Booking choice: The Boston day trip, from $129 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Martha's Vineyard sits about 7 miles off Cape Cod, with ferries from Woods Hole and Falmouth. Nantucket is further out to sea, and from the Cape its ferries leave from Hyannis.
Ferry fares below are 2026 adult fares from the Steamship Authority and Hy-Line websites. The rest is our honest comparison for a single day.
The quick answer
For a day trip, especially from Boston, pick Martha's Vineyard: ferries take 35 to 45 minutes, the Steamship Authority is $22 round trip, the buses are free and there are packaged tours with hotel pickup. Pick Nantucket if you are staying near Hyannis and want one historic town: the fast ferry takes about an hour and costs $93 to $99 round trip.
How do Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket compare for a day trip?
Martha's Vineyard is quicker and cheaper to reach and has more variety; Nantucket is one compact historic town and a longer crossing.
| Martha's Vineyard | Nantucket | |
|---|---|---|
| Ferry port on the Cape | Woods Hole, Falmouth (also Hyannis) | Hyannis |
| Crossing | 35 to 45 min | About 1 hr fast ferry, 2 hrs 15 min traditional |
| Adult round trip 2026 | $22 (Steamship Authority), $30 (Island Queen) | $43 traditional, $93 fast (Steamship Authority), $99 (Hy-Line) |
| Getting around | Free VTA buses to all six towns | Walkable town center |
| Day tour from Boston on this site | Yes, from $129 | No |
| Island tour | 3 hours, from $65 | 90 minutes, from $57 |
| Signature sights | Gingerbread cottages, Aquinnah Cliffs, Jaws sites | Cobbled Main Street, Siasconset, Sankaty Head Lighthouse |
Leaning toward the Vineyard? The Boston day trip includes hotel pickup and the ferry both ways.
Check dates for the Boston day tripWhich island is easier to reach from Boston?
Martha's Vineyard: two Cape ports, short crossings and packaged day trips with hotel pickup.
Both Boston day trips on this site go to Martha's Vineyard via the Island Queen from Falmouth. For Nantucket, you drive or take a bus or train to Hyannis (the CapeFLYER runs there on summer weekends), then add an hour on the fast ferry or 2 hours 15 minutes on the traditional boat. See the day trip from Boston.
Which costs less for a day?
Martha's Vineyard, clearly: the cheapest round trip is $22 against $43 for Nantucket's slow boat or $93 to $99 for its fast ferry.
On Nantucket, the Steamship Authority fast ferry is $93 round trip for adults ($47 for children 5 to 12), and the Hy-Line fast ferry is $99 ($61 for children). On Martha's Vineyard, the buses are also free through June 30, 2027. Full numbers in what a day trip costs.
What does Martha's Vineyard have that Nantucket does not?
Variety: six towns, from lively Oak Bluffs to the clay cliffs of Aquinnah, plus the Jaws filming sites.
In one day you can walk among 318 painted gingerbread cottages, ride the 1876 Flying Horses Carousel, stroll Edgartown's harbor and see the Aquinnah Cliffs on a tour. The catch is the size: you need to choose, because it is 45 minutes' drive from Edgartown to Aquinnah.
Want the whole Vineyard in one go? This 3-hour van loop covers Edgartown, the Aquinnah Cliffs and the Jaws beach.
Explore the Oak Bluffs island tourWhat is Nantucket like for a day?
A single historic town of gray-shingled houses and cobbled streets, with roses climbing the cottages in summer.
Most day visitors stay in and around the town by the ferry docks. Beyond it, the village of Siasconset is known for its rose-covered cottages, and Sankaty Head Lighthouse stands above the moors. A short van tour is the easy way to see both.
Choosing Nantucket? This 90-minute narrated van loop starts on Main Street and passes the Old Mill, Siasconset and Sankaty Head Lighthouse.
Explore the Nantucket van tourCan you see both islands in one trip?
Not in one day: they are reached from different ports and each needs a full day.
If you have two days on Cape Cod, give each island its own: Martha's Vineyard from Falmouth or Woods Hole, Nantucket from Hyannis.
Which island is better for a first visit?
Martha's Vineyard for most day-trippers; Nantucket if you are already near Hyannis and want one walkable historic town.
- Coming from Boston for the day: Martha's Vineyard.
- On a budget: Martha's Vineyard.
- Want cliffs, beaches and several towns: Martha's Vineyard.
- Staying in Hyannis, love historic streets: Nantucket.
- Want one town without buses: Nantucket.
Made your mind up for the Vineyard? Check dates before planning the rest of your Boston stay.
Check dates for the Boston day tripWhich island has better day tours?
Martha's Vineyard has more choice: two Boston day trips and several 3-hour island tours; Nantucket has a well-rated 90-minute van tour.
On Martha's Vineyard, island tours from the Oak Bluffs terminal run from $65 to $75 per person, and private tours from $450 per group of up to 5. On Nantucket, the historical van tour is $57 and rated 4.7 from 220 reviews. For a Vineyard plan, see Martha's Vineyard in one day, and for getting around, without a car.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nantucket further than Martha's Vineyard?
Yes. The fast ferry from Hyannis to Nantucket takes about an hour and the traditional boat 2 hours 15 minutes, against 35 to 45 minutes to Martha's Vineyard.
Which island is more expensive to visit?
Nantucket, on the ferry alone: $43 to $99 round trip for adults, against $22 to $30 for Martha's Vineyard.
Is there a day tour from Boston to Nantucket?
Not on this site. The Nantucket tour we list starts in Nantucket town, so you get to Hyannis and take the ferry yourself.
Which ferry goes to Nantucket?
From Hyannis, the Steamship Authority runs a fast ferry (about 1 hour) and a traditional boat (2 hours 15 minutes), and Hy-Line runs a fast ferry of about 60 minutes.
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.
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
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
