A Detailed Spending Breakdown: How Much Does a Trip to Martha’s Vineyard Cost?
Discover how much a trip to Martha’s Vineyard will cost you. Planning a trip to Martha’s Vineyard? Located south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Martha’s Vineyard is a fantastic summer destination for families, friends, or couples seeking a romantic getaway. This 96-mile island in the Atlantic is just four miles from the southern coast of Massachusetts, making it easily accessible without requiring a passport. While there are plenty of things to do in Boston, Martha’s Vineyard offers a great escape for a quick island vacation.
Over Memorial Day weekend, I spent three days exploring the island. I enjoyed its sandy beaches, fresh seafood, and laid-back vibe. Despite Martha’s Vineyard being only 40 minutes from New England, its charm made me feel like I was on a remote island far away.
If you’re on a budget, you might be concerned that Martha’s Vineyard is an expensive travel destination, but I’ll let you judge that after reading this blog post. So, how much does it cost to visit Martha’s Vineyard? Your Martha’s Vineyard budget may differ from mine depending on your needs and interests. Nevertheless, use this spending guide to determine how much money you’ll need for your upcoming trip.
Martha’s Vineyard Trip Cost Detailed Breakdown
This detailed spending guide breaks down expenses to help you create a realistic travel budget based on your preferences. You can use this to estimate your trip costs and tailor your budget to fit your interests and needs.
Book Your Trip To Martha’s Vineyard Today
Round-trip Ferry to Martha’s Vineyard Cost: $20 USD
Martha’s Vineyard is accessible by ferry or flight to Martha’s Vineyard Airport (MVY).
I purchased round-trip tickets ferry tickets for $20 USD.
Ferry to Martha’s Vineyard
Steamship Authority is a fast and economical way to get to the island. However, spots sell out quickly, so purchase tickets immediately.
How long is the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard?
The ferry takes about 45 minutes, and there are two types of fares: passenger and vehicle.
If you decide to bring your car, you must take a ferry; no bridges connect the island to the mainland.
Where to buy ferry tickets to Martha’s Vineyard?
You can purchase ferry tickets online or visit Steamship Authority Terminals, Peter Pan Bus Terminals, and Plymouth and Brockton Bus Lines Terminals.
According to Steamship Authority Terminal, if you aren’t traveling with a vehicle, you don’t need a reservation — just come to the terminal.
If you leave your car behind, plenty of parking lots are at the port. However, book your ferry ticket in advance if you decide to take your vehicle. Tickets sell out fast, often months ahead of time.
Either way, you’ll need to make a reservation for your car.
How much does taking a car on the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard cost?
The cost of taking a car on the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard depends on several factors:
- Time of year
- Type of ferry (regular or high-speed)
- Round-trip or one-way
For example, in peak travel season from May to September, the round-trip automobile ferry fare for a standard car (under 17 feet) on Fridays and Saturdays is $270 USD ($135 one-way).
In contrast, a round-trip automobile ferry ticket costs $128 from January to March.
For more information on ferry fares to Martha’s Vineyard, visit Steamship Authority.
If you decide to rent a car, expect to pay upwards of $100 per day.
Parking: $15 USD per day
During my three-day stay, I paid $45 USD for parking.
Average Taxi: $26 USD
After arriving at Martha’s Vineyard, I took a taxi to my hostel. Since my cab ride from Oak Bluffs port was only 15 minutes, it was expensive.
In retrospect, this was an unnecessary expense because public transportation is reliable, convenient, and affordable.
For the rest of the trip, I used public transportation. Alternatively, you can get around by renting a car, bicycle, or moped.
Public Transportation Cost: $18 USD
I bought the three-day Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) unlimited bus pass, which was a great investment. One-day fares ($8 USD), seven-day fares ($30 USD), or 31-day passes ($60 USD) are also available.
The three-day pass was perfect for my short trip, but if you plan a longer stay, the seven-day or 31-day passes might be more cost-effective.
You can buy passes on the bus or at any Steamship Authority Terminal.
You can also buy in-season one-way fares for $2 USD per town. The island has six towns: Tisbury, Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah.
Average Daily Hostel Cost: $36 USD
Finding budget-friendly lodging options in Martha’s Vineyard was challenging. Since hotels and Airbnbs ranged from $150-$600 USD a night, I booked two nights at HI Martha’s Vineyard Hostel instead.
The hostel provided a comfortable and clean place to stay, with the bonus of a complimentary breakfast and a convenient location right across the street from a bus stop.
Book a hotel on Martha’s Vineyard here.
If you’re not interested in staying at a hostel, expect to pay between $300 and $500 per night for decent accommodations. Renting a VRBO can be cost-effective, but prices can be high during peak season.
Here a few hotels I would check out as well.
- Mansion House Inn & Spa – Best historic hotel
- The Edgartown Inn – Best value hotel
- Harbor View Hotel – best luxury hotel
Average Daily Food Cost: $60 USD
Eating out can be expensive on Martha’s Vineyard.
My cheapest lunch cost $20 USD, and dinner cost twice as much. I suggest budgeting $30 USD per meal, supplementing with groceries, or cooking your own food.
