Meet a local guide at the Vineyard Haven ferry terminal, often called the Steamship Authority, the terminus for the Wood’s Hole to Vineyard Haven ferry. Two tour options are available:
On the Aquinnah tour, leave Vineyard Haven for the town of Aquinnah, once called Gay Head, where a brick red lighthouse looks out towards colorful clay cliffs and the Elizabeth Islands. Aquinnah is an important place for local Wampanoag Indians, and you’ll have time to browse small shops with handicrafts and souvenirs, or read about Wampanoag history.
Opt for the Down Island tour, and you’ll head straight for the picturesque town of Oak Bluffs, one of the first vacation communities on Martha’s Vineyard. See the Wesleyan Grove Methodist ‘campground,’ where bright gingerbread cottages surround an open-air tabernacle, exploring the historic neighborhood on foot.
Throughout each tour, the guide will share stories and insights about Martha’s Vineyard today and historically, offering a glimpse of the island’s distinctive culture. This tour, which is wheelchair accessible, concludes with drop-off at the Vineyard Haven ferry terminal.
