Located just off the southern coast of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard is an island made for day-trippers looking for fresh seafood, beautiful beaches, and quaint historic neighborhoods.
Even though staying on Martha’s Vineyard can be pricey, it’s a relatively inexpensive place to visit by ferry and it’s three towns, Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, and Edgartown, are all within a half hour drive of each other. The full island isn’t necessarily bike friendly, but the route connecting these three towns is cyclist-friendly with designated bike paths and few hills. The MVTA bus also connects all three towns with stops along the way and costs just $8 for a day pass. You can read more about routes on the Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority website.
Getting There
There are a couple of options for ferries from Cape Cod to Martha’s Vineyard. The cheapest option at $17 round trip is with The Steamship Authority, which departs from Woods Hole and runs to both Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven. They also have an option to bring a bike on board for an additional $4 each way. If you’re coming for a longer visit you can bring your car as well (they’re the only ferry to accept cars onboard) — check the website for more info on fares.
Unless you’re bringing your car, you will have to park offsite, which costs another $10-15 per vehicle per day, so plan to arrive at least 45 minutes before the ferry departure time in order to park and catch the free shuttle to the ferry terminal. It’s also worth noting that your roundtrip ticket allows you to arrive and depart from either Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs.
Ferry Routes to Martha’s Vineyard (click to enlarge)
Another option is Hy-Line Ferries, which operates out of Hyannis and offers ferries to Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. This is a high-speed ferry so even though it’s a further distance the amount of time it takes to get there is comparable to the Oak Bluffs ferry (1 hour vs. 45 minutes); however, the ferry is more expensive at $59 roundtrip (plus $14 to bring your bike). But if you’re staying in Hyannis and would prefer the convenience this is certainly a good option.
Photography by Ray Ewing/Vineyard Gazette
Be sure to check the websites for both companies for the latest ferry schedule, which varies depending on the time of year. Reservations are not necessary on the Steamship Authority ferry unless you plan to bring your car but are a good idea for the Hy-Line Ferries if you’re visiting in peak season.
Vineyard Haven
Most of the ferries departing from Woods Hole go to Vineyard Haven, so you might think this is the more touristy of the towns. The reality is that Vineyard Haven, in the town of Tisbury, is the commercial center of the island and caters more to year-round residents of the island than it does to day-trippers. There are a few good shops, galleries, and restaurants along Main Street (recently named the Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District) as well as the famous Black Dog Tavern and Black Dog General Store. For a more sophisticated dining experience, Garde East is a good choice for seafood and views of the bustling harbor.
Main Street in Vineyard Haven – Photography by Michael Cummo
Harbor View from Garde East Restaurant in Vineyard Haven – Photography by Nick Viau
If Tisbury doesn’t have the Vineyard charm you were expecting, not to fear — it’s only 10 minutes by car or 15 minutes by bike from Oak Bluffs.
Oak Bluffs
Unlike Vineyard Haven, Oaks Bluffs has all of the quaintness and charm you’d expect from Martha’s Vineyard. As you step off the ferry, follow the other visitors straight on to Circuit Avenue, which is the main shopping and dining area in town. Here you’ll find a number of souvenir and other beach-themed shops including the namesake Vineyard Vines (although the first store was in Edgartown). The main drag is just a few blocks long, so take your time — stops for homemade ice cream at Mad Martha’s or locally brewed beer at Offshore Ale Company make for a nice break on a summer day.
Also on the main street is the Flying Horses Carousel, which is the oldest operating carousel in America and a National Historic Landmark. The carousel wasn’t open when we visited, but we still got a glimpse by peaking in the window. The carousel is located at 33 Lake Avenue and is open from 11am to 4:30pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
The main attraction in Oak Bluffs is just one block over from Circuit Avenue, a historic neighborhood called the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association (also known as “The Campground”). This neighborhood was the first summer religious camp in the US and served as the blueprint for many other camps built after. At its peak there were around 500 cottages; today 318 of these structures remain. The neighborhood is laid out around the central Tabernacle, which was built in 1835 and remains the center of activity for residents and visitors alike with programming throughout the summer months — concerts, yoga, and yes, Sunday Worship Services.
The open-air Tabernacle at the center of the historic Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association neighborhood
Before the gingerbread-style homes were built, the area resembled a campground with tightly packed tents populating the area around the tabernacle. Eventually the booming whaling industry made canvas unaffordable (if not impossible to find); as a result, the tents became proper, fully enclosed wooden homes built on the footprint of the tents’ platforms. Today the homes are all brightly colored, accentuating the intricate details of the cottage architecture with contrasting tons of pink, yellow, green, and blue. Surprisingly, the neighborhood regulates nearly everything that can be done to the home except for the color. Ever since the colorful painting began in the 1950s, it’s been a source of friendly competition amongst the neighbors to outdo each other. As one resident told us, “If my neighbor paints their house with three colors, you better believe I’m painting four.”
To learn more about the fascinating history of the neighborhood, head over to the Cottage Museum for a look inside a typical cottage, decorated and furnished as they would have been in the 1800s. The museum also has a small gift shop in the back with a nice selection of Campground and Martha’s Vineyard souvenirs. Admission is only $2, but if you’re not interested in the full tour you can also visit the gift shop for free by entering from the door to the rear of the house. During the months of July and August, the MVCMA also gives walking tours of the neighborhood. More info can be found on their website here.
The Cottage Museum at the MVCMA
While certainly worth visiting, Oak Bluffs is a small town and not likely to fill an entire day trip on its own. Luckily it’s just 15 minutes by car or 30 minutes by bike from the island’s biggest and most popular town: Edgartown. The road connecting the Oak Bluffs and Edgartown is flanked on either side by beautiful beaches as well, which makes for a scenic ride.
Inkwell Beach in Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard
Edgartown
Once at the center of the 1800s whaling industry, Edgartown is now the cultural center and prime tourist destination of Martha’s Vineyard. The town was the first point of colonization in 1642 and many of the historic structures have been preserved and restored in recent years. Stroll down Water Street to see many examples of the beautiful “Captains Homes” that were originally built by captains of the whaling ships.
View down Water Street in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard
Near the harbor on a narrow strip of land is the photogenic lighthouse called Edgartown Harbor Light. The original lighthouse and the pier connecting it to the mainland was built in 1828; however, after a hurricane in 1938 the structure was severely damaged and subsequently torn down. Instead of rebuilding, the Coast Guard decided to relocate a 45-foot cast-iron lighthouse from nearby Crane’s Beach in Ipswich, Massachusetts, which is the same lighthouse we see today. While ferries no longer dock in the harbor, the area is still busy with small and large sail boats and motorboats.
The Edgartown Harbor Light Lighthouse – Photography by Matthew Bird/Getty Images
Edgartown is best enjoyed with a leisurely stroll about town, taking in the sights and enjoying the slower pace of life on the island. There is an abundance of restaurants, boutiques, and galleries along Main Street and Water Street, as well as a few historic sites. There are also a couple of restaurants near the harbor where you can eat fresh seafood and take in the scenery, most notably The Seafood Shanty and Quarterdeck Restaurant. There’s no better way to end your day trip than with a cocktail (and a sunset) in Edgartown before heading back to the Cape — I suggest the Mudslide!
Enjoying the harbor view with a mudslide at the Seafood Shanty
But wait, there’s more!…
We ventured inland a bit during our trip to Martha’s Vineyard this past Memorial Day Weekend and happened upon the Island Alpaca Company. Check out my follow-up post (with plenty of photos!) of our alpaca encounter.
