and runs until 11:00pm at night.
Some family-friendly and budget-friendly restaurants are:
1. THE LOBSTER TRAP (lobsters in the rough
2. ARNOS (Located on picturesque Main St)
3. There's a great pizza place located across the street from The Chicken Box (I forget the name of it).
4. Atlantic Cafe, also in picturesque downtown.
5. The Westender (perfect for sunsets)
6. The Ropewalk (right on the marina, absolutely beautiful)

Also, while all lodging is very pricey, one cheap place is the Nantucket Inn; you can get a room with 2 doublebeds, it has a shuttle service, and a pool (the downside is it's very far from town, not close to anything)
**A great place is THE HARBOUR HOUSE, it's walking distance to EVERYTHING, downtown and Children's Beach, and it has a pool. If it fits the budget, it's definitely worth the money.

Beaches in Nantucket are very accessible and never too crowded; my favorite is SURFSIDE which has bathrooms/food and the shuttle which goes regularly.

Bottom-line: Nantucket is a fantastic place -- You will not feel out-of-place, but you should do your homework so you don't wind up in places outside the budget you're comfortable with. Check out www.nantucket.net -- that site has everything you need.

Just spent a night at the Nantucket Inn. It is not all that far from town. Only about four miles and a ten minute shuttle ride from the Inn to town.

Hmmm, whatever happened to leelane...

leelane,
You can rent a car on Nantucket, but it is not cheap! However, by renting a 4 x 4 vehicle, you can get a beach permit for access to most of the beaches! You will even be able to drive on some! Such a blast!!!!

While I enjoy Nantucket in small doses, I couldn't spend a lot of time there. While there are not McMansions as one poster says and nor do I want to see any, the architectural controls create a sameness that gets boring. Virtually every single building is clad in cedar shakes which gray over time and everything looks the same.