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Martha's Vineyard

Travel Guide North America USA Northeastern United States New England Massachusetts Martha's Vineyard

Introduction

Martha's Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard is an island off the coast of Massachusetts, USA, south of Cape Cod. It's about 88 square miles (230 square kilometres) and has roughly 15,000 inhabitants. It is the largest island on the east coast of the US, not connected by bridge or tunnel and is a popular summer getaway, mainly for US citizens. Together with Chappaquiddick if forms the Outer Lands region.

Foreign travellers who want to have a taste of the island are better of visiting in the shoulder season of May/June or September, when the weather is great and the crowds are far less.

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Geography

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Towns

Oak Bluffs
Edgartown
Tisbury
West Tisbury
Chilmark
Aquinnah

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Sights and Activities

Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs
Katama Farm in Edgar Town
Wine tasting
Lake Tashmoo
Capawock Theatre
State Beach and the Inkwell Beach
Whaling Church
Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary
Gay Head Cliffs and Lighthouse
Lambert's Cove Beach

Martha's Vineyard, Mass

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Events and Festivals

The Grand Illumination
Martha's Vineyard Film Festival and Cinema Circus
Martha's Vineyard International Film Festival
Aquinnah Music Festival
Annual Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby

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Weather

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Getting There

By Plane

Martha's Vineyard Airport (MVY) has flights to a number of destinations. Cape Air flies to Boston, Nantucket and Providence, among a few other places. Other airlines flying here are ExpressJet Airlines to Newark Liberty International Airport, Piedmont Airlines to New York LaGuardia, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., and Colgan Air to LaGuardia and Hyannis in Massachusetts.

By Car

Some ferries take cars (see below), but book well in advance.

By Boat

The Steamship Authority has ferries to/from Woods Hole (mainland Massachusetts) to Vineyard Haven (nine per day in summer) and to Oak Bluffs (five per day), a 45-minute voyage ($14 round-trip, car is $230!). Book well in advance if taken a car.

Island Queen has ferries from Falmouth ($15 round-trip), and Hyline Cruises from Hyannis ($37 slow ferry, $59 fast ferry, round-trip per adult), both to Oak Bluffs. Falmouth and Hyannis are both located in Massachusetts as well.

There are smaller ferries connecting Martha's Vineyard with Quonset Point in Rhode Island.

Martha's Vineyard

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Getting Around

By Plane

By Public Transport

Martha’s Vineyard Regional Transit Authority operates buses throughout the island and it costs $6 for a daypass, $15 for a 3-day pass

By Car

There are car rental companies, but prices are usually way higher compared to mainland US, so if you are planning on doing a lot of driving, just take the car by ferry, it works out cheaper.