Question - Cape Cod?

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

We are staying in Brewster, MA starting on Friday, April 20, 2012 and starting to plan out our activities.

We want to do the trip to Martha's Vineyard (with a car), Nantucket (without a car) and the Whale Watch with Dolphin Fleet. We are thinking that we should space these out every other day, so we would do one of these on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. At this time of the year would it be OK to go to go to Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard on Sunday and not be crowded?

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

We are staying in Brewster, MA starting on Friday, April 20, 2012 and starting to plan out our activities.

We want to do the trip to Martha's Vineyard (with a car), Nantucket (without a car) and the Whale Watch with Dolphin Fleet. We are thinking that we should space these out every other day, so we would do one of these on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. At this time of the year would it be OK to go to go to Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard on Sunday and not be crowded?

Monday is Patriots Day in MA - a big holiday and the day for the Boston Marathon- so the Cape will be busy. That said, busy is relative and it is still off season. The up side is that many things will be open for the holiday weekend that would not ordinarily be open this early in the season.
If I had to chose, I would probably do the whale watch on Sunday as it is not crowd dependent...they can only sell so many seats on the boat.

Others will weigh in but I feel u will be fine, just leave time to 'get places' and u will not have a problem.

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

Trust me, no one is here right now. I have seen a little bit of traffic, but is because this is a school vacation week here and tomorrow is the Boston Marathon, otherwise I think you will be fine. You are coming up on Friday; the kids go back to school on Monday. There will be more traffic (people, cars) on the weekend, but during the week it should be quite.

There is work being done on the Sagamore Bridge and traffic is one lane getting off Cape. This will affect you if you go to Boston (Plymouth, Salem...points north) from Brewster.

Joy

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Trust me, no one is here right now. I have seen a little bit of traffic, but is because this is a school vacation week here and tomorrow is the Boston Marathon, otherwise I think you will be fine. You are coming up on Friday; the kids go back to school on Monday. There will be more traffic (people, cars) on the weekend, but during the week it should be quite.

There is work being done on the Sagamore Bridge and traffic is one lane getting off Cape. This will affect you if you go to Boston (Plymouth, Salem...points north) from Brewster.

Joy

I do trust you - is this week Patriots Day?

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

How much additional time should we allow on Friday, April 27 as we drive back to Boston Logan airport?

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

Patriot's Day is April 16...Boston Marathon will be run that day.

As for going back to Logan, it will depend on what time you leave on Friday morning. I would leave at least an additional 30 minutes. I will keep you posted on the bridge situation during the week.

Early morning (commuters) seems to be really bad. Early afternoon on Friday took me an additional 20 minutes to go 3 miles. Evenings shouldn't be too bad (after 7PM) since all the commuter traffice will be done.

Joy

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

Our flights are at 2:00PM on Friday.

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

Our flights are at 2:00PM on Friday.

So, check out is 10ish, that gives you 4 hours before your flight. I would say leaving at 10 you should be fine.

I'll keep you posted on the bridge work throughout the week.

Joy

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

If you are planing on taking a ferry to MV or Nantucket be sure to find out if the ferry is running and is so where it is running from, I know at this time there used to be only one ferry company working

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

If you are planing on taking a ferry to MV or Nantucket be sure to find out if the ferry is running and is so where it is running from, I know at this time there used to be only one ferry company working

Both Hy-Line and the Steamship Authority will be running to Nantucket.

The Island Queen to MV starts service on Memorial Day Weekend, but the Steamship Authority is running out of Woods Hole. Hy-Line starts from Hyannis to the Vineyard on May 1.

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

Joy,

Do you think we need to book ahead of time the Martha's Vineyard Ferry (with a car), Nantucket High Speed Ferry (without a car) and the Whale Watch with Dolphin Fleet?


I have been looking at the Steamship Authority for both, should I check out the Hy-Line to Nantucket?

Thanks for all your help.

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

Joy,

Do you think we need to book ahead of time the Martha's Vineyard Ferry (with a car), Nantucket High Speed Ferry (without a car) and the Whale Watch with Dolphin Fleet?


I have been looking at the Steamship Authority for both, should I check out the Hy-Line to Nantucket?

Thanks for all your help.

I like Hy-Line better than The Steamship. I do use the high speed ferry when going to Nantucket, it suts the travel time by lots.

This is a rather slow time of year for use, tho it is unseasonally warm today (77) and next week is NOT school vacation. You can go on line and check to see about reservations, especially if you want to bring a car. I think you will be safe to book say on Monday for a Wednesday passage w/car. I have never booked ahead for the high speed to Nantucket unless it was the height of the season and then only a day or two before.

Remember, weather can be iffy this time of year up here and if you have prepaid passage and it is torrential rain the last thing you will want to do is be walking around Nantucket. I think you should be OK for the whale watch too.

Joy

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

I noticed the Hy-Line is $10 per person more than The Steamship for high speed to and from Nantucket. So it is to correct to stay the facilities on the ship, etc. is better and make for a more enjoyable ride?

Also, we are renting a minvan at Boston Logan. Do youthink we look at the option of renting a vehicle on Martha's Vineyard instead of taking our vehicle over on the ferry?

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

I noticed the Hy-Line is $10 per person more than The Steamship for high speed to and from Nantucket. So it is to correct to stay the facilities on the ship, etc. is better and make for a more enjoyable ride?

Also, we are renting a minvan at Boston Logan. Do youthink we look at the option of renting a vehicle on Martha's Vineyard instead of taking our vehicle over on the ferry?

I just like Hy-Line better; I have used both. Parking in Hyannis is easier for Hy-line in my opinion than for the Steamship Authority. Since you are day tripping you can actually park at a meter for about $10 only yards away from the boat.

I would check out the rental prices on MV; this is still out of season. It may be cheaper to rent a car for one day than to pay for bringing the car you rent in Boston to MV in the boat. Also you need to check to see IF you can bring the rental on the boat There may be a clause in the rental contract about shipping a car.

Joy

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

Thanks for all the help. We had a great week on Cape Cod, and the weather ended up being fine. We head back to Boston Logan Airport today after doing everything we had planned plus some more.