Category Archives: Martha’s Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard

Traveling to Martha’s Vineyard: Ferries and Planes

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How Do I Get to Martha’s Vineyard?

You have two choices for mainland to island travel – by air or by boat. Planes are small, fast and uncrowded. Boats are big enough to walk around in, have a snack bar with clam chowder, some carry cars and all provide the experience of traveling over water and past beautiful seascapes to reach the island.

BY AIR

Cape Air flies direct to Martha’s Vineyard from Boston, MA, Providence, RI, New Bedford, MA, Hyannis, MA and Nantucket. The Boston – Vineyard flight is the longest with a total flight time of 35 minutes. Cape Air operates year round, and flights depart frequently during the summer season and bit less during the winter. Flying Cessna 402’s, Cape Air is the largest independent regional airline in the United States and is employee – owned company. (p.s. each flight, someone gets to ride shotgun next to the pilot!) For more information and flight schedules visit: www.flycapeair.com or call 800.352.0714.

U.S. Airways Express seasonally serves the Martha’s Vineyard Airport from the following locations: New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport (DCA), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PHL), and Hyannis’ Boardman-Polando Field (HYA). For more information and flight schedules visit: www.usairways.com or call 800.428.4322 (Reservations) 800.943.5436 (Flight Arrivals and Departure Information)

MVY Airport
The Martha’s Vineyard Airport is conveniently located in West Tisbury, and supplies bus, taxi and car rental transportation. For more info, visit: www.mvyairport.com.

BY BOAT


The Steamship Authority ferries passengers, cars, pets, bikes and dogs to Martha’s Vineyard all year long with increased trip service from Memorial Day to Labor Day and every weekend. The boats run about hourly and travel from Wood’s Hole to either Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs. The Steamship Authority also runs ferries between Hyannis and Nantucket, including a fast ferry.

The ferry is a classic Vineyard experience, whether you are standing on the deck getting your first bit of island sun, or watching the game on the big screen tv’s inside (some boats only!). A snack bar boasts chowder, baked goods and wine and beer, and the seagulls provide the entertainment. The ride is 45 minutes long…and the ferries are always on time. For more information, schedules and fees, visit their website at: www.steamshipauthority.com or call 508.477.8600.

Hy-Line Cruises is a Cape Cod family-owned and operated ferry company with more than 40 years in the cruise business. This seasonal ferry travels between Hyannis and Oak Bluffs five times per day during the high summer season and four times per day in May and October. For the 55 minute ride, Hy-Line strongly recommends that you make reservations for their passenger ferry (no cars!). For more information, visit www.hy-linecruises.com or call 800.492.8082.

The New England Fast Ferry carries passengers (no cars!) from New Beford to Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs throughout the summer season. With special trips added for weekends, you have your choice of up to 10 trips per day from May – October. The trip takes one hour and offers incredible scenery as you move up the Sound. For schedules and fare, visit www.nefastferry.com or call 866.683.3779.

NOTE: Both Hy-Line and the New England Fast Ferry have added a $4 one-way and $8 roundtrip surchage to all tickets for the 2008 season due to fuel prices.

On MVY
Once you step off the boat, busses and cabs will be at your service, and rental cars and bikes are steps away….or you can always walk to your rental if it’s in downtown Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs.

Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, MV Rentals

Martha’s Vineyard Vacation Rental: In-Town Edgartown

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There are three things that really stand out about this Edgartown Rental House.
1. Location, Location, Location. Edgartown is as sweet as it is classy and as diverse as it is elegant. The old Greek Revival houses built eons ago by whaling captains, shine brightly under cover of roses, vines and old Vineyard trees. You are a stroll away from scenic Edgartown Harbor and the Edgartown Lighthouse which marks the entrance into Katama Bay.

Restaurants are plentiful and can be either fishy (The Seafood Shanty on the harbor) or divine (L’Etoile). Shopping greets you at every turn. And, the beaches, of course, the beaches – close by and splendid you can choose from Lighthouse Beach or Fuller Street Beach right downtown or drive or ride your bike out to South Beach.

2. Family-style. This is a fantastic family house. First count the bathrooms…yes, there are FIVE. FIVE BATHROOMS. The kitchen invites hanging out while the cooking happens and there are two separate living/family rooms – could be one for the kids and one for the adults! The open floor plan of the first floor keeps everyone together…with plenty of room to spread out.


3. Up-to-Date. The furnishings, style and amenities are up-to-date and fairly new allowing this house to support your vacation perfectly, with total ease. Some people like to rough it on the Island and some people don’t – this house is for those of you don’t!

Martha's Vineyard

Martha’s Vineyard LINGO: Up-Island & Down-Island

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On Martha’s Vineyard, we speak our own island language…
When you arrive on the island, you’ll discover quickly that the island has been divided, more or less, into two parts: up-island and down-island.

Up-Island
When you hear someone say ‘up-island,’ they are referring to the towns of West Tisbury, Aquinnah, Chilmark and it’s small fishing harbor, Menemsha. The up-island towns are quiet, quaint and slow with each town center consisting, primarily, of town hall, the library, the post office and a few choice stores, galleries, restaurants and inns.

The houses up-island are spread out and often secluded, and the landscape features forests, rolling hills, farms and beach highlights like the cliffs in Aquinnah. When you’re up-island, you’ll spend time in your car or on your bike fetching groceries and glimpsing civilization…but, only if you want to.

Down-Island
Down-island refers to Edgartown, Vineyard Haven (Tisbury) and Oak Bluffs. These three towns are known for their bustling and unique ‘downtowns’ packed with dynamic shopping, art, food, dining and entertainment. With an abundance of summer traffic, people and cars, their is also an endless list of things to do and see.

While there are quiet beaches to be found, the main down-island beaches, State Beach in Oak Bluffs and South Beach in Edgartown/Katama, are bustling with people, beach games and surf from dawn to dusk.

And…just to make things a little more interesting, there’s a small island off the coast of Edgartown called Chappaquiddick, or ‘Chappy’, that serves as the ‘up-island’ of Edgartown. It’s small and quiet. There aren’t many cars, houses are spread out and the beaches are incredible.