Things to do in Martha's Vineyard

Sit right back and enjoy the most unique tour on Martha's Vineyard. Hop on an exciting fun-filled bus and hear about the fascinating history of the area narrated by 4th and 5th-generation islanders.  Start at the amazing town of Oak Bluffs (once known as Cottage City) where you will learn about the Methodist Campgrounds and their history of bringing tourism to MV.  Next, travel through Vineyard Haven (also known as Tisbury), the oldest port of 200 years, and hear about the hardships of living on an island devastated by fire in 1888 and ransacked by General Grey in 1778.  See the beautiful vistas of rolling hills and ancient stone walls as you make your way to the western side. Learn about the af/am heritage and how the island became a stop on the underground railroad.  Hear about the indigenous peoples of Martha's Vineyard and how Thomas Mayhew converted the Native Americans to Christianity. After this, the south shore and two sounds blanket the island and have a gorgeous chain of islands called the Elizabeth Islands that have an amazing history of their own. Watch a screen that shows what certain sites looked like in the 1800s to get a better view of how the area has evolved.  See many sights where JAWS was filmed. Enjoy the use of a new sound system and clips from the movie to really enhance the experience.

Explore the beautiful island of Martha's Vineyard on a day trip from Boston. Visit the gingerbread cottages of Oak Bluffs, the town of Edgartown, the iconic lighthouse of Aquinnah, and more. Choose from either joining a fully guided tour or exploring the island at your leisure. Start your day with a pickup from your downtown Boston hotel in a mini-coach for the 1.5-hour journey to the ferry in Falmouth, Cape Cod. Enjoy complimentary snacks and bottled water while browsing the Martha’s Vineyard guidebook as you plan your 6 hours on the island. After a short ferry ride, prepare to discover the beautiful island. Admire the amazing gingerbread cottages in the town of Oak Bluffs, and see the town of Edgartown known for its whaling captains' homes and quaint downtown shops. Next, you will head to breathtaking Gay Head Cliffs and marvel at the famous lighthouse in the town of Aquinnah. Bike and jeep rentals are available for purchase or use public transportation to see the island. After your day on Martha's Vineyard is complete and you return on the ferry, sit back and relax on your comfortable minibus ride back to Boston.

Tour the 100 square mile island of Martha's Vineyard and hear the charming history of its 6 towns from a local guide. As you drive across the picturesque island, admire curiosities like America's oldest carousel and the cliffs of Aquinnah. Start in Oak Bluffs, known for its distinctive Victorian architecture with 300 colorful cottages designed to look like gingerbread houses. Turn a corner and see "The Flying Horse Carousel," America’s oldest carousel, operating since 1876. Continue to Edgartown, with its quaint harbor complete with an 80-year-old lighthouse. A former hub for the whaling industry, admire the stately Greek revival mansions built by ship captains. Travel along the idyllic countryside and small fishing villages before stopping for some clam chowder or lobster bisque in Menemsha. Next, arrive at the technicolor cliffs of Aquinnah before swinging by the bridge made famous in the movie Jaws.

Experience the highlights of one of Massachusett's most beloved islands and popular vacation spots. Take advantage of the flexibility to set your own pace between stops during the self-guided app-based audio tour. Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app that will function as your personal guide, audio tour, and map all in one. Begin your tour of Martha’s Vineyard right off the ferry in Vineyard Haven. As you drive along the coast, you’ll hear about the Wampanoag tribe and how the island got its unusual name. See the characteristic architecture of past times starting with the 1876 Flying Horses Carousel. Admire the delightful pastel facades of the "gingerbread houses" in Oak Bluffs and the community's treasured Tabernacle campground. Visit a neighborhood museum to enrich your visit and find a souvenir. Next, you’ll head to Inkwell Beach, a beautiful stretch of sand with an unfortunate history. Find out how a genetic mutation resulted in Martha’s Vineyard residents creating their very own form of sign language. As you continue south, you’ll learn more about how the island fared during the tumultuous times of the American Revolution. Afterward, see the beach where Steven Spielberg filmed an iconic scene from the movie Jaws. Feel a connection with the natural world as you discover the flora and fauna of Caroline Tuthill Wildlife Preserve. Next, you’ll reach Lighthouse Beach, home to an iconic lighthouse that was originally built almost 200 years ago. Step back in time as you pass through the quaint historic district of Edgartown. Hear about the island’s mysterious disappearing deer and the 1938 New England Hurricane, which devastated local communities. Your tour will end in South Beach, where you will discover a placid bay and dramatic beach in the same setting. The audio tour is curated by local guides and creative writers and is narrated by professional voice artists. Most stops along the tour have animated videos allowing you to visualize what you cannot see, such as snapshots from different centuries or building interiors.

