Hi, everyone - my husband and I are travelling to Boston in mid-September and are interested in adding a side trip to Nantucket. Will things still be open (museums, restaurants) - when do things shut down for the season, or do they?

Also, I read that you take the ferry from Boston, and it's about an hour-long trip - is this correct? Thanks for any info. you can provide.

Things will still be open in mid-September.

There's no ferry from Boston. The ferry leaves from Hyannis (on the Cape). Hyannis is about an hour and a half from Boston (with no traffic) and then the fast ferry is an hour to Nantucket and costs roughly $60 pp round trip. You can also fly on Cape Air from either Boston or Hyannis.

Volcanogirl,
I don't think you can take a ferry from Boston to Nantucket. Here is a link to some good information.

Jane

http://tinyurl.com/yr5rvb

Mid-September is a terrific time to visit Nantucket (which is when we spent our honeymoon there). Only a few restaurants close after Labor Day weekend. Everything else will be open. And, there will be far fewer summer folk, vacationers, and day-trippers.

Ferries leave from Hyannis. See the Hy-Line or Steamship Authority websites for times, schedules, fares.

Take a look at The Veranda. Moderate rates (for Nantucket). Compact rooms, but glorious views of the harbor and town from those verandas!

Thanks for the great information, everyone - this is perfect and exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks for the help.

Please do go to Nantucket. It is an unforgettably beautiful and charming place. Can't wait to go back for my second visit sometime soon! The Manor House Inn where we stayed is beautiful, and let me know if you'd like some recommendations for more casual restaurants (we did a shorts & sandals 3-day visit.) We did the hi-speed ferry from Hyannis, and loved the ride. It was all good.

How exactly do you get to Nantucket from NJ?

"How exactly do you get to Nantucket from NJ?"

1. Fly from anywhere thru LaGuardia on USAir or JetBlue. Continental may fly from Newark, but they have been in and out of the market.
2. Fly through Boston, changing to Cape Air. JetBlue is easiest because their arrival gates are right across from the Cape Air departures so you don't have to go through security again.
3. By ferry from Hyannis on Cape Cod. You have your choice of two companies, the Steamship Authority and the HyLine, both of which have fast and slow ferries. You can find their schedules on the web.

You will proably not want to bring a car. It will cost $180 each way on the ferry, plus the cost of your tickets. The minibuses will still be running up until October, and they go almost anywhere. Rental bikes are also available everywhere.

I've been to Nantucket in November, and the Whaling museum was open (highly recommend it!)

Plenty of restaurants were open too. We really enjoyed the lack of crowds and heat (we were lucky, with pleasantly cool weather)