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. When we went we spent 2 days and 1 night but you can spend much more time. We spent one day utilizing the bus pass and one day exploring Oak Bluffs.
your visit
Planning your trip
If you are planning to visit Martha’s Vineyard you have to first get to the island. You can either fly or take a ferry. If you take a ferry, you have the option of bringing your vehicle across. Having your own car is a great way to get around the island at your own pace. It is good to ensure your accommodations have parking or you might have to find paid parking. You also have the option of renting a car for the day if you want more personal flexibility. Another option to see the sites around the island is to do a tour. These mini buses will bring you to some of the highlights around the island without you having to navigate or plan on your own. Or if you are like me, you can do the most affordable and most local way of seeing the island by taking the local bus via the Vineyard Transit Authority.
Ultimate explorer One 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 e arrived on Martha’s Vineyard and dropped our bags at our hotel, 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. Below is our step by step guide to our journey!
First Bus Journey- Bus 13- Oak Bluffs to Edgartown
We arrived and were staying in Oak Bluffs. We headed to our nearest bus stop where we were able to buy the one day pass with exact cash change. We boarded the bus and left around 11:15 am towards Edgartown on Bus Route 13. Remember to make sure to ask the driver to make sure you are getting on heading in the correct direction!
We arrived at 11:34 am on Church Street. On our arrival we discovered that Bus 6 (which we would need to catch next for our itinerary) was due to leave at 12:12 pm. This gave us time to walk around and explore Edgartown. We headed back to the bus stop and were on our way to West Tisbury at 12:12 PM.
Second Bus Journey-Bus 6-West Tisbury
Bus 6 on Martha’s Vineyard runs between Edgartown and West Tisbury (which is located in the middle of the island). This route stops at the airport as well. When heading from Edgartown it drops you at Grange Hall. Grange Hall is right next to West Tisbury Town Hall. If you are heading to the Aquinnah Cliffs often the #6 Bus turns into the #5 bus to continue onward. If you are transferring to the #2, #3 or #4 bus you would need to walk very short distance from Grange Hall to the West Tisbury Town Hall. Remember you can always ask the bus driver for assistance.
Third bus journey-Bus 4- West Tisbury to Menemsha
We arrived at Grange Hall via the Bus 6 from Edgartown around 12:36 pm and then walked over to the West Tisbury Town Hall where we waited for Bus 4. Bus 4 left at 12:40 pm and headed to Menemsha, arriving there at 1:01 pm. Menemsha is a quaint fishing village that has a beach and amazing seafood restaurants. Bus 4 circulates there every hour. It is the perfect amount of time to walk around and grab lunch. If you have more time you can enjoy the beach for longer.
Fourth bus journey-Bus 4- Menemsha to Chilmark
After spending an hour in Menemsha and eating lunch we boarded Bus 4 at 2:01 pm back toward Chilmark. We got dropped off at the Chilmark Community Center. Unfortunately, the next bus (Bus 5) heading toward the Aquinnah Cliffs from Chilmark wasn’t until 2:47 pm and there is nothing much at the community center. We talked with the bus driver who gave us the excellent recommendation to head to the Chilmark General Store. This store was fantastic! It had coffee, snacks, and an amazing front porch with rocking chairs where we could relax. Just down the road there is a stop in front of the Chilmark Police Station (1 minute walking from General Store) heading in the correct direction toward the Aquinnah Cliffs.
Fifth Bus Journey-Bus 5- Chilmark to Aquinnah Cliffs
After arriving in Chilmark and enjoying some relaxing time at the General Store we walked down to the Police Station where we were able to flag down Bus 5 around 2:47 pm. This bus continued west toward the Aquinnah Cliffs and arrived there at 3:10 pm. The next bus to leave would be at 4:10 pm, which gave us 1 hour to explore the cliffs and Gay Head Lighthouse. You could always spend more time as there are little shops, restaurant and some hiking trails. Also on certain days and times you can go up in the lighthouse, however it was closed for visitors inside when we went.
Sixth bus ride-Bus 5/3- Aquinnah Cliffs to Vineyard Haven
After getting to explore Gay Head Lighthouse and the Aquinnah Cliffs overlook we boarded the 4:10 pm bus #5 heading back to the eastern part of the island. We once again asked the friendly bus drivers and they informed us that #5 bus became the #3 bus at West Tisbury which ended in Vineyard Haven. They believed this would be faster to get us back to Oak Bluffs rather than retracing back to Edgartown though that was another possibility. We arrived at 4:55 pm in Vineyard Haven.
seventh bus ride-bus 13- Vineyard Haven to Oak Bluffs
Bus 13 is the most frequently running bus on the island. It goes between Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. During shoulder season it leaves from each destination every 20 minutes between 10 am and 6 pm and during peak season every 15 minutes between 9 am and 7 pm. The first pick up of the day is at 5:15 am and last pick up at 1:15 am. We were eager to get back to the hotel to finally officially check in and get ready for dinner so we took the next bus back to Oak Bluffs which left at 5:03 pm and we arrived back in Oak Bluffs by 5:15 pm.
final thoughts
Ultimately, the bus is a great affordable way to explore the island for those who don’t want to rent or bring their car over to the island. The bus drivers are very friendly and helpful so do not be afraid to ask for assistance. It is very well timed for transfers and for exploration but make sure to keep an eye on the time in certain places or you may get an extra hour you weren’t planning for. Getting the day pass is well worth the cost if making it into a full day itinerary.
