Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket - too cold in October ?

I've never been and thinking of visiting Mid-October - too late in the
season ?
Any URLs for " things to do" , referrals for places to stay/eat ?

Thanks
Bobb

"- Bobb -" <bobb@noemail.123> wrote:



I have been on the Vineyard until about the tenth
of October and it was still warm enough for many things.
The average high in mid October is 63, the average low
is 45. It is late enough that there is a chance of
a cold storm. I think that would be more likely on
Nantucket. I ran into one fairly cold day of rain.

By then things are clearly "off season" since most
tourist businesses, many restaurants, and some of the
inns or bed and breakfasts close for the season at
some time between early September and mid October.

About October 10 or 15 most of the ferry schedules
go to off season mode. I am most familiar with the SSA
ferry from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven which runs often
from early morning to evening all year.
www.steamshipauthority.com
I think there is some service from Hyannis to Oak Bluffs,
at least through the end of October.
www.hy-linecruises.com

You can get a lot of information at www.mvy.com and
possibly some special deals from massvacation.com
I have never taken a car to the island and have found
it has gotten easy to get around as they have been
expanding the bus system so it now covers most things
all year. I now just get a bus pass for as many days as
I plan to be there. www.vineyardtransit.com

I have usually stayed in Oak Bluffs at one of the
cheaper inns. Two I have stayed at are now run by the
same person who is also a partner in the Zapotec
restaurant. Both The Nashua House and the Madison
Inn are near the center of Oak Bluffs.
www.nashuahouse.com www.madisoninnmv.com

Even this late you want to make sure places aren't
booked up since there might be some special event that
has filled most available rooms.

This should give you a good start.


Bob <valen (at) mailcart (dot) us>

Thanks Bob - I'll do some homework.


"Bob Joesting" <valen@mailcart.us> wrote in message
news:4510c56c.5367473@news.east.earthlink.net...

Bobb,
A lot depends on what you want to do. You can get a day of what locals
call "Indian Summer" where it feels like you should be at the beach.
You can also get some very cold nights. That said, I think all of New
England is at it's best in the fall - sunny warm days, chilly nights.
All my experience is on the Vineyard, and previous poster gave
excellent links.

You might want to look into renting a cottage for your stay. This time
of year, quite a few are still open for rentals, but dying to have
guests and the rates reflect that.

Good new england sites to look on for cottage rentals include:
www.weneedavacation.com; www.vacationrentals.com;
www.perfectplaces.com; and www.cyberrentals.com - doesn't matter which
site - just pick your place and make sure they have a woodstove or
space heater and plenty of blankets as not all cottages do.

- Bobb - wrote:

I just want to play tourist for a few days. I've lived in Boston my
whole life and have gone lots of places, but never there. We've THOUGHT
of doing it in the summer but too much hassle getting there. I love fall
too and that's why I was thinking maybe less tourists AND cheaper
prices. I'm gonna be busy for the next 3 weeks which brings me out to
Oct 15th or so until I can get down there.

Thanks for the pointers - I'll check them out.

Bobb
=======

"VacationMamma" <mkdiperna@cox.net> wrote in message
news:1158793348.866108.246160@e3g2000cwe.googlegro ups.com...

Well, I'm checking out all of that online info and need some help. I've
never been there at all so ... should I spend a day in each part of the
island to " see it all" ? Should I stay at the same place and bring my
car to drive around ? Should I stay in one part of the island a night or
two then move ? etc. Other than picking by price I could use some help
with available housing:
http://www.mvy.com/islandinfo/roomsthisweek.php
I just went here - lots of types ( B&B, Inns, etc). It's just gonna be
me so I don't need a suite/cottage - really going to SEE the area and
not spend time in the room. Opinions ?


"Bob Joesting" <valen@mailcart.us> wrote in message
news:4510c56c.5367473@news.east.earthlink.net...

