When it comes to public access to Nantucket’s pristine ocean beaches, the Surfside neighborhood is unparalleled. The reason for all these little rights of way may surprise you, and takes us back to the history of Nantucket’s short-lived railroad.
History of Surfside
Until 1873, there was no such place as “Surf-Side.” Well, the beach existed, but it had not been named as such. On July 2, 1873, ten men (three Nantucketers and seven off-island investors) purchased a three-mile tract along the island’s south shore. They spent the day touring different real estate developments on Nantucket, including real estate developer Charles H. Robinson’s new development in ’Sconset called Sunset Heights. Robinson designed some of Nantucket’s iconic Victorian-era resort architecture, including 19 and 21 Broad Street, the Surfside Lifesaving Station, 44 Fair Street, and since-demolished grand homes along Easton Street.
Charles H. Robinson and the other real estate investors on the island got the steamboat to run twice a day instead of just once. A railroad soon followed and made its first run out to Surfside (or, as they called it then, Surf-Side) in 1881.
House lots in Surfside were advertised in the summer of 1874, but the only way out to this new development was by horse and carriage. That same year, Robinson’s newest architectural feat was underway: the Surfside Lifesaving Station. Nantucket’s coastline was dotted with lifesaving stations and charity huts, meant to shelter shipwrecked sailors who made it ashore through the crashing waves after their ships had broken up along the island’s treacherous shoals. Lifesavers rowed out in small boats to rescue men from wrecked ships. Watching the lifesavers practice their drills became a summer activity for those visiting the island.
In July of 1882, 170 house lots were sold in Surfside. Cottages went up quickly, and soon a grand hotel from Providence, Rhode Island, was taken down in pieces and transported to Nantucket, where it was re-erected in Surfside. The massive, five-story Surf-Side Hotel opened in 1884 for a spectacular summer season. By 1890, the hotel was illuminated with electric lights. It took 12,000 feet of wire spanning 91 electrical poles that ran from Surfside to York Street in town.
The same waves that sound so peaceful and relaxing in summer can be treacherous in winter. If you visit Surfside Beach in the winter, you may wonder just where it all went! Winter storms and coastal erosion resulted in washouts of sections of track, and the Nantucket Railroad Company closed the Surfside section of the railroad in 1895. This meant there was no more railroad to bring cottagers and guests to the Surfside Hotel.
The Surf-Side Land Company sold the last 900 acres of land it had for $2.80 an acre, pennies on the dollar. As such, there were roads that were never constructed and exist only on paper. If you have ever wondered why there are two Lovers Lanes in Surfside that do not connect, this is why!
These paper roads are also the reason why we have so many access points along Nonantum Ave in Surfside, where nearly every road ends in a public way to the beach. For more than 100 years, Surfside has been the place for easy beachside living on Nantucket.
Surfside Today
The Nantucket Historical Association reports that surfing was introduced on Nantucket in 1888 by off-islanders who had seen surfers in the Sandwich Islands. It took decades for surf culture to take hold on Nantucket, and the 1960s saw an increase in the sport’s popularity nationally and locally. In 1965, the Inquirer & Mirror reported that nearly 300 spectators came out to Cisco to watch the first annual surf meet staged by the newly formed Nantucket Surfing Association. The newspaper archives are speckled with classified ads from surfers looking to be reconnected with their lost boards.
Today, Surfside is home to one of the island’s main surfing beaches, Nobadeer. Surfside’s laid-back vibe radiates outward from the break at Nobadeer. There are plenty of islanders who begin their day with a surf check before heading off to work. If you have always wanted to give surfing a try but don’t know where to start, ACK Surf School sets up shop out at Nobadeer seasonally and offers group and private lessons.
Nobadeer is one of the island’s drive-on beaches, and if you are looking to spend a day grilling and chilling, this is the place to be. Watching the surfers and the planes as they fly in and out of nearby Nantucket Memorial Airport makes this an exciting spot. You can get a beach driving permit from the Police Department at 4 Fairgrounds Road.
If you are looking for a quieter beach experience, Stones and Fisherman’s beaches on nearby Nonantum Ave are popular spots for getting into the water or simply lying out in the sun. At the end of Surfside Road lies the beach for which this neighborhood is named. Surfside Beach is your best bet for families, as the area is lifeguarded and there are changing rooms, bathrooms, and outdoor showers to rinse off the sand.
What Restaurants and Nightlife Are There in Surfside?
The last couple of years have seen a real boom in places to grab a bite in Surfside. For beachside dining, The Surf at Surfside Beach (4 Western Ave) is open seasonally and serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and ice cream. Eat at the picnic tables or take it to go and watch the sunset as the horizon stretches on endlessly.
The Fairgrounds (27 Fairgrounds Road) is a new reimagining of a beloved island establishment serving classic American fare. With 15 screens, The Fairgrounds is the place to watch a game in Surfside and a perfect rainy-day escape. It’s also the new home of Downyflake Donuts. At night, you can catch local acts like Foggy Roots and the Cranberry Alarm Clock.
Yummy Nantucket (63 Surfside Road) is an easy stop along the bike path for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and ice cream. Whether you’re headed to or from the beach, Yummy has a great mix of healthy foods (falafels and salads) and on-the-go, beach-approved bites (burgers and sandwiches).
45 Surfside (45 Surfside Road) is a year-round bakery and coffee shop where many islanders begin their days. Its ham and cheese croissants are among the best on Nantucket.
The Muse (44 Surfside Road) is an island institution. A beloved island watering hole, The Muse has been injected with new life thanks to the Nantucket Music Foundation. You can catch national touring acts here throughout the summer and shoulder season.
Do I Need a Car in Surfside?
If you’re renting for the week, you’d be surprised at how easy it is to get around without a car. That might be hard to believe, since Surfside Beach is three miles from the center of town. But the Surfside bike path is a well-maintained, wide path that allows you to zip from the beach to town in under 20 minutes. Don’t have your own bike? Young’s Bicycle Shop delivers anywhere on the island, or you can pick up a rental right as you come off the boat. If you are not into bike riding, there are three Nantucket Regional Transit Authority bus routes that cover the area: Miacomet Loop, Mid Island Loop, and Surfside Loop. The Wave buses are free and are my best tip for saving yourself the headache of parking in town.
What Else Is There to Do in Surfside?
Thanks to the Nantucket Land Bank, there are all sorts of intriguing walking trails to explore in the Surfside area. At the end of Western Ave, just past the former Lifesaving Station, is one of my favorite trails. The low dunes between the Lifesaving Station and Point O’Breakers Beach are one of the most intriguing landscapes on the island. You really get a sense of how isolated the lifesaving station was when it was first built, and what it would have been like to walk the beaches in search of shipwreck survivors.
An ever-changing color palette: the deep blue of the ocean, the soft green of mosses and dune grasses, and the pale gray of bleached wooden split-rail fences make this a place to witness the subtle changes throughout the seasons.
The Land Bank is the steward of this stretch of beach, and there is parking just past the Lifesaving Station in the shell parking lot at the end of Western Ave. This trail system links up to wooded trails that run parallel to Field Ave off Blueberry Lane.
Life in Surfside is centered around the beach. Whether you are starting your day with an invigorating dip on a summer morning or watching the brilliant stars on a clear winter night, Surfside is all about enjoying small moments of wonder on our beautiful island.
