Travel question (Boston to Martha's Vineyard) (New Bedford, Taunton: homes, taxi, live in)

[GeoffD]

What’s with the car thing? Are people so out of shape that they can’t ride a bicycle? I’ve ridden out to Aquinnah and stayed with friends a few times. That’s a really nice ride. We rode out to South Beach last summer.

[Dm84]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

What’s with the car thing? Are people so out of shape that they can’t ride a bicycle? I’ve ridden out to Aquinnah and stayed with friends a few times. That’s a really nice ride. We rode out to South Beach last summer.

I think if you're there for a few days, in good shape and don't mind a leisurely experience then that's a fine option. If you're only there for a couple hours, not so much.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by Thoreau424

That's a lot of money for us, so we definitely won't be taking the car over. And that's in addition to more pressure on reservations and needing to get there early, which would be difficult to estimate.

Thanks for each and every comment/contribution here. It all comes together as enormous help, and is greatly appreciated.

Then why the hotel? From Boston, New Bedford is an hour on a Saturday morning. VIP park at the dock for $20. You can leave the house at 7:30 and easily make the 9:00 ferry.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by Dm84

I think if you're there for a few days, in good shape and don't mind a leisurely experience then that's a fine option. If you're only there for a couple hours, not so much.

Someone is going to drive from Boston and only spend a couple of hours on the Vineyard? For a day trip from New Bedford, the 9:00 boat outbound and the 8:15pm return gives you 10 hours on the island. You’d be home by 10:30pm from Boston. You don’t have to be in very good shape to pedal from OB to Edgartown on the bike path. It’s only 6 miles and totally flat. Vineyard Haven is 3 miles from OB.

[Thoreau424]

I like the bike option, but it'd probably be hard for my spouse. Hopefully the island visit will more than just a few hours. And if we can't get out to the far reaches and more scenic areas - where no public transportation goes - that will be okay.

Instead of driving down Saturday, I'm thinking about changing to driving down on Friday afternoon (maybe even late afternoon), and staying overnight in Falmouth. That way, we'd already be in the area Saturday morning, and could get to the ferry early; maybe even the first "launching" of the day. Then either stay overnight again with our current plan, or go back to the Boston area Saturday night.

We want to stay at least one night in the Falmouth area (we're visiting after all, and need a hotel regardless of whether it's there or in the Boston area).

[Dm84]

Originally Posted by Thoreau424

I like the bike option, but it'd probably be hard for my spouse. Hopefully the island visit will more than just a few hours. And if we can't get out to the far reaches and more scenic areas - where no public transportation goes - that will be okay.

Instead of driving down Saturday, I'm thinking about changing to driving down on Friday afternoon (maybe even late afternoon), and staying overnight in Falmouth. That way, we'd already be in the area Saturday morning, and could get to the ferry early; maybe even the first "launching" of the day. Then either stay overnight again with our current plan, or go back to the Boston area Saturday night.

We want to stay at least one night in the Falmouth area (we're visiting after all, and need a hotel regardless of whether it's there or in the Boston area).

Just keep in mind that the drive on Fridays is awful too and Friday and Saturday are probably the 2 busiest days in the area. If I were really set on doing a day trip, I'd probably do it on a weekday if possible.

[CaseyB]

Or at least leave Fri. morning. Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings are the worst for traffic.

[wolfgang239]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

Or at least leave Fri. morning. Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings are the worst for traffic.

Definitely this. Traffic on a Friday early afternoon can be a grueling 10mph crawl from inside the tunnel all the way down to Hingham, and then you deal with whatever you are dealt with before the bridge. Leave no later than 10AM to be safe, grab lunch and head to The Knob for a walk to kill time until check in.

[Thoreau424]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

Or at least leave Fri. morning. Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings are the worst for traffic.

How about Friday evening or even Friday night, to go down there? Again, it would be to our hotel (Falmouth), and then to the island early the next day.

[Dm84]

Originally Posted by Thoreau424

How about Friday evening or even Friday night?

Absolutely horrible until at least 8 pm.