Is a Martha’s Vineyard day trip worth it? Yes, one day is worth it, you just want to be sure you do it well. This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to use my links to purchase certain items, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. I appreciate your support.
Truth be told, I have never done a Martha’s Vineyard day trip. When I visited Martha’s Vineyard for the first time, I spent 3 days there, and I still wished I had another day.
So why do I recommend a day trip then? Because I realize not everyone has the means to stay overnight, and if it comes down to not going at all or going for a day, I say go. Just know that there is WAY more to the island than what you will see. You’ll see the highlights that you likely hear about, and I’ll include a thing or two that is a bit different than what everyone else says, in hopes they’ll at least give you a glimpse into the real Martha’s Vineyard.
This post is all about planning a Martha’s Vineyard day trip.
If you’re heading to coastal New England this summer, you’ll want outfits that are comfortable, elevated, and beautiful in photos. I have curated my favorite coastal pieces into a coastal capsule wardrobe for my New England summer trips. I hope you find this curation helpful.
Is a Day Trip to Martha’s Vineyard Worth It?
The short answer, yes, it is worth it.
You will not see everything, but my one-day Martha’s Vineyard itinerary will get you the charm, I think you’re looking for. And remember, you can always go back. You can even take a day trip each year and do something different each time.
This is what I think you’ll miss on a Martha’s Vineyard day trip:
My honest opinion is that this island deserves more than a day if you really want to understand the vibe of it. It’s not just an extension of Cape Cod or a larger Nantucket. Martha’s Vineyard has its own vibe, and in my book, it’s like the childless uncle of the islands who flies by the seat of his pants a bit, in a good way, in the way we all should at times. It makes those of us who are “type A” become a little more “type B”, without trying to do so. It’s almost like when you have an opinion of someone that isn’t the best, but then you meet them, and they’re nothing like you thought they were, they’re like awesome. That was Martha’s Vineyard for me.
The locals have a strong influence and are very happy to share their island with us. They’re quick to tell you what to do or where to eat. It’s a melting pot of people and social statuses, and I feel like it has somehow always been ahead of its time. I feel like if you’re quickly going from one place to the next in a day, you’ll never notice this about Martha’s Vineyard, and to me, this is why it is so special.
So even if you don’t have time to venture outside of Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, at least slow down enough to chat up a few locals and wander into the small businesses to see what they’re all about. It has a very artsy, almost hippie-like vibe in areas, so look for it. It may be harder to spot in these busier towns, but if you’re looking for it, especially in Oak Bluffs, you may notice it. Anyhow… moving on to why you’re here…
How to Spend One Day on Martha’s Vineyard
See the tips section below for ferry information…
Morning: Edgartown: Classic, polished, timeless, harbor views
I recommend taking the #13 bus to Edgartown (you can find the 2026 summer schedule here) after getting off the ferry and coming back to Oak Bluffs for the afternoon. I have heard time and again that people wish they had left more time for Edgartown. Edgartown is the quintessential coastal New England town you had in mind, which is why I say not to skip it.
1. Edgartown Tour Company for a JAWS Amity walking tour
This walking tour is an hour long and a great way to get a bit of history about Martha’s Vineyard. We all know JAWS was filmed here, and the tour guide is great at showing you movie clips, which is nice if you haven’t seen the movie recently. All of the locations are close together, and it’ll give you a chance to begin wandering the streets of Edgartown. The tour ends at my favorite location on Martha’s Vineyard: the Edgartown Memorial Wharf. I will include this later in my list, but you’ll be here already if you decide to do this tour.
2. Take your time wandering the streets and exploring the small shops
The whole reason you’re going to Edgartown is to get that quintessential New England charm. The streets look like a movie set, which, let’s face it, they were. I love that it is a mix of cedar-shake-siding homes and large colonial-style white homes with white picket fences and pristine landscaping bursting with hydrangeas and roses. Just wander about and take it all in. Once you wander the residential streets, be sure to pop in and out of the tiny shops throughout the town.
If you need to grab lunch at some point, Behind the Bookstore Cafe seems to be a favorite. We were unable to eat there, but we have heard very good things about them. At the very least, take a gander at the bookstore, which is adorable! I picked up a few cute cards and a couple of other small, unique finds there.
3. Edgartown Memorial Wharf
This is my favorite thing to do in Edgartown. Probably because I am obsessed with sailboats and harbors, I could stare at them all day. This is the perfect lookout spot and a nice place to sit and rest your feet. I would suggest first grabbing some shrimp cocktail at Edgartown Seafood Market, picking up a cold drink, and just sitting and relaxing for a few minutes. To be transparent, the seafood market is a 15-minute walk, but it was worth it. The cocktail sauce was the best I have ever had. There is something different about it, but I’m not sure what. And the shrimp was good-sized. I don’t know, I just really enjoyed eating something light with a cold drink, looking out at the water.
