Hubby and I will be taking a day tour and spending the night in either Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard on Sunday 10/20. Choices are Edgartown Inn (MV) or Jared Coffin House (N) both rooms are the "cheaper" end at $170. We like quiet and will be looking at scenery and relaxing/hanging out. No car either, so don't know how that works coming from Boston... thanks!

Nantucket is smaller, no need at all for a car there. Can walk around the center of town and to close in beach, if you want to explore the rest of the island then there are lots of bike rentals and it's easy biking. Very senic and relaxing. MV is larger but if you just want to stay in Edgartown you probably don't need a car. How will you get there from the ferry? Also senic but maybe a little more lively. You don't say how you are getting there from Boston. Most people come in a car as far as the cape and then take the ferry. If that's the case you might want to consider the fequency and length of the ferry rides. MV is shorter and there are more ferry crossings than Nantucket. If you are flying from Boston that wouldn't be an issue. I personally prefer Nantucket which has more of a sense of history than MV. But the vineyard is wonderful also.

Definitely Nantucket- its twice the distance from the cape (which filters out some of the riff raff) and has more beautiful beaches.

Mich

I have just returned from the Cape where I faced the same choice. I chose Nantucket and didnt regret it. Very walkable town with lots to see. If you want to venture further afield the island is very easy to cycle across or there are bus tours which will take you out to Sconset.

Mich, Nantucket is wonderful. I stayed at the Jared Coffin House years ago and while it is very centrally located and historical, I couldn't sleep. There's a restaurant there and at the time, I could hear doors opening and closing and slamming as the kitchen help arrived about 6 am for breakfast. For dinner there was piano music until about 10 p.m. or so. My room was near the restaurant and we could not be moved to another room. When I complained about the noise, I was told that "we've never heard comments like yours before." Yeah, right. After that experience I try not to stay in hotels or inns that have a restaurant on the premises.

Fly! Seriously...book a flight on Cape Air. It will save you a lot of time.

Go to the Chicken Box on Nantucket and get drunk. Just avoid the Heroin. There is a lot of heroin on 'Tucket...it comes over from New Bedford.

The airfares from Boston were almost $200 last time I checked.
Pretty steep for such a short trip.

I always try to avoid the heroin when I'm in unfamiliar towns, but thanks for the tip.

I wouldnt go to Nantucket or MV i fyou gave me a free all expenses paid trip!!

TO Man From Nantucket-
My husband works for a major financial/insurance firm. A while ago, he was contracted to enroll the CapeAir pilots in disability/life insurance. If you knew what some of these pilots have for medical conditions-you would only advise your worst enemy to fly with CapeAir. It is a death trap! Someone stroked while in the air about 6 mo. ago.
If you go to Nantucket- the high speed ferry is the only way to go!

I agree with you.... I wouldnt fly with any of these beevis and butthead pilots in hyannis! see the news lately with pilots and drinking??go by ferry!!!!!

I would prefer Edgartown and a lovely restaurant called the Navigator for dinner. Edgartown has great shops, views and atomosphere. Nantucket on the other hand is smaller, less lively and far more snobbish, ( by their own admission they really don;t want tourists there ) . If you want to rent a car book in advance through co 800 number, you can pick it up at the airpot and can get a car for 59 a day.

I couldn't agree more about the Cape Air. I had to sit co-pilot on a flight two thanksgivings ago when the plane was packed (with six people). I couldn't believe the FAA would let a commercial flight fly without a co-pilot. I can't imagine what I would have done if anything happened to the pilot. Additionally, they forgot my luggage in Providence.

Colgan Air sucks too! as well as Cape Air!!!!!!! I remember a flight packed...and the pilot was a short dwarf like fat roly poly older woman who flew the plane... SHe could hardly fit in the pilot seat.. Lmao!! You know who you are!!where do these trolls come from!!! IT Sucked!!!!