⚓ Chappaquiddick Visitors Guide - Martha's Vineyard (2024)
⚓ Chappaquiddick Visitors Guide - Martha's Vineyard (2024)
everything you need to know to plan your visit - riding the chappy ferry, hikes and highlights when you arrive, and faq's
Chappaquiddick, a quaint extension of Martha's Vineyard, serves as a sanctuary for nature lovers and history buffs alike. This visitor's guide introduces you the basics of how to ride the 'On Time' ferry that connects you, what to do when you arrive, and practical tips for making the most of your visit.
Notes of Caution for First Time Visitors
Chappy is quite large and most attractions are 2-3 miles from where you arrive on the ferry, so it’s advisable to bring a bike or car
Bringing a car can result in very long wait times to board the ferry in the morning or heading back in the afternoon
There are no stores or restaurants on Chappy, so bring food and time your visit accordingly.
Still sound good? Then keep reading!
Things to Know about the Chappy Ferry
Where and How to Board: The ferry operates between a dock that boards in downtown Edgartown (Memorial Wharf - 53 Dock Street) and Chappaquiddick Point. The vehicle waiting line forms on Daggett Street and when busy can extend back onto Simpson’s Lane.
Payment: Tickets should be purchased via credit card at the kiosk before boarding the ferry or via cash on board. Collected on the way there only
Passenger — $5.00 round-trip
Car and driver — $15.00 round-trip
Bike and rider — $7.00 round trip
Trip Length: The crossing is brief 2-3 minutes, linking two points just 527 feet apart.
Hours: Operates from 6:45 am until Midnight in the summer
Seasonal Wait Times: To bring a car over the wait can be hours at times, though it is much quicker for bikes and passengers only.
For more detailed fare information and other specifics, visiting the Chappy Ferry website is recommended: Chappy Ferry.
What To Do When you Get to Chappy
Chappaquiddick features one 4-mile long main road, only partly paved, extending to Wasque Point. Chappy is not very walkable.
Here are the most popular attractions:
See Beauty at Mytoi Gardens.: Explore a 14-acre Japanese-inspired garden with winding paths through meticulously arranged landscapes.
Open daily from 9am to 5pm, admission is free for members and $5 for nonmembers.
Lounge or Fly Fish on Wasque Beach: Wasque offers a unique beach experience with its ever-changing landscape due to coastal erosion and shifting sands.
Accessible via a 2.5-mile drive from the ferry, following by a short journey on dirt roads
Admission for non-members is $20 for parking, walkers and bikers pay $5. Remember, swimming can be hazardous due to strong currents.
Visit Cape Poge Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge:
This is about a 1-hour walk (3 miles) from Chappy Point, so we suggest a car or bike for this excursion.
Explore the Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge which includes with trails, a pedestrian-only beach, and over-sand vehicle (OSV) access. Admission fees are paid at Mytoi.
Take a tour of the historic lighthouse while you’re there!
Visit Dike Bridge: Tourists are often interested to visit the site of a famous incident from 1969 where Sen. Ted Kennedy was involved in a car accident that took the life of Mary Jo Kopechne. Even 50 years later, interest in the accident persists with a recent movie The Chappaquiddick Incident premiering in 2019.
Explore Chappaquiddick Island with a Hike:
Trails MV is a handy app that describes all of the hiking options across the island, a few of our favorites are (pick 4 and write summaries of each):
Poucha Pond: Closest with easy access for those seeking water views along a 1.5-mile trail.
Caleb’s Pond Preserve: Near Poucha Pond, offering peaceful walks along a 2-mile path.
Packard Preserve: Slightly further, featuring a 1.2-mile trail through diverse landscapes.
Hal and Olive Tilghman Preserve: A bit more distant, with a 2.5-mile trail through varied terrain.
Three Ponds Reservation: Similar in proximity to Hal and Olive Tilghman Preserve, with a 1.8-mile trail.
Tom's Neck Preserve: Offers ocean views on a 2-mile loop, located towards the southeastern part of the island.
Quammox Preserve: The furthest, with a 3.2-mile trail featuring marshland and ocean vistas.
Disclaimers: Dogs must be leashed. Check for ticks after hiking. During hunting season, wear bright colors for safety.
Fun Facts:
Chappy Ferry is the oldest business on the waters of Martha’s Vineyard
The ferry served as the setting for a pivotal scene in “Jaws”
The website features live web cams so residents can see the wait time and line at the ferry
Over a thousand acres of the island are dedicated to conservation, offering activities like hiking and fishing in scenic, often secluded areas.
Chappaquiddick has a rich Wampanoag heritage, originally called "Cheppiaquidne," meaning "separate island."
FAQs
Is Chappy an island?
Sometimes! Chappy is technically a peninsula of the Vineyard, though it has been both.
Are there restaurants and hotels on Chappy?
Nope! There can occasionally be some homes listed for rent from island agencies, VRBO or AirBnB.
What time of year can I visit Chappy?
Year-round
