🚤Day Trips from Martha’s Vineyard: Nantucket, Cuttyhunk, Cape Cod & Beyond
Travel Times, Seasonal Schedules, Bike Tips, and Car-Free Adventures from MV in 2025
With the right ferry schedule, you can explore Nantucket, Cuttyhunk, or the Cape and still be back on MV by dinner. This guide is all about the details: travel times, seasonal schedules, bike tips, and how car-free friendly each destination really is. Let's catch a ferry and enjoy a fresh view of coastal New England this fall!
🚤 Nantucket
Ferry: Hy-Line Cruises Inter-Island Ferry or (sometimes Seastreak will run this route too, but not currently in 2025).
Route: Oak Bluffs ↔ Nantucket
Season: Mid-May–Mid-Oct (daily) (Oct 19, 2025 last day of season for Hy-Line)
Travel Time: ~1 hr 10 min each way
Schedule: One morning departure OB → Nantucket, one evening return
Car-Free Friendly? Yes — ferry lands right in downtown Nantucket, with shops, restaurants, and the Whaling Museum all within a short walk.
Bike Notes: BYO or easy to rent from multiple shops near the dock.
🚤 Cape Cod
➡ Woods Hole (Steamship Authority – Year-Round)
~45 min crossing (car & passenger ferry)
Most frequent service; ideal for reaching Falmouth or other Upper Cape towns
Car-Free Friendly? Some shops/restaurants in Woods Hole (a list of things to do in Woods Hole here), but limited without transport — buses/taxis available.
Bike Notes: BYO for the scenic Shining Sea Bikeway.
➡ Falmouth (Island Queen – Seasonal)
~35 min crossing, late May–Mid-Oct (Oct 13 last day of season), passenger only
Lands in downtown OB from Falmouth Harbor
Car-Free Friendly? Sort of, you don’t land in downtown Falmouth but would need to bike or Uber the short drive there.
Bike Notes: Bring your own
➡ Hyannis (Hy-Line Cruises – Seasonal)
~1 hr crossing, Mid-May–Mid-Oct (Oct 26 last day of season)
Car-Free Friendly? Yes — Hyannis Main Street and harbor attractions are right off the dock
Bike Notes: Multiple rental shops steps from the ferry.
Islander Notes: There is an Islander Rate Discount available, $24 round trip.
🚤Chappaquiddick
Ferry: Chappy Ferry (“On Time” Ferry)
Route: Downtown Edgartown (Memorial Wharf) ↔ Chappaquiddick Point (527 feet across the harbor)
Travel Time: 2–3 minutes
Season: Year-round, 6:45 AM–Midnight in summer (hours vary off-season)
Schedule: Continuous, every few minutes; 1–2 cars per trip, pedestrians and bikes board quickly
Car-Free Friendly? Somewhat — but note that most attractions (Mytoi Gardens, Wasque, Cape Poge) are 2–3 miles or more from the ferry landing. Best with a bike or car.
Bike Notes: Allowed, rentals available in Edgartown before you board.
On-Island Notes: No stores or restaurants, bring food and water. Conservation trails, beaches, and gardens are the main draws.
🚤 Cuttyhunk
Ferry: Arrange a Private Boat Charter
Route: Typically arranged from Menemsha ↔ Cuttyhunk
Season: Select summer days (usually Tues/Thurs)
Travel Time: ~1 hr 15 min each way
Schedule: Limited sailings; mid-morning out, mid-afternoon back
Car-Free Friendly? Yes, but remote — very small village, limited shops, one beach. Great for quiet walks, birding, or picnics, but not much to explore.
Bike Notes: No rentals; BYO for a slow loop around the island’s dirt roads.
Cuttyhunk Ferry Company also runs from New Bedford
🚤 New Bedford
Ferry: Seastreak Fast Ferry
Route: Oak Bluffs ↔ New Bedford (through Oct 13, will switch to Vineyard Haven in off-season.)
Travel Time: ~1 hr 30 min from VH to New Bedford
Car-Free Friendly? Some attractions and dining in walking range in New Bedford, but better if you have wheels — rideshares and buses available.
Bike Notes: BYO or rentals available in New Bedford.
🚤Providence/Quonset
Ferry: Rhode Island Fast Ferry
Route: Quonset Point (North Kingstown, RI) ↔ Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard
Travel Time: ~1 hr 35 min each way
Season: Late spring through early fall (ended Sept 22)
Schedule: Morning and afternoon departures from both sides
Car-Free Friendly? On the RI side, you’ll need to drive, taxi, or Uber to the city (about 35 minutes).
Bike Notes: No safe or practical biking route from Providence to Quonset terminal.
🏝 Other Nearby Destinations (Private Charter Day Trips)
Naushon Island: Privately owned; most visits are sightseeing by boat only, though some captains can arrange limited beach access with permission.
Pasque & Nashawena Islands: Part of the Elizabeth chain; uninhabited, scenic, sometimes included on fishing trips.
Penikese Island: Tiny island at the end of the chain, often a stop on wildlife or history cruises.
Sandwich (Cape Cod): Longer run to the Cape Cod Canal, Sandwich Boardwalk, or Heritage Museums & Gardens; possible on a full-day charter.
Buzzards Bay coves: Good for fishing, swimming, or quiet picnic stops (commonly reached from Menemsha).
⚠️ Ferry & Parking Tips
Limited Parking: Very little all-day parking near VH or OB terminals; arrange a drop-off or taxi.
Weather Cancellations: Smaller ferries and fast ferries can be canceled for wind or rough seas.
Connections: If you’re pairing ferries (e.g., MV → Cape → Nantucket), allow at least an hour between sailings.
Bikes on Ferries: Most ferries allow bikes for a small extra fee, check current rates and drop-off locations before boarding.
📅 Seasonality Snapshot
Many routes run May–Oct only; schedules shrink sharply after Labor Day.
Year-Round Pick: Steamship Authority (Woods Hole)
Seasonal: Hy-Line to Nantucket & Hyannis
If you live year-round on MV, or are here for an extended stay and want to see more of Coastal New England, these are the six easiest options for you to get away and back within one day. Each ferry offers a chance to explore somewhere new while knowing you’ll be home on the Vineyard the same evening with no overnight stay required. Enjoy!
Oooooh this is a fun guide! I neeeeeed this (spoken as someone who hasn't left the rock since April)