Travel

Travel Note

Multiple Modes of Transport Required - READ THIS FIRST

You CANNOT directly drive to Martha's Vineyard. You must either ferry to the island from a coast town in Southern MA or RI or fly to the airport on the island. If you are traveling from farther away than New York, we would recommend flying to Boston (BOS) and driving or taking the bus to the ferry terminal. On average, flying to Martha's Vineyard (MVY) on JetBlue or American (the two major airlines that service MVY) via NYC will cost you twice as much as a round trip ticket to Boston. Flying to MVY via BOS is possible on CapeAir. You can do this if you want but be advised - their planes are small. Very small. Like 10-seater, weigh you before they take off small. If you're coming to the Vineyard from the mid-Atlantic or nearer, transiting by bus or train to Boston and then following the directions in Step 2A/B is a viable solution as is driving. We recommend driving to Woods Hole for maximum flexibility.

Travel Note

For Locals: Driving Suggestions

We can't give you better directions than Google or Waze can. Maybe better than Apple Maps, but that's not the point. We do want to note though that if you have not driven to Cape Cod before, you should know that traffic can get VERY bad during peak times, and worse if there is inclement weather. It is wise to allow for at least 2 hours for travel between the greater Boston area and the ferry terminal in Woods Hole. If you are driving from further south, we would recommend bypassing Boston entirely and approaching the Cape via Providence, RI using I-95 and I-195. Remember, there is no dockside parking near the ferry terminal in Woods Hole. However, there is an abundance of off-site parking in the adjacent town of Falmouth (about a 10 minute drive away). Shuttle buses between the parking lots and the terminal run frequently - it is wise to board the bus at least 45 minutes before the scheduled ferry departure time to allow for adequate transit time. The ferry departing from Woods Hole does allow your vehicle to travel with you if you desire, with prior reservation. We recommend booking at least 3 months in advance (by mid-June) to guarantee your desired time slot. Be advised - the rate for a standard issue passenger vehicle to travel with you is about $270 round trip. If you take this option, proceed directly to the terminal entrance and follow the harbor staff's instructions. You must arrive at least 30 minutes before ferry departure to guarantee your reservation is honored. Alternatively, you can follow Step 2B below and take a Peter Pan bus from South Station in downtown Boston. Scroll down for more details!

Travel Note

Coming from far out of town? No Problem! Step 1: Get to Boston

We recommend flying first to Boston Logan Airport (BOS). All major airlines serve BOS. Ground transportation after landing at BOS is easy to navigate - buses to Boston (silver line "subway"), shuttles to the rental car center, and buses to Martha's Vineyard all pickup curbside to the terminals. The only non-standard air travel recommendation we have is that the food at BOS is a bit limited and tends to close early. There are no significant options for food pre-security and wait times for food on the other side are frequently longer than at security. If possible, we would advise eating (and caffienating if needed) before arriving at the airport. If you would like to come into Boston for a spell before proceeding to the Vineyard, we recommend either the Silver Line (a bus that claims it's a subway) or a Taxi. We have uber/lyft here, but surge pricing tends to make trips to/from the airport more expensive than a standard issue taxi. The Silver Line is free from the airport, with a free transfer to the rest of the subway (The "T") after you arrive at South Station. For more information about the bus and subway system, check out the website: https://www.mbta.com There are many other transportation options (i.e. direct buses to the outer suburbs) from the airport depending on your intermediate destination. Check out https://www.massport.com/logan-airport/to-from-logan/transportation-options/ for more information. The alternative airport of choice for this excursion to the New England area is Providence, RI (PVD). PVD is equidistant to Martha's Vineyard from BOS, but non-car transportation options from PVD are fewer. Providence is a cute place - if you are looking to explore New England a bit on either side of the event, it's a cool spot to hit!

Travel Note

Step 2A: Get to Martha's Vineyard Via Car from Boston then Ferry

Rent a car from your preferred rental car supplier and proceed to the highlighted route given by your favorite map app. If you do not plan to take your vehicle on the ferry: Your destination is 286 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA, which is the parking lot for the Steamship Authority. It is permissible (and likely preferred) to leave your rental car in the this parking lot for the duration of your time on the island, even if you will rent an additional car on the island itself. It is best to leave Boston at least 2.75 hours before the ferry that you plan to catch - 2 hours for transit to the parking lot and 45 minutes to allow for parking and shuttle transit time. You can find the ferry schedule here: https://www.steamshipauthority.com/. To allow enough time to get settled before the event, we recommend taking the ferry no later than the 2:30PM boat on Saturday afternoon. Please check the Steamship Authority website for day-of updates in boat schedules. You do not need a ticket reservation prior to arriving at the ferry terminal, simply stop by the terminal building once your arrive at the dock to buy a ticket. You can also buy e-tickets and present them on your smartphone for boarding (https://app.steamshipauthority.com/). Tickets are good for the day, so if you buy ahead of your arrival and then miss your target boat, you can board the next one with the same ticket. If you plan to take your vehicle on the ferry: You must make a reservation for your vehicle in advance (we recommend no later than mid-June - reservations open in mid-January for the season) If you are planning to bring a rental car, you can select the option to defer entering vehicle information until later. Please be advised that it costs about $270 for the vehicle to travel round-trip. Proceed directly to the ferry terminal in Woods Hole - 1 Cowdry Rd, Woods Hole, MA. You must arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled boat to keep your reservation.