Well, I'm checking out all of that online info and need some help. I've
never been there at all so ... should I spend a day in each part of the
island to " see it all" ? Should I stay at the same place and bring my
car to drive around ? Should I stay in one part of the island a night or
two then move ? etc. Other than picking by price I could use some help
with available housing:
http://www.mvy.com/islandinfo/roomsthisweek.php
I just went here - lots of types ( B&B, Inns, etc). It's just gonna be
me so I don't need a suite/cottage - really going to SEE the area and
not spend time in the room. Opinions ?


"Bob Joesting" <valen@mailcart.us> wrote in message
news:4510c56c.5367473@news.east.earthlink.net...

"- Bobb -" <bobb@noemail.123> wrote:


This is very much a personal thing, just like whether
you bring a car or not. I like to find a home base,
usually near the ferry I expect to leave on, and roam
from there. As I said before, a car is not needed. If
you like the control that comes with a car and you want
to visit out-of-the-way places (and there are many) or
you like to be out very early or very late, you may want
a car with you. My feeling is that for a first visit it
is easier to not worry about moving from place to place.
It can be difficult having to drive some narrow roads when
you would rather look at the sights. On the other hand,
this time of the year there is much less traffic and it
is easy to find parking places. There are also lots of
places to stay available at low prices with no minimum
stay. The island is only about 20 by 10 miles and you
can get within a mile or two of most anything by bus,
except on Chappaquiddick.

Since you are in Boston, it seems easiest to just
travel light, take the T to South Station where Bonanza
Bus will sell a ticket that includes bus to Woods Hole
(to the parking lot at the ferry) and the ferry to Vineyard
Haven. Then stay either near the ferry in Vineyard Haven
or Downtown Oak Bluffs. See most everything by bus and
decide if you want to return with a car when it is good
beach weather.

For more information of what things are like this time
of year, check the online newspapers. http://mvgazette.com/
and http://www.mvtimes.com/ The Gazette is a subset of
the paper version but also has some resources on its web
site. The Times is the full newspaper and other things.
You would want to look at the Calendar section. (This
time of year each issue has two sections, more in the
summer.) Also look at the current Vineyard Visitor which
is one of the publications at the bottom of the Times
home page. The Times also has a readers' comment forum
where you could get other information and opinions.


I usually view a room as only a place to sleep, cleanup,
and store my stuff. For that reason I usually stay at the
cheaper places. This time of the year a wide variety of
places are under $100 per night. My temptation would be
to stay near the center of one of the larger towns. This
makes it easy to find an open restaurant and to get around.
I find some of the bed and breakfast places get too cute
and cluttered with Victorian trinkits for me to feel
comfortable. Make sure you know where a place actually is
before you get reservations. Some of the small places
will give a location description over the phone that is
not very accurate. Some things may be up a long steep hill
from where they want you to think it is. If you bring a
car make sure there is parking for the whole time right where
you will be staying. A few places have no parking, others
only have enough on site for loading and unloading. Some
of the available parking is quite a walk from the place.

Some of the places that are close to everything in Oak
Bluffs, as I mentioned before, are the Nashua House and the
Madison Inn. Each of these is within a block of the main bus
stop (on Ocean Park) and the main downtown area. I think
they both have rooms as low as around $70 this time of year.
I think the Wesley Hotel is more expensive but is close.
In Vineyard Haven, Harbor Landing (a time share that was a
motel and rents unused rooms) is a block or two from the
ferry. It is also next to the post office and about across
the street from The Mansion House (recently rebuilt after a
fire) and the Chamber of Commerce visitor's center. There
are also several choices in Edgartown, like the Harborside,
Harbor View, or Colonial Inn. The bus transfer point in
Edgartown is on Church Street, a block or two less convenient
than in Oak Bluffs or Vineyard Haven.

If you have other questions, just ask. Let us know
what you think of the island after your trip.


