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The Boston Globe

Travel

The List

5 great US islands

Tor Johnson/Hawaii Tourism Authority

1

NANTUCKET

Pristine and upscale, anchored by a bustling, historic

downtown, crisscrossed with bike paths, and surrounded

by 80 miles of beaches.

www.nantucketchamber.org

2

MACKINAC ISLAND, MICHIGAN

No cars allowed on this island separating the upper and

lower peninsulas, home to

Victorian summer cottages,

the historic Grand Hotel, and

Mackinac Island State Park.

www.mackinac.com

3

KAUAI, HAWAII

Fourth largest and oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands, with verdant rain forests, rippling waterfalls, towering sea cliffs (pictured), and dramatic Waimea Canyon.

www.gohawaii.com/kauai

4

ORCAS ISLAND, WASHINGTON

Dubbed the “Gem of the San Juans,” with a picturesque fiord, 38 miles of hiking trails, mountain peaks, quaint

villages, and artist colonies. www.visitsanjuans.com/the-islands/orcas-island

5

OCRACOKE ISLAND, NORTH CAROLINA

The outermost island

in the Outer Banks, with

the white sand beaches of Cape Hatteras National

Seashore and steeped in

maritime tradition.

www.ocracokevillage.com