Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard are the two main islands off the coast of Cape Cod, and many people look to take day trips to these islands during their vacation to the Cape. There also two of my most suggested stops to make when exploring the New England coast! Are you’re overwhelmed, and finding yourself asking, Is Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard better for a day trip? Then you’ve come to the right place!
In this post, I’ll help you decide which island is best for a day trip, and answer all your questions about the differences between the two islands.
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Is Nantucket Or Martha’s Vineyard Better For A Day Trip?
Generally speaking, Nantucket is the better island for a day trip, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard.
Nantucket is simply more concentrated, and once you arrive by ferry, you’re literally a few steps away from the main town area the minute you disembark. This is where almost all the shops and restaurants are, and you’re also within walking distance to some of the beaches. Martha’s Vineyard is more spread out, and therefore, harder to do as a day trip.
When thinking about a day trip, one of the most important factors is deciding how you’ll best be able to use your time during the course of the day. Since you could visit Nantucket for a whole day, not leave the main town area, and walk everywhere, you’ll be able to see a lot with relatively minimal effort.
From Nantucket’s main town, you can walk to:
- Most shops and restaurants that are on the island
- The Wharf
- Plenty of historic streets and houses
- Brant Point Lighthouse
- The Whaling Museum
- Steps Beach (1 mile walk from town, along a scenic street)
- Children’s Beach (5-7 minute walk from town)
A day trip without even leaving Nantucket’s main town allows for a leisurely day without feeling rushed, and also gives you a really nice, authentic Nantucket experience. There are a few other towns on Nantucket island that are worth visiting if you decide to rent a bike or moped, or use Nantucket’s Wave Shuttle, but it’s not necessary if you would rather keep your day trip easy and relaxed.
Click here to check out my Nantucket day trip guide!
So, you may now be wondering if Martha’s Vineyard is worth a day trip? It can be, and I don’t want to rule it out for you (I’ve done it!). Nantucket is simply easier. So let’s talk about doing Martha’s Vineyard for a day.
The towns in Martha’s Vineyard are more spread out, and take longer to travel between by public transportation, unless you rent a car for the day, which would make a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard much easier. However, if visiting in the summer, parking can be challenging, and may take up a lot of your time, so it’s a bit of a trade-off.
Most Martha’s Vineyard ferries will drop you off in one of three towns: Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven or Edgartown. While these towns are all within a 15-20 minute drive from one another, it does make it harder to have a leisurely day trip because they’re all small enough that you’ll need to visit more than one town to fill up your entire day. The other option is the pick one town for half your day, and then spend the rest of your time at a beautiful beach.
So the main takeaway for a Martha’s Vineyard day trip is that you’ll either need to rent a car for the day and deal with parking, budget for taxis or Uber, or budget for extra time to take the buses between towns. It’s very doable, just not as easy and relaxing as Nantucket.
Click here to check out my ultimate Martha’s Vineyard day trip guide!
One last option that’s really fun and efficient, and perfect for Martha’s Vineyard day trippers, is a tour. In just three hours, you can see the highlights of Martha’s Vineyard, including Gay Head lighthouse in Aquinnah, which is on the other side of the island, and usually not possible for a day trip unless you have a car. And then spend what time you have left exploring on your own.
Tip: The ferry ride to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard is about the same, depending on which ferry you choose. Most day trippers will have a 45 minute to 1 hour ferry ride to Martha’s Vineyard, and a 1hr ferry ride to Nantucket. So that will not be a deciding factor for you.
Is There More To Do On Martha’s Vineyard Or Nantucket?
Because Martha’s Vineyard is bigger than Nantucket, there’s more to do, and more ground to cover, on Martha’s Vineyard. That said, I don’t feel like one island has significantly more to do than the other.
Nantucket has enough charm around every corner that I could walk around all day and never see enough, even though it’s relatively small. Martha’s Vineyard is more spread out and has more towns, but you can see each of its beautiful towns in a few hours because they’re all quaint and manageable. Since Martha’s Vineyard has more towns than Nantucket, it will simply take a bit more time to see everything around the whole island.
Martha’s Vineyard is also rural in many parts, so while it’s bigger, that doesn’t mean is offers a ton more to do than Nantucket. I think both have plenty to offer and lots of things to do that make both worth visiting.
What Is The Difference Between Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket?
The biggest difference between the two islands is that Martha’s Vineyard is much larger. Nantucket is about 14 miles long, versus Martha’s Vineyard being about 25 miles long (and also wider), so clearly, it takes longer to get around Martha’s Vineyard. Martha’s Vineyard is also much hillier, and Nantucket is relatively flat.
