10 Best Nantucket Airbnbs for a Quintessential New England Getaway

Reported by Vogue.

Nantucket's nickname—"The Gray Lady of the Sea"—comes wrapped in myth. Blame the fog that rolled in with 17th-century sailors, or the silvery cedar shingles weathered by salt air. The real appeal? That atmosphere of lore, the sense that you're stepping into New England's most romanticized version of itself. According to Vogue, staying in one of the island's Airbnbs cements the experience, especially if you're traveling as a group and need serious square footage.

Summer dominates the calendar—beach days, bike rides to The Green Market, exploring Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge. But there's a case for off-season too: autumn and winter are prime time for stargazing at the Maria Mitchell Observatory, and Nantucket ranks among the best places on Earth to see the Milky Way with bare eyes. Whether you want a walkable cottage near Cru and the Chicken Box or direct beach access at Nobadeer or Madaket, the island has a rental for your priorities.

Where to Actually Stay

Original Gray Lady (from $2,788/night) sits oceanfront at Brant Point—a ten-minute walk to town, mahogany deck views of Great Point Lighthouse, family-owned for over a century. Six bedrooms, gardens by a local designer, Serena & Lily linens, and an outdoor shower make it built for multi-generational groups. Duck Duck Goose Home (from $1,953/night) is a Samuel Masters–designed historic renovation downtown with bikes, bluestone patio, and teak dining set—walk to everything in ten minutes. Sanford Farm Estate (from $1,459/night) sprawls across 1,200 acres of conservation land with a heated pool, hot tub overlooking sunsets, and immediate access to the Madaket Bike Path, all just two-and-a-half miles from town. For pure oceanfront bliss, Oceanfront Beach House (from $2,391/night) in Madaket sits directly on sand—wake up to the Atlantic, check surf conditions before coffee. Luxury Home with Pool and Water Views (from $3,293/night) delivers the summer-party fantasy: flagpole, manicured lawns, waterfront, pool, all within a half mile of Miacomet Beach.

Smaller groups or couples might lean into Sweet Pea Home (from $1,234/night), a bright five-bedroom with custom cabinetry and curated antiques that feels genuinely lived-in, or The Beach Plum, a two-bedroom cottage steps from Sconset Market with a bluestone courtyard and trellised outdoor shower. The point: Nantucket's rental inventory is as layered as its mythology, and finding your exact island escape is less about luck than knowing what you actually want.

Read the original at Vogue.