<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">MV is a lovely place, but don't plan on taking a car from the mainland. Go over without one and take a taxi to wherever you're staying. (They meet the boats.) Now unencumbered, rent bikes (my preference), mopeds (the locals hate them) or a scooter to get around.</font>
Excellent advice from Efrem. We flew in and had a rental car, but ended up walking and biking quite a bit (my brother, who is a Harley nut, wanted to rent one to tour the island - luckily none were available. That would have gone over big
).
Frommer's website provides some good general info on the ferry service and where to park if you are not taking your car, as Efrem suggested:
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Many people prefer to leave their cars on the mainland, take the ferry (often with their bikes), and then rent a car, Jeep, or bicycle on the island. You can park your car at the Woods Hole lots (always full in the summer) or at one of the many lots in Falmouth that absorb the overflow of cars during the summer months; parking is $10 per day. Plan to arrive at the parking lots in Falmouth at least 45 minutes before sailing time to allow for parking, taking the free shuttle bus to the ferry terminal, and buying your ferry ticket. Free shuttle buses (some equipped for bikes) run regularly from the outlying lots to the Woods Hole ferry terminal.</font>
It also discusses the fairly recent shuttle service from Westwood to Wood's Hole:
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Those bound for Martha's Vineyard should be aware of the Relax and Ride shuttle at the Route 128 MBTA/Amtrak station in Westwood. It's a seasonal, weekend only service that operated for the first time in the summer of 2001 and will be expanded in 2002. You park your car at the commuter parking lots in Westwood and ride the shuttle straight to the ferry terminal in Woods Hole. It's a hassle-free way to get to the Vineyard.</font>
Click
here for more details, and some updated info on new restaurants and lodging.
[This message has been edited by blairvanhorn (edited 05-09-2002).]