Martha's Vineyard vs Nantucket

BostonUrbEx · 03-17-2012, 09:19 PM

So, which has the better...

Village/Center/Downtown?

Beaches?

Lodgings/Hotels?

Restaraunts?

Views/Sights? (ie: light houses, historic buildings, or landscape views)

Transit? (I think they have some buses of some extent?

Bike-ability?

Anything else?

Just curious as to what popular opinion is. I've only been to the Vineyard once, and that was quite some time ago, so I can't recall all that much. Nantucket I know pretty much nothing about.

Ron Newman · 03-17-2012, 10:53 PM

Martha's Vineyard has six towns, three of which have significant town centers: Edgartown, Vineyard Haven, and Oak Bluffs.

Nantucket is a single town with just one center. You do not want to ride a bike in the town center, because the streets are made of very rough cobblestones. (The rest of Nantucket is fine for biking.)

MonopolyBag · 03-20-2012, 07:08 AM

Never been to Nantucket for long, but Martha's Vinyard is very good for biking. I have stayed there for a week at a time multiple times. The buses run very late, and they are cheap and frequent. At points the biking gets a bit long between the towns, but not bad. There are paths everywhere. Edgartown is the nicest IMO.

Vinyard havens good too.

Semass · 03-20-2012, 09:09 AM

Transit is great on MV but alcohol drinking is more convenient on Nantucket

BostonUrbEx · 03-20-2012, 07:38 PM

So sounds like MV might be a nicer pick (to me). Who has the better downtown[s] as far as food and shopping go?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Newman

Martha's Vineyard has six towns, three of which have significant town centers: Edgartown, Vineyard Haven, and Oak Bluffs.

Nantucket is a single town with just one center. You do not want to ride a bike in the town center, because the streets are made of very rough cobblestones. (The rest of Nantucket is fine for biking.)

Legit cobblestones, or Belgian bricks or whatever?

Lrfox · 03-20-2012, 08:23 PM

I've always found Nantucket Village to be more attractive aesthetically. That said, I enjoy the crowd on the Vineyard much more (especially Oak Bluffs). Not quite so snooty.

Ron Newman · 03-20-2012, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BostonUrbEx

Legit cobblestones, or Belgian bricks or whatever?

This I don't know. But whatever they are, they're hell to bike over and not a whole lot of fun to walk on either.

BussesAin'tTrains · 03-20-2012, 09:41 PM

They're pretty different. Martha's Vineyard is larger and more diverse than Nantucket, especially in the Summer. As people have said, Martha's Vineyard tends to have a more laid-back feel to Nantucket, but it does depend on where on the Vineyard you are. Each village on the Vineyard has a distinct character. Oak Bluffs has the most action, and has the most "urban" feel. The Tabernacle neighborhood in Oak Bluffs is very iconic to the area, as is the Flying Horses Carousel. Vineyard Haven has a great street fair, and a cute town center on the waterfront and the famous Black Dog Tavern. Edgartown has a very quaint center and is the home of the 4th of July Parade and its famous Yacht Club. Tisbury is fairly sparse, although it contains Vineyard Haven. Aquinnah/Gay Head features gorgeous clay cliffs. The Vineyard gets considerably more crowded in the Summer than Nantucket, but has a very well established system of busses, bike/moped rentals, and taxis. The beaches get VERY crowded, although there some diversity in surf depending on if you're on the sound side or the ocean side. There are ample accommodations around the island between the hotels, B&Bs, campgrounds, rentals etc.

Nantucket is much quieter and more outwardly affluent than the Vineyard. Nantucket Village has a lot of great shops and a lot of local charm. Nantucket Nectars is based there. Outside of the village it gets sparse quickly. There are plenty of places to eat and rent lodgings, but it has a much more relaxed and less party feel from the Vineyard. There is not nearly as much connectivity with transit on Nantucket, due to the Village being the only built up destination. Bike rentals are popular, although the aforementioned cobblestones are murder to ride on (and drive on for that matter). The beaches are varied depending on how far out you go. Jetties is the major beach near the Village. The hamlets of Madaket and Siasconset on opposite ends of the island are insular and very wealthy, but have a lot of character. Madaket offers some of the most beautiful sunsets (rivaling Aqiunnah on the Vineyard). The northeastern end of the island is very undeveloped.

