Post by wanderingback on Apr 14, 2024 8:56:40 GMT -5
Who is familiar with Martha’s Vineyard? It looks like there are different areas to stay so that’s where I get confused haha as to where is the "best." We’ll be with our toddler so we don’t need specific toddler things like a children’s museum as we usually just bring her to adult things we like to do but a playground or library would be nice.
So Is it too late to find somewhere to stay for this summer? Dates are flexible but we already have plans for late August so preferably June or July. We prefer hotels but would be open to a rental home if anyone has recommendations.
We don’t want to have to drive, is that possible?
Any info would be helpful to see if this is a possibility!
I don’t have recommendations on where to stay, but I do know most folks don’t bring a car. If you prefer to bring your car, secure a spot on the ferry well in advance.
Biking and walking is pretty popular. It’s part of the charm.
Post by bugmeetsworld on Apr 14, 2024 9:19:14 GMT -5
I would stay in Oak Bluffs. It’s where the ferry comes in and is very walkable. There is a hotel called Summercamp that I’ve always wanted to stay at, but there are plenty of houses to rent too. The gingerbread houses are super cute.
I don’t have recommendations on where to stay, but I do know most folks don’t bring a car. If you prefer to bring your car, secure a spot on the ferry well in advance.
Biking and walking is pretty popular. It’s part of the charm.
I don’t own a car, hence my preference to not have to bring one Very good to know!
LOL. You know I love reality tv but I can’t keep all these Bravo tv shows straight and watch none of them! Glad for the separated out reality threads these days
I don’t have recommendations on where to stay, but I do know most folks don’t bring a car. If you prefer to bring your car, secure a spot on the ferry well in advance.
Biking and walking is pretty popular. It’s part of the charm.
I don’t own a car, hence my preference to not have to bring one Very good to know!
How do you plan to get to the ferry without a car? Public transit in MA is really only a thing around Boston.
I don’t own a car, hence my preference to not have to bring one Very good to know!
How do you plan to get to the ferry without a car? Public transit in MA is really only a thing around Boston.
My family uses the p and b: www.p-b.com/bus-routes/ to get from Boston to the cape. My parents live on the cape, and everyone they know uses this to get to Logan. It has always been very reliable, and will take you right from south station or Logan to the ferry. I haven't been to the Vineyard in years, but we always just walked or biked on the island. Stuff does book up quickly, I know most cape rentals book out a year in advance, I'm not much help with rentals since we have hotel of mom and dad.
If you don't want to bring a car, Oak Bluffs is your best bet.
Are you flying in or taking the ferry? The ferry will be easier as you can walk off the ferry and be in Oak Bluffs as opposed to having to get from the airport to anywhere.
We are frequently on the Vineyard ( but in Edgartown) and some thing that we take friends to do are:
The Aplaca farm Noman's for lunch Backdoor donuts Mad Martha's ice cream Watch people jump off the Jawas bridge South Beach trail hike and kayak on Chappy Sunset at Menemsha Beach (its a Vineyard thing)
It might be tough to find accommodations this late in the game that you wouldn't need a car for, but you might! Uber isn't as reliable on the island as the mainland.
I don’t own a car, hence my preference to not have to bring one Very good to know!
How do you plan to get to the ferry without a car? Public transit in MA is really only a thing around Boston.
I literally have no idea. I am in the early planning stages. I usually book hotel first and then figure out rest of details from there No need to waste my time with little details if I don’t have anywhere to stay haha.
Per my brief googling we can take Amtrak to Boston or Rhode Island and then there are options to get from Amtrak to ferries. I would assume if worse came to worse we could take an Uber/taxi from Amtrak to the ferries, but did not look up all the specifics.
We like to stay in Edgartown. We’ve stayed at Vineyard Square Hotel and Suites (without our kids). The room was small but quaint. Perfect location, easily walkable to shops, beach, restaurants. Harborview Hotel has a nice pool. I’ve heard good things about Winnetu but never stayed there.
How do you plan to get to the ferry without a car? Public transit in MA is really only a thing around Boston.
I literally have no idea. I am in the early planning stages. I usually book hotel first and then figure out rest of details from there No need to waste my time with little details if I don’t have anywhere to stay haha.
Per my brief googling we can take Amtrak to Boston or Rhode Island and then there are options to get from Amtrak to ferries. I would assume if worse came to worse we could take an Uber/taxi from Amtrak to the ferries, but did not look up all the specifics.
Take a bus from South Station, my preferred bus is the Peter Pan, they will drop you right at the ferry terminal. It’s one of the simplest public transit routes I’ve experienced in New England. Note: the bus ride (and any car trip) is about 90 minutes
MV actually has a pretty robust bus system for a non-urban New England setting, biking is also a big mode of transit.
I’d explore staying in Vineyard Haven, rather than Oak Bluffs. Oak Bluffs is great, but Vineyard Haven (or the town of Tisbury) is more central and is the main winter port, so transportation infrastructure is a little more robust.
I grew up on the Cape, and have some close family ties to the Vineyard, so let me know if you have specific questions.
If I recall bringing car is a big ordeal and requires some preparation ahead of time but I think people brought bikes on the ferry. The ferry ride over reminded me of the ones we took in Europe to visit various islands in Greece and Italy. I had never experienced anything like that in the US until we went to Martha's Vineyard. We didn't stay overnight but the area near where the ferry dropped us off seemed very lively with small hotels. We walked around the ferry vicinity and then took a bus route through the island to another area. At the time my kids were 7 and 3. I felt like I could back in a few years when my kids are like 14 and 10 and they could use the bus and their bikes to get around without us and it would safe.
We’re going this summer for the first time on a multi-generational trip for my parents’ 50th anniversary. I think not bringing a car would be way easier than bringing one - we were not able to get ferry reservations to bring a car on the day we are going and returning. I went online the first day that ferry reservations opened and the Saturdays were already booked. We’re staying in the Lamberts Cove area and have a large group so we need cars.
We went for a wedding so we just stayed where the wedding was held in Edgartown. Don't know how that ranks in terms of the best place to stay, but we enjoyed exploring the shoreline, lighthouse, and the shopping/dining strip.
If you can take other public transport to Logan Airport, you can take the Peter Pan bus from the airport to the ferry dock. It was about 90 minutes to the ferry, and then 45 minutes or so on the ferry.