🛻 How to Get Around Martha's Vineyard (2023)
breakdown of transportation options - bikes, rental cars, buses and more
A post for the visitors! Last week I spent a lot of time updating and fleshing out the gaps in my travel guide posts for visitors. My everything MV guide has been updated and will live on our homepage. That guide contains ALL the most important travel infographics and sub-links to the posts that go into more detail. I hope people find it useful! Today I want to talk about options to get around MV - because most visitors DON’T bring a car, and they don’t need one either!
The MVacay TLDR; if you’re staying for a weekend (in Edgartown, Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs), you really don’t need a car to enjoy the best parts of MV.
By VTA Bus 🚌
Pros - The Vineyard Transit Authority is an inexpensive public bus system that runs busses to almost anywhere you need to go. They run frequently, and tickets are easy to buy on your phone.
Cons - if a bus route is full, they won’t stop to pick you up. If you’re trying to bring a bike, the bike rack might be full too. It’s not always the most direct option depending on your destination, and it runs during limited hours.
More Info - Purchase 1 Day ($8), 3 Day ($18), 7 Day, 31 Day, 100 Day and 365 Day travel passes from your phone at app.vineyardtransit.com. Or, pay as you go. VTA buses are equipped with electronic fareboxes - exact change cash fares will be accepted. During the Peak-Season fares are $2.00 per town, each way, including town of origin.
By Taxi 📱
There are local taxis and large vans at all ferry terminals standing by for visitors. Of course, Uber and Lyft are also available on the island as well. During the season, there can be significant traffic heading downtown, so expect delays.
Pros - You can get exactly where you need to go at the time you need to be there!
Cons - You may be sitting in traffic while a biker frustratingly speeds past you! Also, surge pricing after the bars let out etc will make this a very pricey option.
By Rental Car 🚗
There are plenty of rental cars available on the island, though we recommend an advanced reservation. You can use the usual Avis, Hertz, Budget, Turo etc that you would use anywhere else.
Pros - If the ferry reservations are booked solid, or you’re flying, this might be the best way to access a car if you need one.
Cons - It can be incredibly expensive, and due to the high demand they can be fully rented. Also, don’t forget about the traffic I mentioned and the even more difficult lack of parking most places.
More Info - if you’re trying to rent a car that you can drive ON to the beach (OSV), there are restrictions on rental cars doing this. Additionally, there are parking restrictions at most town beaches where you must have a permit to rent in certain locations.
You can also check out MV Auto Rental or Sun N Fun if you don’t find what you’re looking for on traditional sites.
By Bike 🚴♀️
Pros - biking is essentially free once you get your bike here, and you get to skip all the traffic you zoom by! Plus, you can bring them on the VTA too.
Cons - The island is way bigger than most people expect, and you’d need to be incredibly fit to travel to see all the things you may want to or head up-island. There are definitely paths, but the roads with paths may not be the most direct route from A to B.
More Info - I’ve got a whole bike roundup here that details how to bring your bike to the island, how to rent one here, paths, etc.
By Tour Bus 🎤
Pros - Tours are so efficient because you can see the whole island in one day! They can be customized, and you can travel with your group without the stress of having to drive.
Cons - Some of the buses have very set schedules and so you can’t go wherever you want, and some of the tours can be expensive.
More Info - I’ve got a whole tour bus roundup here that details the differences between the buses, contact info, pricing, etc. Definitely worth checking out!
Other Options ⛴️
By boat - there is a bike ferry in Menemsha if you’d like to use that (more info in the bike post). This post shares about private tours you can get once youre here and more boat info if that’s your thing!
By moped - though controversial because of the slow speed and traffic they cause, there are mopeds to rent on the island.
Bringing your car over on the Steamship Authority Ferry - just a reminder that you CAN bring your car, and the SA from Woods Hole is the only option to do so. You must make an advanced reservation and it can be quite expensive and difficult to get in the off-season. But it’s always an option!
Hopefully this overview helps you weigh your options when deciding how you will get around MV! As always, let us know if there’s anything we missed or you’d like more info on!