Advice on 4th of July weekend on Nantucket

Hi all, I%26#39;m planning a weekend getaway with my girlfriend on Nantucket for 4th of July weekend. I%26#39;ve never been, so was hoping to get some advice on a few points:

1. I%26#39;ve heard it can get really crowded in July. What kinds of crowds can we expect? Do the bike paths get totally jammed?

2. Would we have to worry about restaurant reservations, assuming that we only care about casual meals with good food?

3. Any advice for getting to Hyannis? Would we need to leave really early to avoid traffic?

Thanks a bunch!

Advice on 4th of July weekend on Nantucket

It%26#39;s all relative -- in my experience, when people talk about Nantucket being ';crowded'; on a particular weekend, it just means there are lots of people walking around town. I%26#39;ve never seen it truly crowded like midtown Manhattan (or downtown Boston), nor have we ever had to fight for space at the beach.

In fact, we were there last last summer over the July 4 weekend, and walked to Surfside Beach along the bike path with a big stroller and never had major issues with crowding or conflicts with cyclists or pedestrians.

On the 4th there will probably be some kids%26#39; activities on Main Street like facepainting and a dunk tank that can draw a crowd, but again it%26#39;s all relative.

Re: restaurants, I definitely book ahead if you can, or try to eat early before places get busy. This is one area where you do notice that there are many more people on-island.

Since July 4 is on a Saturday this year, I am not sure how traffic patterns will play out, but in general it is best to drive to Hyannis absolutely as early in the day as possible. If you%26#39;re traveling on Hy-Line, you can make a reservation for a parking space as well.

Advice on 4th of July weekend on Nantucket

Thanks for the advice, that%26#39;s really helpful. How do I reserve parking at Hy-Line? I can%26#39;t seem to find anything on reserving parking on their website.

For the parking reservation, you have to call them and pre-pay with a credit card.

If the parking is ';sold out'; that weekend (i.e. they%26#39;re no longer taking reservations) there is still a chance that you can get a space when you get there.

If the Hy-Line lots are totally full, there are other lots nearby, but just be very careful in dealing with them and agreeing on what you will be charged. (These folks try to wave you into their lots on the way to the Hy-Line dock, but they%26#39;re not affiliated with the ferry at all.)