Bob <valen (at) mailcart (dot) us>

"- Bobb -" <bobb@noemail.123> wrote:


This is very much a personal thing, just like whether
you bring a car or not. I like to find a home base,
usually near the ferry I expect to leave on, and roam
from there. As I said before, a car is not needed. If
you like the control that comes with a car and you want
to visit out-of-the-way places (and there are many) or
you like to be out very early or very late, you may want
a car with you. My feeling is that for a first visit it
is easier to not worry about moving from place to place.
It can be difficult having to drive some narrow roads when
you would rather look at the sights. On the other hand,
this time of the year there is much less traffic and it
is easy to find parking places. There are also lots of
places to stay available at low prices with no minimum
stay. The island is only about 20 by 10 miles and you
can get within a mile or two of most anything by bus,
except on Chappaquiddick.

Since you are in Boston, it seems easiest to just
travel light, take the T to South Station where Bonanza
Bus will sell a ticket that includes bus to Woods Hole
(to the parking lot at the ferry) and the ferry to Vineyard
Haven. Then stay either near the ferry in Vineyard Haven
or Downtown Oak Bluffs. See most everything by bus and
decide if you want to return with a car when it is good
beach weather.

For more information of what things are like this time
of year, check the online newspapers. http://mvgazette.com/
and http://www.mvtimes.com/ The Gazette is a subset of
the paper version but also has some resources on its web
site. The Times is the full newspaper and other things.
You would want to look at the Calendar section. (This
time of year each issue has two sections, more in the
summer.) Also look at the current Vineyard Visitor which
is one of the publications at the bottom of the Times
home page. The Times also has a readers' comment forum
where you could get other information and opinions.


I usually view a room as only a place to sleep, cleanup,
and store my stuff. For that reason I usually stay at the
cheaper places. This time of the year a wide variety of
places are under $100 per night. My temptation would be
to stay near the center of one of the larger towns. This
makes it easy to find an open restaurant and to get around.
I find some of the bed and breakfast places get too cute
and cluttered with Victorian trinkits for me to feel
comfortable. Make sure you know where a place actually is
before you get reservations. Some of the small places
will give a location description over the phone that is
not very accurate. Some things may be up a long steep hill
from where they want you to think it is. If you bring a
car make sure there is parking for the whole time right where
you will be staying. A few places have no parking, others
only have enough on site for loading and unloading. Some
of the available parking is quite a walk from the place.

Some of the places that are close to everything in Oak
Bluffs, as I mentioned before, are the Nashua House and the
Madison Inn. Each of these is within a block of the main bus
stop (on Ocean Park) and the main downtown area. I think
they both have rooms as low as around $70 this time of year.
I think the Wesley Hotel is more expensive but is close.
In Vineyard Haven, Harbor Landing (a time share that was a
motel and rents unused rooms) is a block or two from the
ferry. It is also next to the post office and about across
the street from The Mansion House (recently rebuilt after a
fire) and the Chamber of Commerce visitor's center. There
are also several choices in Edgartown, like the Harborside,
Harbor View, or Colonial Inn. The bus transfer point in
Edgartown is on Church Street, a block or two less convenient
than in Oak Bluffs or Vineyard Haven.

If you have other questions, just ask. Let us know
what you think of the island after your trip.


Bob <valen (at) mailcart (dot) us>

Thanks Bob,
I didn't know if you were still out there
I did look around / checking " things to do" and noticed this page:
http://www.mvtravelguide.com/marthas_vineyard/calendar/
I had latin in high school, but is it a pre-req that I be able to read
that to find something to do on the island ?
( I'll send them some feedback - someone must have been messing around)

In looking at the maps, I see not many roads and long beaches.
http://www.mvgazette.com/travel/maps.../mv_map_lg.gif
Do you know ... can I walk the state/east/south/philbin beaches this
time of year ? Are they all public/sandy beaches ? As opposed to marshy
/ no public access in off-season . Still debating to bring the car or
not - with a car I could walk a beach each morning ( tide permitting)

You gave me a lot of info - I'll check out.
I do see that some of the inns close the end of October
Thanks again




"Bob Joesting" <valen@mailcart.us> wrote in message
news:453ce133.48975013@news.east.earthlink.net...