After this, I recommend…
4. Grabbing ice cream at Mad Martha’s Homemade Ice Cream or Vineyard Scoops
We have tried 3 ice cream shops in Edgartown, and these two are our favorites. Both serve up homemade ice cream. Mad Martha’s is iconic and has tons of flavors, my only complaint is that the waffle cones are not homemade. I know it is a process and not everyone cares about that, so take that with a grain of salt. Vineyard Scoops does make their own waffle cones so they had a soft spot with me. In a perfect world, I would want a cone from Vineyard Scoops and ice cream from Mad Martha’s, LOL! The bottom line, I recommend both places. You cannot go wrong. Just snag an ice cream and walk over to the…
5. Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse
You can easily walk over here as you eat your ice cream (like, why not burn it off while you eat it 🙂 I found the lighthouse area to be very peaceful. It seems that not that many people venture over there compared to other areas. We were staying really close to the lighthouse, so we were able to bring beach chairs over and just sit and read. But for a day, I would say see the lighthouse, and if you’d like to sit there at all, pack a picnic blanket or beach towel. My favorites are Sandcloud towels because they’re lightweight, not bulky, and dry very quickly. They have regular-sized beach towels and large sizes. I have both sizes and like them both.
6. Take the #13 bus back toward Oak Bluffs and get off at the State Beach (JAWS Bridge) stop.
You cannot miss this stop as you’ll see teens and twenty-somethings hurling themselves off the bridge into the water. This bridge is a great photo op, and if you’re craving a bit of time on the beach, this is the time for that. I love this beach because it is so calm. You can wade in the water without tipping over or getting your head wet. You can also venture across the street to see an inlet of water and escape the crowds if you prefer. Once you finish here…
Afternoon: Oak Bluffs: more playful and energetic
7. The Gingerbread Houses:
Hop back on the #13 bus to Oak Bluffs. These little fairytalesque cottages are just off the main area of Oak Bluffs and feel like their own little world. One minute you’re walking through the town, and the next you’ve stumbled into this quiet, colorful, almost Polly Pocket-like community that doesn’t seem real. Take your time and lollygag through.
Just a warning, not all are as kept up as the photos you see. Real people live here, so just like any neighborhood, you have some pristine and others not so much. I just don’t want to over hype them and then have you disappointed. The cottages are colorful and a bit hippy-dippy in areas, in my opinion. Either way, the idea is very cool, and there were quite a few I really liked. It’s on my bucket list to visit these cottages on Illumination Night, where thousands of paper lanterns are lit and adorn the cottages. You can search for the exact date; it’s in August each year.
8. Ocean Park
Once we made it through the cottages, we pretty much ended up in Ocean Park. Again, you could bring a beach blanket or towel and just relax on the sprawling lawn (it really is a nice, wide-open space). That’s really all there is to do here. You could have a picnic here or just pass through, depending on your mood and time. We ended up walking across the street, plopping on a bench, and looking out at the ocean for a bit.
9. Wander the town of Oak Bluffs or grab dinner in town
I put this last because you’re pretty much at the ferry, so it makes sense to spend your last bit of time close by. You could wander the shops, ride the carousel, or grab a bite to eat. I would recommend asking locals where to eat. We ate at Martha’s Vineyard Chowder Company, and it was decent. I got clam chowder and an arugula watermelon salad. They were both very good, but we just went anywhere. I would ask people who live there and go by what they say. That’s half of the fun 🙂
I will warn you, we waited in a wicked long line at Back Door Donuts as soon as we got off the ferry (keep in mind we had 3 days on the island), and we were not impressed. I’d honestly skip it. We have better apple fritters and donuts where I’m from. If there is no line, I guess go ahead and try them. But I wouldn’t go out of your way or stress about getting there.
Tips For a Smooth Day Trip
Ferry Timing
There are two ferries to Martha’s Vineyard. I recommend taking the Island Queen ferry from Falmouth, Cape Cod, because it’ll drop you off in Oak Bluffs. For the summer of 2026, the earliest ferry is at 9:00 am, and the last ferry from Oak Bluffs is at 6:45 pm. You can find their summer schedule here. I would purchase your tickets ahead of time.
Wear Comfy Shoes and pack a picnic blanket or towel
As you saw, there is quite a bit of walking. It is leisurely and flat, but still. I know we all want to be cute, but hobbling about because your feet are killing you is not cute whatsoever. I love a good happy medium between stylish and comfy, like I’m not wearing sneakers all day myself. These are my go-to sandals for cute and comfortable.
I mentioned my favorite lightweight Turkish beach towels above. But we love the Sandcloud regular size for beach towels and the large size for a beach/picnic blanket.
Do not overpack your schedule
I purposely did not jam-pack too much into this schedule. I left a lot up to you as to how much time you spent doing what, because we all enjoy different things and get recharged from different activities. The point is to choose what is best for you and spend more time where you want and less time on things that aren’t as important to you.
Remember, you can always return to Martha’s Vineyard, and I think you most likely will want to. So slow down and enjoy it, and plan to return. It’s okay that you grazed the surface and did some rather touristy things; things get touristy for a reason often times. Just know there is way more to this island than Edgartown and Oak Bluffs, and I hope you’ll experience it fully someday.
This post was all about planning a perfect Martha’s Vineyard day trip.
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