Ron Newman · 03-26-2012, 05:30 PM

If you're looking for an island vacation, there's one other you may want to consider: Block Island, RI.

03-17-2012, 10:53 PM	#2
Ron Newman Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Davis Square, Somerville, MA Posts: 7,904	Re: Martha's Vineyard vs Nantucket Martha's Vineyard has six towns, three of which have significant town centers: Edgartown, Vineyard Haven, and Oak Bluffs. Nantucket is a single town with just one center. You do not want to ride a bike in the town center, because the streets are made of very rough cobblestones. (The rest of Nantucket is fine for biking.)

03-20-2012, 07:08 AM	#3
MonopolyBag Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: North Salem, NH Posts: 424	Re: Martha's Vineyard vs Nantucket Never been to Nantucket for long, but Martha's Vinyard is very good for biking. I have stayed there for a week at a time multiple times. The buses run very late, and they are cheap and frequent. At points the biking gets a bit long between the towns, but not bad. There are paths everywhere. Edgartown is the nicest IMO. Vinyard havens good too.

03-20-2012, 09:09 AM	#4
Semass Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 179	Re: Martha's Vineyard vs Nantucket Transit is great on MV but alcohol drinking is more convenient on Nantucket

03-20-2012, 08:23 PM	#6
Lrfox Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,554	Re: Martha's Vineyard vs Nantucket I've always found Nantucket Village to be more attractive aesthetically. That said, I enjoy the crowd on the Vineyard much more (especially Oak Bluffs). Not quite so snooty.

03-20-2012, 09:41 PM	#8
BussesAin'tTrains Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Union Sq, Somerville Posts: 505	Re: Martha's Vineyard vs Nantucket They're pretty different. Martha's Vineyard is larger and more diverse than Nantucket, especially in the Summer. As people have said, Martha's Vineyard tends to have a more laid-back feel to Nantucket, but it does depend on where on the Vineyard you are. Each village on the Vineyard has a distinct character. Oak Bluffs has the most action, and has the most "urban" feel. The Tabernacle neighborhood in Oak Bluffs is very iconic to the area, as is the Flying Horses Carousel. Vineyard Haven has a great street fair, and a cute town center on the waterfront and the famous Black Dog Tavern. Edgartown has a very quaint center and is the home of the 4th of July Parade and its famous Yacht Club. Tisbury is fairly sparse, although it contains Vineyard Haven. Aquinnah/Gay Head features gorgeous clay cliffs. The Vineyard gets considerably more crowded in the Summer than Nantucket, but has a very well established system of busses, bike/moped rentals, and taxis. The beaches get VERY crowded, although there some diversity in surf depending on if you're on the sound side or the ocean side. There are ample accommodations around the island between the hotels, B&Bs, campgrounds, rentals etc. Nantucket is much quieter and more outwardly affluent than the Vineyard. Nantucket Village has a lot of great shops and a lot of local charm. Nantucket Nectars is based there. Outside of the village it gets sparse quickly. There are plenty of places to eat and rent lodgings, but it has a much more relaxed and less party feel from the Vineyard. There is not nearly as much connectivity with transit on Nantucket, due to the Village being the only built up destination. Bike rentals are popular, although the aforementioned cobblestones are murder to ride on (and drive on for that matter). The beaches are varied depending on how far out you go. Jetties is the major beach near the Village. The hamlets of Madaket and Siasconset on opposite ends of the island are insular and very wealthy, but have a lot of character. Madaket offers some of the most beautiful sunsets (rivaling Aqiunnah on the Vineyard). The northeastern end of the island is very undeveloped.

03-26-2012, 05:30 PM	#9
Ron Newman Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Davis Square, Somerville, MA Posts: 7,904	Re: Martha's Vineyard vs Nantucket If you're looking for an island vacation, there's one other you may want to consider: Block Island, RI.

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