Martha's Vineyard is directly accessible by ferry or plane. The great majority of our visitors arrive by ferry. Daily, year round automobile and passenger ferry service is available from Woods Hole, Massachusetts via the Steamship Authority ferries, www.steamshipauthority.com . Daily, year round passenger-only ferry service is also available from New Bedford, Massachusetts on the Martha's Vineyard Express Ferry, www.mvexpressferry.com, and from Falmouth Harbor, Massachusetts aboard the little known Patriot Boats, www.patriotpartyboats.com . Seasonal passenger-only ferry service is also available from other ferry companies that operate out of Falmouth, Hyannis and New Bedford Massachusetts (see listings below). All ferry services offer pay-parking lots at their mainland docks, usually about $10.00 per calendar day. You virtually never need a reservation as a walk-on ferry passenger at any of the ferry companies, and your bicycle is always welcome for a nominal additional charge. Reservations are required to bring an automobile over with the Steamship Authority. Year-round and seasonal air service to Martha's Vineyard is also available. See listings below.
* An important note about bringing your car to Martha's Vineyard on the Steamship Authority boats: A ferry reservation for your car is relatively expensive during the summer (up to $124.00 round trip, plus passenger fare of $12.00/person) and can be hard to get. If you can't get a convenient ferry reservation for your car, why not consider parking your car on the mainland at any of the ferry company parking lots and come over as a walk-on passenger. Martha's Vineyard has a terrific public transportation system of buses and taxis that make it easy to get anywhere on Martha's Vineyard without your car. And the Nashua House Hotel is right in the heart of the village of Oak Bluffs and is a short walk from any of the ferry docks. From the Nashua House you can easily walk to all of the wonderful historic sites, restaurants, shops and beaches in Oak Bluffs, and take the public bus or a taxi to our neighboring towns of Vineyard Haven and Edgartown. Bicycle and car rentals are also available on-island.
" The Steamship Authority" (passenger and auto)
www.steamshipauthority.com . 508-477-8600. The Steamship Authority runs the only automobile ferries to Martha's Vineyard. The trip takes 45 minutes and the ferry will arrive at either Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs, both on the island of Martha's Vineyard. If your ferry arrives in Oak Bluffs, The Nashua House is just a short two-minute walk. If your ferry arrives in Vineyard Haven, you are just ten minutes away from Oak Bluffs by taxi or public bus. If you have your car, see driving directions to the Nashua House below.
Driving Directions From The Steamship Authority Ferry Dock In Vineyard Haven To The Nashua House Hotel In Oak Bluffs
Please click on the map for a larger view,
and printable directions.
Driving Directions From The Steamship Authority Ferry Dock In Vineyard Haven To The Nashua House Hotel In Oak Bluffs (downloading map from this page will be very helpful).
Driving Instructions From Steamship Authority (Ferry) Terminal In Oak Bluffs To The Nashua House Hotel In Oak Bluffs.
"SeaStreak" Ferry (passenger only)
www.SeaStreak.com 866-683-3779. Offers direct service from NJ, NYC and New Bedford to Martha's Vineyard.
"Patriot Boats" (passenger only) (year round)
www.patriotpartyboats.com 800-734-0088, 508-548-2626. Operates daily from Falmouth Harbor, Falmouth, Massachusetts. This boat line is not well known but operates the earliest daily departure to Martha's Vineyard: 3:30 a.m. (the newspaper boat), as well as about eight other daily crossings. The one-way fare is $7.00. The trip takes 35 minutes. Also available as an emergency 24-hour water taxi service. These people will get you onto or off of Martha's Vineyard when no one else can, or will.
"The Island Queen" (passenger only) (seasonal)
www.islandqueen.com Operates out of Falmouth Harbor, Falmouth, Massachusetts. Phone: 508-548-4800. The Island Queen makes the 35-minute trip to Oak Bluffs from late May through Columbus Day. The round-trip fee is $18 per passenger, $4 for bicycles.
"Vineyard Fast Ferry" (passenger only)
www.vineyardfastferry.com 401-295-4040. Largest fast ferry to Martha's Vineyard (400 passengers) operating from Quonset Point in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Travel time is 90- minutes. Closest ferry to Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Western Massachusetts. Offers Providence Airport & Amtrak Shuttle Service for only $15.00. Online advance reservations and first-class amenities.
"The Hy-Line" (passenger only)
www.hy-linecruises.com Operates from the Ocean Street Dock, Hyannis, Massachusetts. 508-778-2600; 800-492-8082; 508-778-2602 for reservations; 508-693-0112 in Oak Bluffs. Makes the 1¾-hour trip to Oak Bluffs from May to October. The one-way per-person cost is $13.50; bicycles are $5. The parking lot in Hyannis fills up in summer so call to reserve space.
