Martha's Vineyard Info


Budget Martha's VineyardTHE ISLAND!
In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold, a British fisherman, discovered the Island and named it after his firstborn daughter Martha and the thick vegetation.

The Island is 9 miles wide and 20 miles long at its furthest points; the total land area is approximately 96 square miles. Martha's Vineyard has a total of 124.6 miles of tidal shoreline spread over six small towns, and approximately one-third of the Island’s land mass is protected – meaning it will never be developed.

The six towns are Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, Edgartown, West Tisbury, Chilmark and Aquinnah (also known as Gay Head). Popular villages such as Vineyard Haven is part of Tisbury and Menemsha is part of Chilmark. Chappaquiddick, or "Chappy" is an Island and is part of Edgartown. It is accessible by ferry and only connected by sand, but storms and hurricanes have been known to separate the two. The last such separation was in 2007 and the two Islands were connected again as of April 2015. Up Island is West Tisbury, Chilmark and Aquinnah or Gay Head, Down Island is Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Tisbury.

The population changes dramatically from one season to the next. Martha’s Vineyard has a year-round population of about 15,500 swelling to 115,000 in the summer. Approximately 63% of the Island’s housing is second homes for seasonal residents, and an additional 10,000 visitors travel every day mid-June through mid-September.

Some Fun Facts:
  • Martha's Vineyard is one of the nation's most popular wedding destinations.
  • Hand carved in New York City in 1876, the "Flying Horses Carousel" in Oak Bluffs is the oldest continuously operating carousel in the country.
  • The movie Jaws was filmed on Martha's Vineyard in 1974

HOW TO GET HERE!
You need to travel by boat or plane to get to the Island. It's closest point to the main land is Falmouth which is 7 miles away. There are 6 ferry companies and 4 airlines that serve the Island.

FERRIES:
Budget Martha's VineyardVineyard Ferries – www.Vineyardferries.com
One web site that has all ferry travel to the Island. Below are the companies that provide service to the Island

Steamship Authority – www.steamshipauthority.com
Year round service into Vineyard Haven with seasonal service to Oak Bluffs and departs from Woods Hole in Falmouth. This is the only ferry that carries cars

Island Queen – http://islandqueen.com/
Seasonal service out of Falmouth, MA into Oak Bluffs.

Hy-Line – https://hylinecruises.com
Seasonal service out of Hyannis into Oak Bluffs. This is the only inter-Island ferry from the Vineyard to Nantucket.

Budget Martha's VineyardPatriot Water Shuttle – http://www.patriotpartyboats.com/watershuttle.php
Year round service from Falmouth Harbor to Oak Bluffs

Sea Streak – https://seastreak.com/
Seasonal Service from New Bedford to Oak Bluffs

Vineyard Fast Ferry – http://www.vineyardfastferry.com/
Seasonal service from Quonsett Point RI to Oak Bluffs


AIRLINES COMMERCIAL:
Budget Martha's VineyardMarthas Vineyard Airport – http://www.mvyairport.com
Has 4 commercial airlines in and out of the Island.

Cape Air – http://www.mvyairport.com/airlineinfo/capeair.php
Cape Air regularly serves the Airport year-round from many locations including: Boston's Logan International Airport (BOS), White Plains Westchester County Airport (HPN), New Bedford Regional Airport (EWB), Hyannis' Boardman-Polando Field (HYA) and the Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK). They also offer seasonal service to Providence's T.F. Green Airport (PVD), and Provincetown Municipal Airport (PVC).

Delta – http://www.mvyairport.com/airlineinfo/delta.php
Delta Connection will be offering daily service to Martha's Vineyard from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) from May to September. For more information regarding their scheduled service, please click here or call (800) 221-1212

Jet Blue – http://www.mvyairport.com/airlineinfo/jetblue.php
Jet Blue will be offering daily service to Martha's Vineyard from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) from May to September. For more information regarding their scheduled service, please click here or call (800) JETBLUE (800-538-2583).

Budget Martha's VineyardAmerican Airlines – http://www.mvyairport.com/airlineinfo/americanairlines.php
American Airlines will be offering daily service to Martha's Vineyard from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). For more information regarding their scheduled service, please click here or call (800) 428-4322.


OTHER LINKS TO ASSIST IN PLANNING YOUR VISIT
Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce – www.MVY.com

Martha's Vineyard Online –
www.MVOL.com

Map of Martha's Vineyard –
http://www.capecodchamber.org/sites/chamber/files/pages/0000/0028/MVMap-lg.jpg

Upcoming Events –
https://www.ticketsmv.com/

Bicycle Rentals –
www.MVEBike.com

All Ferry Info –
www.vineyardferries.com