Nantucket sits 30 miles off the Massachusetts coast. You can reach it by ferry or small plane, and there is no other way. Most people take the ferry -- it is calming, enjoyable, and as you enter the harbor you pass Brant Point Lighthouse, sailboats, and grand beachside estates.
The Steamship Authority runs the most frequent service from Hyannis, and the Hy-Line offers a faster high-speed catamaran. Cape Air flies small planes from Boston, Hyannis, and other New England airports.