Stop at Mad Martha’s for delicious ice cream and frozen yogurt. Mad Martha’s has been in business for over 50 years and features unique flavors like Snickers Cream and Maple Walnut.
This small chain has three convenient locations on the island – Mad Martha’s Edgartown, Mad Martha’s Ice Cream in Vineyard Haven, and Mad Martha’s Homemade Ice Cream in Oak Bluffs.
Average Daily Martha’s Vineyard Activity Cost: Free
I found lots of free things to do at Martha’s Vineyard. This included taking a self-guided tour of Edgartown and going to Owen Park Beach. Although I did not spend any money on activities, you can enjoy low-cost activities, like renting bikes or kayaking. You can even tour historic lighthouses and colonial homes on the island.
I suggest budgeting $50 USD for activities per day.
Final Thoughts: Is Martha’s Vineyard expensive to visit?
Is Martha’s Vineyard expensive? Martha’s Vineyard is not a cheap travel destination. Prices vary widely based on preferences, travel style, and time of year. However, careful planning allows you to enjoy a memorable vacation, even on a budget.
During a long weekend, budget-conscious travelers can spend upwards of $1,000 to $1,500 USD vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard, while mid-range travelers can spend $2,000 to $2,500 USD.
Helpful Tip: When planning your Martha’s Vineyard budget, be realistic about how much money you’ll likely spend. For the most savings, I recommend finding affordable accommodation, leaving your car parked at the ferry, and pursuing free things to do.
Save this pin to your Pinterest board!
Is Martha’s Vineyard expensive to visit? What do you think?
Read More About Exploring Massachusetts
Best Places To Eat in Cape Cod
Cape Cod Bike Paths For Casual Cyclists
Danielle Desir Corbett is an award-winning and 6x grant-funded travel writer and podcast host who went from financial struggle to visiting 27+ countries all without waiting until retirement. Her story is proof that budget doesn’t limit adventure. Tune into The Thought Card Podcast for practical strategies to travel smarter and live on your terms. Say hello: thethoughtcard (at) gmail (dot) com.
I had the chance to visit Martha’s Vineyard, and it was an amazing experience. Costs can differ based on your preferences. I found that exploring during the shoulder seasons helped save money, and there are plenty of affordable accommodation and dining options. It’s a must-visit destination, well worth the investment!
This is one of the best places on Massachusetts island!
A very useful guide, thank you very much for the information, Vineyard is undoubtedly a very nice place to vacation.
Thank you for sharing this guide. I found it very interesting to read as it describes essential facts that could be useful.
Well, well. Turns out it is not as expensive as I primarily thought. Does it worth it to take the car on the ferry or can you do walk to all these activities? Thanks for your post! I am looking for options for the next year, and Martha’s Vineyard seems to be an excellent choice
Interesting… in general is quite cheap, because for a hotel room with my boyfriend we were charged about 100 usd, a very good amount, we stayed 3 more meals was a total of 400 USD for every day (of course without the transport and souvenirs we bought)
My husband and I would love to go to Martha’s Vineyard for our anniversary. I really appreciate your information that the best way to save money for activities is to find affordable hotels to stay in. We’ll start looking into lower-priced hotels so we can afford a quality site seeing tour.
Yes! Save on the things you value less so you can afford to do the things you really want. Have a blast visiting Martha’s Vineyard!
Thank you so much for the information. I now can get an idea of which way to plan. A little or a lot, my goal is to get the most for my money while enjoying my trip. I plan to visit there within the next few months so planning is critical at this time. SP
So glad to here that Shirley – I hope you have a great time at MV!
I love the way you have broken down all these costs. You are so lucky to have such easy access to such a beautiful island.
Wow you’re a real saver. Very frugal indeed. I know I’d make so many mistakes. Do you want to plan my SL trip? I feel like I’m already over budget…I’ll just have to be extra careful when I get there.
So nice though to have a place like this so close but even $400 seems a bit high for a short visit. That’s for 1 PEROSN RIGHT?
Oh wow! This is super helpful for planning a trip to Martha’s Vineyard! I would love to visit when we do our roadtripping through the US! Thanks for sharing!
When I lived in NYC, I always had travel fantasies about traveling to Cape Cod. I had heard of Martha’s Vineyard but didn’t realize that was actually where it was located. I always thought it was more of wall street banker weekend getaway and very expensive to visit (based on my past life working in Finance) so it’s great to hear that it is so affordable!
Coincidence or not, a friend told me about Martha’s Vineyard just yesterday and how she paid lots for taxi! I`m not sure if I should tell her about your article and make her sad or not haha
$26 for a 15 minute drive?!?!? I’m so used to Uber these days, that $26 sounds super expensive. I love beach towns, so this sounds like a lovely place to visit if I’m ever on the East Coast :)
This is GREAT insight for MV. Lot’s of people want to go, but don’t really take into consideration that food and transit are a bit more expensive here. It’s a gorgeous island (as is Nantucket), but extreme budget travelers are always a little surprised about things like food and transportation costs. I love that you mention that there are loads of free things to do. I know HI is really good about either offering free activities or making sure guests know about free stuff.