Travel Note

Step 2B: Get to Martha's Vineyard via Bus from Boston then Ferry

If you are transiting direct from the airport to Martha's Vineyard, you will be happy to know that scheduled inter-city buses pickup curbside at each terminal! Proceed to the baggage claim/arrivals level and follow the signs for "scheduled bus" to find your pickup zone. We recommend the Peter Pan bus for service to the Woods Hole Steamship Authority Ferry Terminal. It is about a 2.5 hour ride from the airport to the ferry terminal. This bus requires advanced ticketing - you can book your ticket on their website: https://peterpanbus.com/. At time of writing, there are 7 buses offered per day, evenly spread from 8am to 6:15pm. One-way fare starts at $32. The final ferry for the night leaves Woods Hole at 9:30pm to arrive at Martha's Vineyard at approximately 10:15pm. If you are planning to spend time in Boston before catching your bus (as in your plan to leave the airport - or you never went to the airport because you live here), you can also catch the Peter Pan bus from the South Station Bus Terminal (one door down from the Amtrak train station). We recommend that if you're not already at the airport, you catch the bus from South Station, it's much easier to get to South Station than it is to get to the airport from most points of interest in Boston. The bus drop-off/pick-up point in Woods Hole is on the property of the Ferry Terminal. Simply proceed to the ticket counter to get a ticket and board the ferry when you are able.

Travel Note

Other Ferries to Martha's Vineyard

If your planned pre-wedding shenanigans make it logistically undesirable to make it to the Woods Hole ferry, there are several alternative options from a variety of locations. Note: The only ferry that allows vehicles is the Woods Hole - Martha's Vineyard route. All other ferries are passenger only. Hyline Cruises - Inter-island Ferries and Travel from Hyannis, MA: https://hylinecruises.com/ Hyline Cruises offers passenger ferries between Hyannis, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard multiple times per day. If you want to check out more of Cape Cod and/or the other off-shore Massachusetts borough called Nantucket, you may wish to take advantage of this option! Prices may vary by route. Check the schedule for more detailed information. Rhode Island Fast Ferry from Quonset Point, RI near Providence: https://www.fastferry.com/marthas-vineyard-fast-ferry/ Passenger ferry service is also available from the greater Providence area. There are two ferries per day between Quonset Point, RI and Oaks Bluffs. Advance Reservations are required. Round Trip service is $89 for a standard adult ticket. Alternative Falmouth Ferry, The Island Queen: https://islandqueen.com/ This passenger-only ferry runs a very similar route to the Steamship Authority boats. Round trip fare is $25. Dockside parking in Falmouth is available for $20 per day (cash only). Advance tickets are suggested but not required.

Rental Car

Multiple Companies

If you would like to explore the towns near the venue and the associated beaches, renting a car on the island is not required to get the full experience! The area is very walkable and there is public transit (inter-town buses) and Taxis/Rideshares readily available. If you would like to rent a car to explore the other areas of the island (particularly the west and southern areas) we recommend either A-A Island Auto Rentals (https://www.mvautorental.com/) Hertz, or Budget. Book far in advance (preferably by June) because the cars do sell out for the weekend. Don't sweat if you rented a car once to get to Woods Hole and then rented a car again on the island because you wanted to go exploring. This is done quite frequently.

Hotel

Harbor View Hotel

Hotel

Faraway Martha's Vineyard

This is a collection of small boutique hotel houses in Edgartown with a central booking system

Hotel

Vineyard Square Hotel & Suites

Hotel

Edgar Hotel Martha's Vineyard, Ascend Hotel Collection

Hotel

The Harborside Inn

Hotel

The Charlotte Inn

Hotel

The Richard

Hotel

Hob Knob

Hotel

Airbnb/VRBO/Other Vacation Rental

Rent an Airbnb on your own or with some people you know coming to the wedding! There are plenty of options in Oaks Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, and Edgartown! Book early because these do go fast!