Booking choice: The Oak Bluffs island tour, from $70 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
The island is about 7 miles off Cape Cod. The Steamship Authority runs from Woods Hole all year; the faster passenger boats from Falmouth, Hyannis, New Bedford and Rhode Island are seasonal and stop running in mid-October.
Fares below are 2026 adult fares from each operator's own website. They change, so check the operator before you travel.
The quick answer
For a day trip, take the Island Queen from Falmouth (35 minutes, $30 round trip, May 22 to October 12, 2026) or the Steamship Authority from Woods Hole (45 minutes, $22 round trip, all year). The Hy-Line fast ferry from Hyannis takes about an hour for $78. Only the Steamship Authority carries cars, and Woods Hole has no dockside parking.
Which ferries go to Martha's Vineyard?
Six routes in 2026: Woods Hole, Falmouth, Hyannis, New Bedford, Quonset Point in Rhode Island, and a summer-only boat from New York.
| Ferry | Crossing | Adult round trip | Season 2026 | Lands at | Cars / bikes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steamship Authority, Woods Hole | 45 min | $22 | All year | Vineyard Haven; Oak Bluffs in season | Cars and bikes |
| Island Queen, Falmouth | 35 min | $30 | May 22 to Oct 12 | Oak Bluffs | Bikes only |
| Hy-Line, Hyannis | About 1 hr | $78 | May to Oct | Oak Bluffs | Bikes and e-bikes |
| Seastreak, New Bedford | About 50 min | $84 | Apr 16 to Oct 12 | Oak Bluffs; Vineyard Haven from Sep 20 | Bikes (non-electric) |
| Fast Ferry, Quonset Point RI | About 95 min | $115 to $135 | May to Oct | Oak Bluffs | Bikes |
| Seastreak, New York / New Jersey | 4.5 to 5.5 hrs | $250 | Select summer dates | Arrives about 6 PM | Not a day trip |
Ferry sorted? The island tour meets you by the Oak Bluffs terminal for a 3-hour loop to the cliffs.
Check dates for the Oak Bluffs island tourWhich ferry is best for a day trip?
The Island Queen from Falmouth in season; the Steamship Authority from Woods Hole outside it, or if you want the cheapest fare.
The Island Queen is the shortest crossing and lands in Oak Bluffs, next to the carousel and the cottages, and both Boston day tours use it. The Steamship Authority is $8 cheaper per adult round trip and runs all year, but parking means a shuttle ride from a lot in Falmouth. From Hyannis, the Hy-Line costs more but suits anyone coming on the CapeFLYER train.
What should you know about the Steamship Authority from Woods Hole?
It is the only car ferry, it runs all year, the crossing takes 45 minutes and the adult fare is $11 each way.
Children 5 to 12 pay $5.75 each way, under-4s ride free and a bike is $5.25. Foot passengers do not need a reservation: buy at the terminal and arrive 30 minutes early. Boats land at Vineyard Haven all year and at Oak Bluffs in season.
What is the Island Queen from Falmouth like?
A passenger-only boat to Oak Bluffs in 35 minutes, $20 one way or $30 round trip for adults.
Youth fares (ages 5 to 12) are $18 round trip, children 4 and under ride free and bikes are $8 round trip. In summer (June 19 to September 7) it runs 7 daily departures; in spring and fall there are only 3 on weekdays, with more at weekends. It is the boat both Boston day tours use.
Rather not drive to Falmouth? The Boston day trip picks you up at your hotel and includes the Island Queen both ways.
Explore the Boston day tripWhat about Hy-Line, Seastreak and the Rhode Island ferry?
They are faster from further away: useful if you are starting in Hyannis, New Bedford or Rhode Island, not from Boston by car.
- Hy-Line from Hyannis: about 1 hour to Oak Bluffs, $78 round trip ($47 for children 5 to 12), May to October; bikes and e-bikes $17 round trip.
- Seastreak from New Bedford: about 50 minutes, $84 round trip; from September 20, 2026 it lands at Vineyard Haven instead of Oak Bluffs.
- Fast Ferry from Quonset Point: about 95 minutes, $115 to $135 round trip, 2 to 3 departures a day.
- Seastreak from New York: 4.5 to 5.5 hours, arriving about 6 PM: for a weekend, not a day.
Where do you park for the ferry?
Not at the Woods Hole dock: there is no dockside parking, so use the Steamship Authority lots and the free shuttle, or the cash-only lot by the Island Queen in Falmouth.
- Woods Hole (Steamship Authority): Palmer Avenue lot in Falmouth or the Thomas B. Landers lot in East Falmouth, $25 a day in season ($20 in winter), free shuttle; arrive an hour before your boat.
- Falmouth (Island Queen): 200 yards from the dock, $20 a day, cash only, first come first served.
- Hyannis (Hy-Line): $10 to $30 a day on site ($30 in peak summer), or $5 to $20 off site with a free seasonal shuttle.
- New Bedford: valet $30 a day, or $15 at the Whale's Tooth lot with a shuttle. Quonset Point: $15 a day.
Parked and ready? Add a narrated loop to Edgartown and the Aquinnah Cliffs from the Oak Bluffs dock.
Check dates for the Oak Bluffs island tourOak Bluffs or Vineyard Haven: where should you land?
Oak Bluffs for a first day trip: it puts you a short walk from the Flying Horses Carousel and the gingerbread cottages.
Most island tours meet at 1 Seaview Ave in Oak Bluffs, across from the Steamship Authority ticket office. Vineyard Haven is the year-round Steamship Authority port, and the one you use outside the summer season. VTA route 13 links both ports with Edgartown. If your boat is diverted for weather, tell your tour operator which ferry you are on.
Can you take a car or a bike on the ferry?
Bikes go on every route; cars only on the Steamship Authority, at $127 to $168 each way in summer, and the reservations sell out.
Summer car bookings opened on February 3, 2026, and the Steamship Authority said many of the busiest weekends were at or near capacity on opening day. For a day trip, leave the car on the mainland: see Martha's Vineyard without a car.
No car needed: this budget loop leaves from the Oak Bluffs terminal for the Aquinnah Cliffs and Menemsha.
Explore the highlights island tourFrequently asked questions
How long is the ferry to Martha's Vineyard?
35 minutes on the Island Queen from Falmouth, 45 minutes on the Steamship Authority from Woods Hole, about 50 minutes from New Bedford and about an hour on the Hy-Line from Hyannis.
Do the ferries run in winter?
Only the Steamship Authority from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven runs all year. The other routes run from spring to mid-October.
What is the cheapest ferry to Martha's Vineyard?
The Steamship Authority from Woods Hole: $11 each way, or $22 round trip, for adults in 2026.
Do ferries get cancelled for weather?
Yes, sometimes. Check the operator's site on the morning of travel; tours booked on Viator cancel free up to 24 hours before.
Ready to book
Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Small-Group Island Tour from Oak Bluffs
- 3-hour narrated tour in an air-conditioned van, up to 14 travelers
- Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, Aquinnah Cliffs and Lighthouse, Camp Meeting cottages
- Jaws filming spots, including Joseph Sylvia State Beach
Martha's Vineyard Day Trip from Boston
- Round-trip air-conditioned mini-coach (24 seats) from select Boston hotels
- Round-trip ferry across Vineyard Sound, about 35 to 45 minutes each way
- 5.5 to 6 hours on Martha's Vineyard, depending on the time of year
Highlights Half-Day Island Tour
The cheapest guided loop to Aquinnah, up to 14 guests
