Martha's Vineyard
Martha’s Vineyard is an iconic New England island south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. It can be reached only by boat or air. During the summer, tourists flock to this tranquil coastal haven. It is known for its quaint cottages, boutique shopping, picturesque landscapes, sandy beaches and excellent dining. It is the perfect vacation escape.
There is so much to do while visiting Martha’s Vineyard. Many people elect to stay a weekend, a week or more. Please see our itinerary for a 2 day and 1 night stay in Martha’s Vineyard.
day one
Arrive Martha’s Vineyard
The two main ways to reach Martha’s Vineyard are by ferry or by airplane. If you are flying you will come in at Martha’s Vineyard Airport (MVY) which is located in the middle of the island. From there you can catch a taxi or the bus to where you will be staying. The more common way is via ferry. There are several ferry operators that bring passengers to and from Martha’s Vineyard depending on which town you are coming from on the mainland. Steamship Authority operates year round from Woods Hole, Hy-Line is high speed from Hyannis, Seastreak and New Bedford are from New Bedford, Island Queen to Oak Bluffs and the Falmouth-Edgartown Ferry are seasonal from Falmouth. We took the Steamship Authority. For passengers you do not need to book in advance unless bringing a vehicle. Steamship Authority leaves from Woods Hole. You can park your car in designated lot (check their website day off) and shuttle will bring you to the ferry where you can buy tickets. This ferry offers direct to Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs depending on the time. If you are staying in other town you can take local bus from the ferry.
Check into Accommodation
After disembarking the ferry, we walked over to our hotel which was about 10 minutes from the ferry.
We stayed at the Pequot Hotel. It was a cute little bed and breakfast like hotel that had a wonderful breakfast. They also had cookies and coffee/tea in the afternoon. There was a cute patio and rocking chairs on the porch. Since we arrived early we were able to store our bags and head to explore. They did call us to allow early check in but by that time we were on the other side of the island already exploring.
Ultimate explorer day 1 day bus pass
The Vineyard Transit Authority is the public bus that is available all over the island. They offer town to town fare for $2 per way, 1 day bus pass for $8 (one calendar day/not 24 hours). If you are staying longer there are 3, 7 and 31 day bus passes as well! After check in we headed to catch the bus and start our epic journey! The main goal was to get to the other side of the island specifically to check out Menemsha historic fishing village and the iconic Aquinnah Cliffs and Gay Head Lighthouse. In order to get there, we stopped in Edgartown and had the chance to explore there as well. To see the step by step guide to how we did our full day public bus tour check out this post!
Lunch-fish market
Menemsha is a small working fishing village that is part of the town Chilmark. This little town has a beautiful beach area but also some of the best seafood on the whole island. The two top places to grab food are the Menemsha Fish Market and Larsen’s Fish Market. You must try the lobster roll! We also got delicious lobster mac and cheese.
Afternoon
After lunch in Menemsha, we boarded the bus again to Aquinnah Cliffs and the Gay Head Lighthouse. After this we took the bus back to the eastern part of the island Vineyard Haven and ultimately back to Oak Bluffs.
Dinner-Offshore ale co
We got dinner at the Offshore Ale Co which is a local brewery and has a diverse menu.
day two
Breakfast Hotel Pequot
We stayed at a hotel that included breakfast. They had so many options, it was wonderful! We checked out and they held our bags so we could explore before catching a ferry back later in the afternoon.
Inkwell Beach
Since we went on shoulder season to Martha’s Vineyard it was still a little chilly. Still I had to check out the beach and show off my baby bump- it was our babymoon. Inkwell Beach was a convenient few minute walk from our hotel so I put on my swimsuit and we headed to the shores. There were some people walking or sitting on the beach but during the summer this beach can get packed. After walking around the shores, we headed back to the hotel. We checked out and they held our bags so we could explore before catching a ferry back later in the afternoon.
explore oak bluffs
Oak Bluffs is one of the quaint towns of Martha’s Vineyard and has so much to offer. It is known for its whimsical gingerbread houses and for the oldest operating carousel in the United States dating back to 1876! It also has tons of shopping and dining options along Circuit Avenue and along the Oak Bluffs Harbor.
Lunch- Nancy’s
Nancy’s Restaurant is located near the harbor, it offers a casual and lively atmosphere with indoor and outdoor seating. Known for its seafood dishes, burgers, and famous lobster rolls, Nancy’s is a must-visit spot for delicious food and waterfront dining.
ferry oak bluff to woods hole
After we were done exploring Oak Bluffs, we headed back to our hotel to pick up our bags and head back to the ferry. We had already purchased round trip tickets but if you haven’t you can buy them at the ferry terminal. The ferry brought us back to Woods Hole where we grabbed shuttle back to our car.
day trips
Nantucket
Nantucket is another quintessential New England coastal island of Massachusetts. It has cobblestone streets, historic homes, beaches and more. You can take a ferry between Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket and make it part of your itinerary or go over for the day
Chappaquiddick island
Visiting Chappaquiddick Island is like stepping into untouched paradise off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. It is accessible by short ferry ride from mainland Martha’s Vineyard. Here you can visit Cape Poge Lighthouse, the Chappaquiddick Museum, Mytoi Japanese Garden or Wasque Beach.
Cape Cod
Cape Cod is the hook-shaped peninsula off the state of Massachusetts. It has great lighthouses, beaches, seafood and cute towns. Comprised of several cities some of the top to visit include Provincetown, Chatham, Hyannis, Falmouth, Brewster and more.
