An island off Cape Cod, Nantucket is a major tourist destination, popular with holidaymakers who want to lose themselves in the natural beauty of its windswept moors and clean sandy beaches. Christmas in Nantucket is special -the Nantucket Stroll in December receives to billing in the whole of the Cape Cod region.

In earlier days, Nantucket was an important whaling center and Nantucketers were acknowledged as great sea-farers. Native Indians on the islands had always been very skilled in hunting whales and with the arrival in 1659 of white settlers, whaling became a major industry on the island. However, by 1851, the trade was in a state of total decline -- the discovery of gold and oil on the mainland resulted in young men going elsewhere to seek their fortunes.

There are plenty of things to do and sights to see on the island. Nantucket Town has an interesting Whaling Museum and many historical buildings and homes. Stop by at the Peter Fougler Museum for a closer look at the island's history. Seven miles east of Nantucket Town is the pretty beach village of Siasconset with its quaint salt-encrusted cottages.

Nantucket is just thirty miles from Cape Cod and can be reached by a two-hour ferry ride. Accommodation in Nantucket is expensive and there are few options for those on a budget except for the youth hostel and a few inns and B&Bs. Most establishments are deluxe hotels and there are no campgrounds on the island. In summer, reservations in advance are essential. There are quite a few restaurants on the island and most of them specialize in seafood; however eating out here is on the expensive side. Nightlife on the island is concentrated in the few rock clubs and bar in Nantucket Town.