Start the tour, with an early morning pick-up at your hotel between 6:45 and 7:30 AM. Take advantage of the complimentary snacks, water, maps, and discount food cards that are included in the vehicle. Arrive at the Martha's Vineyard Steamship Authority Ferry in Woods Hole, MA. Before boarding, there will be time for a spot of shopping or to enjoy breakfast. The vessel departs at 9:30 AM. Take an enjoyable 45-minute ferry ride to Oak Bluffs or Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard. Food and drinks are available on the ferry, at your own expense. Inside air-conditioned seating, as well as outside sun deck seating, is available. There is plenty of room on this vessel to explore and take many pictures. Upon arrival at Martha's Vineyard, spend approximately 6 hours exploring the beautiful island. Guests who have chosen to take the 3-hour island tour will be greeted directly at the ferry dock. Everyone will depart Martha's Vineyard at 3:45 PM on the Steamship Authority Ferry. When you arrive back at Woods Hole, your guide will be waiting to take you back to Boston.

Immerse yourself in charming Martha's Vineyard with an interactive scavenger hunt game on your phone in Oak Bluffs. Uncover the area's rich culture and visit influential landmarks like the Flying Horses Carousel, The Lazy Frog, and the Island Alpaca Company, while solving quizzes and puzzles. After learning the rules of the game, begin your adventure by reading the details on your phone and answering riddles and trivia to advance to the next location. Among the many tour stops is the Flying Horses Carousel, the oldest operating platform carousel in the United States. Take in the beauty of Nantucket Sound as you continue your tour, including The Lazy Frog, a historic store located in downtown Oak Bluffs, and the Island Alpaca Company, an alpaca farm sprawling across 19 acres of rolling farmland. Chat with the locals as you explore the region at your own pace.

Get to know the most famous Massachusetts attractions using this self-guided tour, which comes with a guide, an audio tour, a map as well as animated videos at some of the stops. In your own time and at your own pace, visit attractions such as Harvard Square, Plymouth, Martha’s Vineyard, and more. Begin your action-packed day by downloading the self-guided tour, and familiarize yourself with your digital guide. Make your first stop Harvard’s storied campus. Hear how the school got its start and how it evolved from a tiny college into one of the most prestigious institutions in the world. Then, head to the Freedom Trail to walk in the shoes of the United States' Founding Fathers. Hear how the first sparks of revolution flew in Boston and how those sparks became an inferno. Feel the revolution come alive as you pass sights like the church where Paul Revere’s famous lanterns once hung. Next, immerse yourself in the ship-rigging, ale-drinking, shanty-singing days of Colonial Boston on Boston’s Harborwalk and revisit the fiery lead-up to the American Declaration of Independence. Admire harbor views and visit the site of the Boston Tea Party. Continue by following your app to the most haunted spots of the city and hear popular ghost stories. Walk through graveyards, execution sites, and more while hearing hair-raising tales of the unquiet dead. After, head to Salem, and learn the truth behind the infamous Witch Trials. Turn the clock back even further in Plymouth, the town founded by Pilgrims fresh off the Mayflower. See where they first landed, hear how they organized their system of government, and revisit the complicated dynamic between those newcomers and the Wampanoag tribe. Drive out to Cape Cod, where colonial history collides with the present. Cruise past historic villages and continue along the coastline to explore towns like Gloucester and trace their seafaring history. Ride along a rocky shore dotted by beaches, and catch some sun and surf. Head to Lexington and Concord and follow the route of a battle between an American militia and the British army. Find out how the Americans turned the tide, and what it meant in the fight for independence. Finally, retreat to Martha’s Vineyard. Visit cute towns and learn some surprising history.