12-Hour Martha's Vineyard Day Trip

Set out from Boston on a 12 hour day trip to Martha's Vineyard. Spend time on the island, with the option to add an island tour. Prices start from $129.

Overview

The coach pulls away from Boston at 6:15 in the morning, and the day runs about 12 hours. Pickup is offered at a long list of Boston hotels, or travellers can meet at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf on State Street. From there the mini-coach heads south, passing the Cape Cod Canal at Buzzards Bay and through Falmouth on the way to the ferry.

The crossing to the island takes 35 to 45 minutes depending on the travel date, landing at Oak Bluffs or Vineyard Haven. Once ashore, the basic ticket leaves roughly five and a half to six hours of free time. Repeated reviewer advice points the other way: take the island tour upgrade, a three-hour narrated bus ride around all six island towns, with a 50-minute stop in downtown Edgartown and 15 minutes at the Gay Head Cliffs in Aquinnah.

Snacks, bottled water and island guidebooks are handed out on the drive, and the driver narrates much of the route. Meals are not included, though dining options wait on the island. The group is capped at 24 travellers. This trip suits people who want the logistics handled and do not mind a long day spent mostly riding.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Hotel pickup and ride southPickup runs from select Boston hotels, or meet at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf main entrance. The mini-coach passes the Cape Cod Canal at Buzzards Bay and rolls through Falmouth toward the ferry.
2. Ferry to the islandA 35-minute crossing on the Island Queen, with the ferry ticket included and the route running across Nantucket Sound. The boat lands at Oak Bluffs or Vineyard Haven depending on the travel date.
3. Oak BluffsA 15-minute stop in Oak Bluffs after landing, free to explore.
4. Camp Meeting AssociationOne hour at the Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, with free entry.
5. Flying Horses CarouselA 15-minute stop to see the carousel. Admission is not included.
6. Edgartown, optional tourA 50-minute stop to explore downtown Edgartown at leisure. This stop requires the island tour option.
7. Gay Head Cliffs, optional tourFifteen minutes to view the Gay Head Cliffs in Aquinnah, part of the island tour option. Admission to Gay Head Light is not included.
8. Return to BostonA 10-minute stop at Nobska Point Lighthouse, then an hour at the Steamship Authority ferry docks in Woods Hole before the ferry back and the coach ride to Boston. The trip ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect From The Tour

Here is what matters in practice, based on the listing and on repeated points from traveller reviews.

• Take the island tour. Several reviewers are blunt on this: without the optional island tour you see very little of the island, miss the lighthouses and learn nothing of its history. The upgrade adds a three-hour narrated bus tour covering all six towns, including the Edgartown and Aquinnah stops.
• A long day riding. The trip runs 12 hours, and reviewers describe most of it spent in a coach, on the ferry and on the island bus. There is walking involved and the listing asks for a moderate level of physical fitness. Plan for an early start and a late return.
• Food and extras. Meals and gratuities are not included. Snacks, bottled water and island guidebooks are provided on the drive, and dining options are available on the island. Admission to the Flying Horses Carousel and to Gay Head Light is also not included.
• Weather matters. The operator requires good weather, and a poor-weather cancellation comes with the choice of a different date or a full refund. One reviewer hit heavy rain in Oak Bluffs and a changed return ferry. Bring layers and rain gear.
• Capped at 24 travellers. The coach holds a maximum of 24 travellers, and the driver narrates the route both ways. Reviewers repeatedly credit the guides, on the Boston leg and on the island, for history and humor.
• Free time option. Skip the island tour and you get roughly five and a half to six hours on the island, depending on the time of year, to explore on your own. The base ticket still includes the ferry crossings, transport and the narrated drive.

Common issues. Reviewers describe this as a long day with most of it spent on transportation, and the coaches, both on the way to the ferry and on the island, draw complaints about comfort. One traveller wished for more time in Edgartown than the 50-minute stop allows. The tour is not wheelchair accessible and is not recommended for travellers with back problems or for pregnant travellers. One reviewer visiting in late September found many island stores and restaurants already closed for the season.

Common Questions