"The Hy-Line" (passenger only)
www.hy-linecruises.com Call Hy-Line Cruises 800-492-8082 or book on-line. Makes the 2¼-hour trip to and from Oak Bluffs from early June to mid-September. This is the only inter-island passenger service available between Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket and does not allow for day trips. You must either spend the night on Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard if you are using this boat line.
Peterpan Bus Lines (year round)
www.peterpanbus.com 800-343-9999. The Peterpan Bus operates daily service to the Woods Hole, Massachusetts Steamship Authority Ferry Terminal from Boston's Logan Airport, from Boston's South Station Transportation Hub, from Providence Rhode Island, points in Connecticut, and from downtown New York City. These are very clean, well operated buses that Vineyarders use to get to and from Boston, New York City, etc, without a car. One-way passenger fare from Logan Airport is $27.00 and takes two hours.
From New York City and points in Connecticut
Take Interstate 95 to Providence, Rhode Island. From Providence take Interstate 195 East to Wareham, Massachusetts/Cape Cod, Exit 22a (Interstate 195 ends at this point), "To Cape Cod and the Islands, State Route 25". Take State Route 25 East for 8 miles; go over the Bourne Bridge (everyone except the driver can look out at the terrific views of the Cape Cod Canal). At the eastern end of the Bourne Bridge there is a rotary. Travel halfway around the rotary and get on State Route 28, "to Falmouth and Woods Hole". You are now officially on Cape Cod: Welcome! Continue on State Route 28 approximately 10 miles to Falmouth, Massachusetts. The cross street of the first traffic light you come to in the town of Falmouth is "Jones Road". Proceed straight through this intersection, and travel ½ mile. On your right, you will see a sign that says "Steamship Authority Parking, Palmer Avenue Lot". There will be a smaller sign hanging under the main sign that will say either "This Lot Closed, Park Woods Hole", or "Woods Hole Lot Closed, Park Here". If you are taking the Steamship Authority Ferry to Martha's Vineyard and you are to park at the Palmer Avenue Lot, pull in, park, and take the free shuttle down to the Ferry in Woods Hole. If you are to continue to Woods Hole, travel another approximate 1 mile until you come to a blinking light, where the road forks. You will bear to the right at this light while noticing signs that say "to Vineyard Ferry". Travel an additional 5 miles and you will come to the village of Woods Hole. The Steamship Authority Ferry Parking lot is to your left. Pull up to the "Shack" and you will be advised where to park. Distance from New York City: approximately 250 miles. If you are taking any ferry service to Martha's Vineyard other than The Steamship Authority, consult that ferry company's web site for directions to their respective dock.
From Boston
The "Route 24" route (our preference). From Interstate 93 take State Route 24 Southbound to Interstate 495. Take Interstate 495 Southeast toward Cape Cod. Interstate 495 becomes State Route 25. Continue on State Route 25 to the Bourne Bridge. Follow Directions above from Bourne Bridge to Falmouth and Woods Hole.
The "Route 3" route". From Interstate 93 South take State Route 3 (aka the Southeast Expressway) from Braintree to the Sagamore Bridge. At the Sagamore Bridge take Route 6 West for three miles to the Bourne Bridge . Follow directions above from Bourne Bridge to Falmouth and Woods Hole.
From Points in Western Massachusetts
Get on the Massachusetts Turnpike, aka Interstate 90, heading East. Take exit 11a, Route 495 South. Follow 495 South until it ends and becomes State Route 25 East. Continue East on State Route 25 to the Bourne Bridge. Follow directions above from Bourne Bridge to Falmouth and Woods Hole.
The Nashua House Hotel is 15 minutes from Martha's Vineyard Airport (MVY), which is serviced year-round by Cape Air and seasonally by US Airways and Jet Blue.
Cape Air www.flycapeair.com 800-352-0714 Year round Service to Martha's Vineyard from Boston's Logan Airport (BOS), Providence, Rhode Island (PVD), New Bedford Regional Airport (EWB), Provincetown Municipal Airport (PVC), Hyannis' Boardman-Polando Field (HYA), and the Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK).
U.S. Airways Express www.usairways.com 800-428-4322 Seasonal service to Martha's Vineyard from New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Washington D.C.'s Reagan National Airport (DCA)
Jet Blue www.jetblue.com 800-538-2583 Seasonal service to Martha's Vineyard from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport(JFK).
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