Martha's Vineyard:
It Can Be an Affordable Family Vacation

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© by Scott Garrity

Many folks think of Martha's Vineyard as an expensive destination, and it can be expensive, but there are some frugal alternatives for visiting the Vineyard.

Our family loves visiting Martha's Vineyard. It's such a great escape...you feel relaxed and excited at the same time and the feeling begins on the ferry ride to the island when you really feel like you are "getting away".

I've taken several vacations to the Vineyard with my family and have been numerous times before I had a family.

Transportation

Your visit to the island will start on the ferry. Some folks bring their cars but that is somewhat expensive and not necessary.

A round-trip ticket for adults (from Woods Hole, MA) is only $15, children 5-12 are $8.00 and children under 5 are free.

A great option for transportation once you get to the Vineyard is bicycling and it's only $6 round-trip for bikes on the ferry. There are also numerous bike rental companies on the Vineyard and there is a great bus system that will shuttle folks to the main attractions.

Lodging

My most recent trip to the Vineyard was with my family and we stayed at the Vineyard campground.

It was another adventure and our kids loved "roughing it" and building camp fires and making s'mores.

We had great family time hanging out at the beaches, walking around Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven and watching the amazing

sunset in Menemsha. Many folks are unaware that there is a family campground on Martha's Vineyard. It's very nice, having all expected amenities and very comfortable log cabins in addition to tent and trailer sites. Camp sites are $49/day for 2 people with additional adults being $15 and children $4 per day. The campground has free wi-fi service, a large game room, a great playground, bike rentals, showers, laundry, and much more

Entertainment and Activities

Beaches - Martha's Vineyard has plenty of beaches that are easily accessible and free. Because it is an island, it seems like you can get to a beach from any location within a few minutes. There are some great beaches within walking distance of all of the three main towns.

blackdog tavern

Sightseeing - One of the most enjoyable aspects of the Vineyard is the beautiful scenery.

The nautical atmosphere and charming architecture is very relaxing and fun.

Of course this "sight-seeing" is free and there are three

main towns to explore; Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven. Each town has it's own personalityso it's worth strolling the sidewalks of each one.

Horse Carousel - An activity the young kids will really enjoy is the flying horse carousel in Oak Bluffs. It's only $1.50 per ride ! And, there are chances to win free rides. There are also arcade games in a building adjacent to the carousel.

carousel entrance

Simple Pleasures - A summer vacation trip is not complete without ice cream and there are some great ice cream spots on the Vineyard.

Mad Martha's is probably the best known...they have shops in all of the three main towns. There's also an old fashioned penny candy shop in Edgartown named the Ice Cream and Candy Bazaar.

Kids (and adult kids !) will have eyes as wide as saucers looking over the buckets of candy and deciding what to get.

For a few dollars, this is sure to be a big hit.

Lighthouses - There are 5 beautiful lighthouses on Martha's Vineyard and it's free to visit each one. Three are close to the three major towns, the other two are a bit more remote so it's easiest to visit the ones near Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven.

Live Starfish - This activity is located about 12 miles from the major towns but it's well worth the trip. Folks can find live starfish and crabs and other sealife near the boat docks in Menemsha.

sunset celebration at menemsha

This is like an interactive aquarium for kids. Memensha is also the spot for spectacular sunsets.

It faces west and is on the water so the sun drops into the water and paints brilliant rays of red, orange and yellow across the waves.

Many folks gather here around 3 pm, sitting on blankets or chairs and drinking and eating, and hang out well past sunset.

Tour an Alpaca Farm - The Island Alpaca Company is located between Edgartown and Vineyard Haven and is a cool spot to see alpaca (adorable llama like creatures). You can tour the farm and see the many animals and learn about the various uses for their fiber. Admission is $5 per person.

We've already planned another visit for this Spring and are looking forward to spending some more time on this special island. I feel very fortunate to live in close proximity to the Vineyard and be able to visit this place that provides a vacation experience that in my opinion is comparable to visiting the Carribean or other island destinations for a lot less money.

A lifelong resident of Massachusetts, Scott Garrity has grown up vacationing on Martha's Vineyard and even resided on Cape Cod for a time. He shares his lifelong love of the area and vacation tips at
Martha's-Vineyard-Vacation-Tips.com