Category Archives: Getting Here

Chilmark, Edgartown, Feature, Getting Here, Martha's Vineyard, MV Rentals, Vineyard Haven

Get away with it!

April 27, 2012 Anne Mayhew Leave a comment

How do I love getting to thee Martha’s Vineyard? Let me count the ways…

While photographing two of our houses in Vineyard Haven today I saw a huge Schooner passing by East Chop lighthouse and a little plane overhead and as usual, the Island Home plowing along. On such a pretty day it reminded me that we are on an island and though it’s never easy to get here it can be fun.

Value
I grew up on the lower cape, my family lives in Brewster, so my most desirable summer route “home” is aboard the Hyline Fast Ferry http://www.hylinecruises.com/ from Oak Bluffs to Hyannis in 55 minutes. I live about two blocks from where the fast ferry takes off in OB Harbor which allows for a 1 ½ hour commute door to door, as opposed to what the Steamship Authority http://www.steamshipauthority.com/ offers – 10 min drive to VH, 45 min boat ride, 1 ½ hour drive to Brewster, which with traffic usually takes 3 hours door to door. The $240 commuter book for Hyline is key – the face value of these precious passes is $71/round trip, or $48 with the book of ten one-way tickets. Somehow they found out my birthday is in April and they send me a $10 coupon every year, which helps bring this valuable purchase down even more.

Value + Fun
Cape Air https://www.capeair.com/ has announced that their MVY – Providence service will begin June 15th! Ah, if only it could start a little sooner, I could fly to PVD to catch my New Orleans flight for Jazz Fest http://www.nojazzfest.com/ next week. Check Cape Air every Tuesday for flight deals on commuter books. These are always good to have in a pinch, especially when you’re trapped at Logan, exhausted and not psyched about schlepping your stuff to South Station to catch the Peter Pan bus http://www.peterpanbus.com/ back to Woods Hole. I’ve visited the Cape Air counter in Terminal C many times in this situation and usually the last minute rate for the next flight to MVY rivals that of a transatlantic flight! If you’ve got your commuter book, it’ll cost you $149.99. Or buy a book to Hyannis for $41.90 each way. The flight is about 15 minutes and allows for spectacular views of Nantucket Sound. A couple of times I’ve been the only passenger on board and got to sit up front and play co-pilot.

Value + Fun = Escape
When MVY is too much for me to handle around August, I escape to my cousin’s house in Newport, Rhode Island which is equally crazy but it’s not my crazy so I enjoy it, especially for Folk Fest http://www.newportfolkfest.net/. For this trip I take the Sea Streak from OB/VH to downtown New Bedford http://www.seastreak.com/. This ferry definitely features the best crew of all the services to and from the vineyard. I’ve had the captain hold the boat for me several times just from a phone call, while stuck in New Beige traffic. And, make sure you flash an island addressed driver’s license for a discount – the $34 one-way will cost you a mere $28 bucks. With a full bar, A/C and a beautiful yet exhilarating ride through Woods Hole Passage (they’re known for not slowing down), this is the best way to get away when Oak Bluffs turns into Wally World.

Sometimes I forget how lucky we are to reside on this lovely island and I need reminders. When they come, via sailboat, plane or ferry sighting, I am filled with gratitude! For those travelling here, we have some great houses that still have summer availability for weekly rentals.

Contact Rose Ryley

to confirm availability for these Martha’s Vineyard vacation homes

rose@sandpiperrental.com

Sandpiper Rentals, Inc.

901 – Vineyard Haven – In Town Lovely Porch – Blocks from Ferry

954 – Vineyard Haven – West Chop Beautiful peaceful views and garden

7775 – Edgartown – Outer Huge yard – Great for Entertaining

*ferry reservations available with rental*

2070 – Chilmark – Middle Road Total Escape – Convenient way to enjoy UpIsland

Activities, Families, Getting Here, Martha's Vineyard, MV Rentals, Uncategorized

Vacation Style: How Social are you?

February 21, 2012 Anne Mayhew Leave a comment

Your Social Energy

Consider the social network. It documents our lives, blasts us with updates and lets us know who our friends are; why not bring your social life into the vacation discussion. Your real social life, the one the dictionary calls the “interaction between the individual and the group”. In Thursday’s Vinyasa Yoga @MansionHouseMV the instructor offered us some guidance. She asked us to consider how we would like to expend our energy in class, to energize and build strength, or to relax and repair our bodies. It is always a personal decision as to how you would like to expend your energy and once you know – you can really maximize and enhance your experience, this goes for vacation planning as well!

The Obamas come in August – are you up for it?

Some visitor’s have a whole separate social network out here that they tap into once a year, others prefer the anonymity that the island provides to “check out” and unwind. Simply put, most people either like to be in the thick of “it” or nowhere near “it”. You probably already know which you prefer but if there’s any doubt, consider defining “it” as the Martha’s Vineyard MegaWeek and go from there.

The week of August 11th-18th is desirable for good reason, it’s a super-fun quintessentially “summer” experience. Featuring Illumination Night, Fireworks and 4 days of the Almighty Ag Fair – your Facebook feed will have to keep up with your “check-ins” and new friend requests you make along the way.

If this sounds like your waking nightmare maybe you’d prefer to duck the crowds during our “shoulder season.” To experience the Island as an Islander, prepare for peace and quiet, if you can handle the slower pace and cooler weather you will be rewarded with generous weekly rental rates too.

How to make it Happen

So, you decide you want to come for all the fun August has to offer but the ferries are booked! What do you do? Don’t panic – this is a good reason to use an agent to make your vacation plans. We know which houses might offer transferable ferry reservations for guests to purchase. You can check the specials listed on www.sandpiperrental.com for new listings with ferry tickets available for desirable August weeks.

Martha’s Vineyard is a wonderful little place that can satisfy a myriad of vacation possibilities. Have a conversation with your rental agent about the pace you desire for your vacation to determine the when and where of your vacation.

Getting Here, Martha's Vineyard, MV Rentals

Let Sanpdiper Rentals Be Your Eyes…

February 26, 2010 Leave a comment

It may be a little overwhelming when you are a first time renter looking for your perfect vacation home. Between the ferry reservations and packing a weeks worth of beach snacks for the kids, the last thing you want to be worrying about is walking into your vacation home and being disappointed.

In many cases, especially if you’re a first time visitor, you are renting a home that you have never seen before. Of course you can look at pictures and the list of amenities online but you are never really quite sure what to expect.

That is why Sandpiper Rentals , Inc. takes special care in making sure that none of our clients are left in the dark when it comes to renting one of our homes. All of our agents will not rent a home unless they have seen it first hand This is just one of the policies Sandpiper Rentals, Inc. has in place to help make sure all of our tenants feel comfortable that they have rented the perfect vacation home.

By offering a first hand description we are able to help place you in the perfect vacation home. So whether you are searching for a home offering classic Vineyard charm or a more contemporary escape, our agents will not leave you in the dark! It is our commitment to our owners and our tenants to help provide you with an unforgettable experience!