Another main difference is that Martha’s Vineyard has multiple towns that all have distinctive atmospheres and Main Streets with shops and restaurants. Nantucket does have multiple towns on the island, but outside of the main town by the wharf, where the ferries dock, the towns are all very residential, and most everything is located by the wharf.
Nantucket also has a very distinctive feel that’s very “old world” and also very high end and relaxed at the same time (it’s hard to explain, you just have to experience it to see!). Martha’s Vineyard is incredibly charming, but has a bit more of a traditional Cape Cod feel to it. They’re similar, but different enough that both will provide unique experiences.
How Far Is Nantucket From Martha’s Vineyard?
Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard are about 30 miles apart. By ferry, the trip will take about 1 hour, and by plane, it will take between 20-30 minutes.
Can You Do A Day Trip To Martha’s Vineyard From Nantucket?
You certainly can, and there’s an inter-island ferry by Hyline Cruises that will go between the islands. This ferry will depart from the wharf in Nantucket, and drop you off in Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard.
If your itinerary allows you time for overnight stays on both islands, I would suggest you do that, versus staying only on Nantucket with a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard. Both islands are beautiful and worth visiting for a day and an overnight stay. But like we’ve covered in this post, Martha’s Vineyard is more difficult to do as a day trip. Staying overnight on both islands will allow you to really experience the best that both have to offer.
If you can’t fit overnight stays on both islands into your itinerary, that’s also okay! You’ll be able to take a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard from Nantucket with a bit of planning to make the most of your time.
Can You Do A Day Trip To Nantucket From Martha’s Vineyard?
Absolutely, and I think this is the better option versus a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard. And like we’ve just covered, you’ll hop on the Hyline Cruises inter-island ferry. For this route, you’ll depart from Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, and then dock at the wharf/downtown on Nantucket.
Again, if your itinerary allows it, the best option would be to spend a few nights on each island, but if you can only stay on one island, and really want to visit both, a day trip to Nantucket while staying on Martha’s Vineyard will maximize your time the most.
Does Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket Have Better Beaches?
Both Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket have stunning beaches, and you can’t go wrong with visiting the beaches on either island. If I had to choose, I would say I prefer Nantucket’s beaches for their almost-turquoise waters and pristine stretches of sand.
Martha’s Vineyard is home to one of my favorite beaches, though, which is South Beach/Katama Beach (it goes by both names). This beach is located in Edgartown is absolutely gorgeous. My favorite beaches on Nantucket would be Madaket Beach and Surfside Beach.
Because both islands have no shortage of stunning beaches and coastline, I wouldn’t suggest you decide on visiting Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket based on their beaches. The biggest differentiating factor will be getting around, and how you want to spend your time.
Is Nantucket Or Martha’s Vineyard More Expensive?
Because they’re both islands, they will both be more expensive than any mainland destination. However, Nantucket does trend higher in prices for hotel stays, and has more expensive boutiques with high-end shopping. For day trippers, you’ll likely not notice if the island’s feel more expensive because you’re only there for a few hours.
Both islands offer affordable and moderate shopping opportunities, but Martha’s Vineyard probably wins for having more reasonable shops to pick from. I always tell people to prepare for sticker shock when visiting some of the boutiques on Nantucket! But you can also find some affordable shopping on Nantucket, too, just not as much as you’ll find on Martha’s Vineyard.
Both islands offer plenty of options for restaurants and takeout at all price points. If you’re on a budget, both Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard offer quick bites to-go, as well as casual, less expensive restaurants to pick from.
More posts you may find helpful:
- How To See Martha’s Vineyard Without A Car
- Best Beaches On Martha’s Vineyard
- Summer In New England: Best Places To Go & Things To Do!
- Best New England Day Trips
- Best Things To Do On Martha’s Vineyard
- Best Beach Towns In New England
- Best Time To Visit Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket
- Cape Cod vs. Nantucket: Which Is Best For You?
- Gorgeous New England Islands Worth Visiting
That’s A Wrap On: Is Nantucket Or Martha’s Vineyard Better For A Day Trip?
And there you have it! Hopefully now you can decide if Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard is better for a day trip based on your travel plans. Both islands are amazing, and I love visiting each of them for different reasons. While I do suggest Nantucket as the best day trip option for an easier and relaxed day, both are possible day trip options, and absolutely worth your time.
