 A common question we get from potential visitors is, “How do I get there?” Being an Island and all, people sometimes think it’s like travelling to a different Universe. But, in reality, getting to Martha’s Vineyard is pretty darn easy — and there are more ways than one!
1. By Sea: Ferries make regular daily runs between Martha’s Vineyard and the mainland (or what locals more commonly refer to as “America”). The Steamship Authority is a year-round provider out of Woods Hole on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and is the only ferry service that accommodates vehicles. Three seasonal passenger ferries depart from points on the Cape, and all allow bicycles for an additional fee: the Island Queen connects Falmouth on the Cape to Oak Bluffs on the Island; Hy-Line Cruises connects Hyannis to Oak Bluffs; and the Falmouth-Edgartown Ferry connects — you guessed it! — Falmouth and Edgartown. The Vineyard Fast Ferry leaves North Kingston, Rhode Island, and is a popular choice for travelers from Connecticut. Coming from New York or New Jersey? The SeaStreak departs from Highlands, NJ, and E. 35th Street in New York City, allowing you to leave your car behind entirely. Either way, getting to the ferries is easy! Here are directions to reach the ferries by car and by bus. 2. By Air: Martha’s Vineyard is easily accessible by plane. Cape Air offers year-round service from Boston, and additional seasonal service from New Bedford, MA, Hyannis, MA, Nantucket, MA; Westchester, NY; and Providence, RI. JetBlue and Delta airlines provide seasonal service direct from New York’s JFK airport to Martha’s Vineyard between Memorial Day and Labor Day. US Airways provides seasonal direct service from Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport. Coming from another country? No problem! Fly into Boston and either take Cape Air to the Vineyard, or hop on the Peter Pan Bus to the Steamship Authority in Woods Hole and take a ferry over. 3. By Bus: Since we’re an Island, you won’t be able to take the bus directly to us, but you can take the bus from numerous cities to a ferry! Peter Pan/Bonanza Bus Line offers daily, year-round service to Woods Hole from Boston and from New York (stopping in Providence). Plymouth Brockton Bus provides service year-round from Boston to Hyannis, but remember the ferry from Hyannis to the Island only runs from May-October. Seasonal bus service to Vineyard Fast Ferry in Quonset Point, Rhode Island, New Bedford, MA, and Woods Hole, MA from the upper east side or upper west side of Manhattan is available from Adventure Northeast Transportation Service. 4. By Train: Again, you won’t be taking a train directly to Martha’s Vineyard, since there are no land routes, bridges, or tunnels connecting us to the mainland. But train travel is certainly a great option to make your trip to the Island easier. There are two Amtrak options when coming by train from New York City and locations south. The train from New York to Boston’s South Station is the only year-round train option. Once at South Station, you can take a car service or the Peter Ban Bus to Woods Hole, and hop on a ferry from there. There’s also an Amtrak train from New York to Kingston, Rhode Island that runs seasonally. From there, the Martha’s Vineyard Fast Ferry provides direct shuttle service to and from the train station, which makes getting from the train to the ferry a cinch. The Steamship Authority and Hy-line Cruises are both accessible by the CapeFLYER seasonal rail service (operated by Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority) to provide seamless and car-free transportation to our Island, with connections to Woods Hole and Hyannis for ferry transportation. It might seem like a lot, especially for a first-timer, but — trust us! — it’s easier than you realize. And once you get here, you’ll see for yourself how the few extra travel steps are totally worth it. See you on the Vineyard! |
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