10. NANTUCKET ISLAND BEACHES

Despite all those movies and ads that show people frolicking on the beach with their black Labs in tow, there aren’t that many beaches in New England that allow dogs. Nantucket is an exception. According to Nantucket’s beach manager, leashed dogs are allowed on all public beaches with the exception of those with endangered piping plovers and tern colonies, and those beaches are well marked. Dogs are also welcome on most ferries and on shuttle buses to and from the beach as long as they are leashed, well behaved, dry, and not up on the seats. According to a spokeswoman at the Nantucket Regional Transit Authority, the shuttles have even had leashed ferrets as regular riders.

Nantucket Parks and Recreation Department, 508 228-7213, nantucket-ma.gov; Nantucket Regional Transit Authority, shuttlenantucket.com, 508-228-7025.