Getting There
Martha's Vineyard: Insider Tips
Passenger-only ferries to the Vineyard, some of which operate only during high season, depart from several ports along the Massachusetts coast and from nearby Rhode Island. If you want to take a car from the mainland to Martha's Vineyard, your only option is the Steamship Authority ferry line from Woods Hole, Mass., which operates year-round to Vineyard Haven, with additional summer service to Oak Bluffs. Passengers can walk on without a reservation, but in high season, it's important to book a reservation well in advance if you want to drive a vehicle onto the boat. See www.steamshipauthority.com for details.
If you're traveling to the region by air from May through October, consider landing at Rhode Island's T.F. Green Airport (outside Providence) and taking the Vineyard Fast Ferry (www.vineyardfastferry.com) from Quonset Point to Oak Bluffs. A taxi from the airport to Quonset Point takes only about 15 minutes (versus a two-hour ride from Boston-Logan Airport to Woods Hole), and the high-speed vessel will get you to the Vineyard in an hour and a half. From Boston, the quickest route is to take the express ferry from New Bedford (www.mvfastferry.com), about an hour's drive from the airport and an hour on the water.
Scheduled air service to Martha's Vineyard is available year-round from Boston, Providence and several smaller airports along the coast, but if you're traveling with several family members or a small group, it's worth looking into chartering a small plane for your transfer to the island. Depending on your point of origin, the type of aircraft and the number of passengers dividing the cost, charter rates can be comparable to the cost of commercial airline travel, with the added convenience of scheduling your own departure time. See the "Getting Here" section of the Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce Web site (www.mvy.com) for a list of air charter companies serving the island.
| 
)
