cambe

Rumrita, are we the only people using public transport on the Cape?

I have looked at Surfside on Tripadvisor and it is not for me. Your guest house has no availability for my dates but I am looking at others.

Cassandra, My bridge partner said that Yale was nicer than Harvard, judging by her play last night I think she needs new specticles!!

I intend to do a trip report and will include prices. My winge was based on how expensive it is for a single person in the US. However, you are quite right, Scandinavia and Russia would have been more expensive than the US and if I had gone to expensive places in Italy eg Florance, Rome and Positano it would have been similiar to prices in the US (expensive cities and an expensive resort).

Back to my itinerary

I have found a really nice B&B in Oak Bluffs- good price and good reviews on tripadvisor but it has a shared bathroom with one other resident. It is the Nashua House Hotel and has a balcony overlooking the sea. They have a minimum of 3 nights. If I stay there for the 3 nights I can still make the bus journey from Woods Hole to the airport on time. I won't be able to visit Woods Hole and Falmouth which look really nice but will have 2 full days on MV/

What do you Think?

Helen

Slow_Wanderer

Your itinerary looks great, I think you're going to have a wonderful time!

If it were me, I think I'd go for the three nights on Martha's Vineyard rather than going back to Falmouth. Falmouth is nice, but I don't think you'll have any regrets about an extra night on MV. When you add in the extra hassling of checking into and out of hotels and arranging transportation, I think it's an easy decision (assuming you have plenty of time to get from MV to Logan Airport).

If you are looking for a place to grab some food before or after your ferry ride, there's a great cafe called "Pie in the Sky" near the ferry terminal in Falmouth.

http://www.woodshole.com/pie/index.htm

kealalani

I'm thrilled you found lodging on the Vineyard! So much to see and do and the island is fully accessible by busline and bicycle rental. You will have plenty to explore and take in. Good luck with the rest of your accomadation needs!

kealalani

Oh and you should consider looking at ferry schedules to the vineyard from Hyannis as well in case they fit in with your public transportation needs.

Woohooo!

kealalani

Oh and one more thing Helen.

Someone may have already suggested this but without a car, this may be a great bet for you in P'town

http://www.artsdunetours.com/index.html

Maybe in place of a whale watch since you will already have 3 ferry trips on your agenda.

Surfside was a good bet to call off....it's a boys club all summer long.

Good luck!

cambe

Kealalani, I will add the Dune tour to my itinerary thank you.

I need a few more questions answered before I make a reservation in MV (these are really stupid questions but important to me).

The Island Queen ferry leaves Oak Bluffs at 09.45am on the Monday morning. It does not give an arrival time in Falmouth but I have read that it takes approx 35 mins which would arrive at 10.10am.

The bus to Logan Airport leaves the Bonanza bus station at 59 Depot Ave at either:

10.50am arriving Airport 12.40 pm
or
12.15pm arriving airport at 2pm.

My flight home is at 4.30pm and Continental say that the last check in is 60 mins before departure - 3.30pm.

1. If I take the 12.15pm bus on a Monday am I giving myself enough time allowing for traffic, hold ups etc?

2. Are there taxis at the ferry point to take me to the station?

3. If I take the 12.15pm bus can I walk from the ferry and is there somwhere nice along this route to stop for a coffee?

Slow - Wanderer, Pie in the Sky looks great but is it close to the Falmouth ferry or Woods Hole or do both ferries leave from the same place?

I would prefer to take the 12.15pm bus but not if meant missing my flight due to traffic hold ups.

I could then spend the 2 hours in Falmouth, stop for a coffee which would be nicer than the airport.

Thank you again for all your help

Helen

Vttraveler

I wouldn't do the overnight stop in New Haven. The Yale campus may or may not be "nicer" than Harvard (I think they are both worth seeing) but the Cambridge/Boston area is much more pleasant to explore than NHaven.

Slow_Wanderer

Hi Helen,

Woods Hole is actually a village contained within the town of Falmouth so I was using the names interchangeably, but I shouldn't have since that was confusing, sorry! The Pie in the Sky cafe is just a short walk (1 minute?) from the Woods Hole ferry terminal.

I would not recommend walking from the Woods Hole ferry terminal to the bus terminal. It's probably about 3 miles away and you'd be going uphill. I also don't remember there being any sidewalks along much of that stretch and traffic moves quickly there. I don't know if there are typically taxis waiting at the ferry terminal...hopefully someone else can speak to that.

In terms of how long the ferry takes, I found a site that said it takes 45 minutes. It also contained some other info you might find helpful:

http://www.mvol.com/articles/132/

I would recommend taking the earliest bus you can. I think the 12:15 would be cutting it a bit too close for a 4:30 flight. You might make it, but I don't think it's worth the risk. Factoring in time for traffic congestion, circling the airport to get to the right terminal, waiting in line to check-in, then time to get through security...it could all go smoothly, or not. You just never know and it's good to build in some extra time to cover yourself. But then, I'm overly conservative when it comes to these things so maybe I'm not the best person to give advice.

cambe

Slow Wanderer, thanks for the information.

I have thought about it an agree with you that the earlier bus would be better. I don't like to be rushed and in a panic about reaching a deadline.

I will also take a taxi to the bus station which will make things easier and I am sure my guest house on MV will be able to advise.

I really can't thank you all enough for your time and patience. When I looked at my initial post I really didn't have a clue about distances and travel in the US and I now have what I am certain will be a wonderful holiday.

I will post a trip report when I get home in August to let you all know how I got on.

Helen

yellowbyrd

You might want to have another plan for getting around Cape Cod because there is a chance that the Flex bus and Breeze bus will be eliminated or have a reduced schedule. What a shame! Maybe if we all write in to the RTa they will figure out another solution to their financial troubles.
http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pb...EWS11/80116019

cambe

Yellowbyrd,

Thank you for this information, it is going to complicate my itinerary.

I will keep reading the Flex & Breeze websites for an update.

If the buses are discontinued can I cycle from Provincetown to Wellfleet & Truro?(I really want to visit these towns/villages)

If necessary I wiil rent a car but other than reversing my itinerary in Cape Cod/Martha's Vineyard (which I am considering because of flights back home and w/end rates for guest houses in M/V) I am happy with the itinery as it is.

Thank you again for the advice

Helen

yellowbyrd

If you are a strong biker then getting to Wellfleet and Truro is doable but you will have to bike on the main road, Rt. 6, for at least part of the way. Don't give up on the Flex yet....and I was serious about writing to the government about keeping the bus. Here are a few addresses to send your plea to:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Robert.O'[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Since you are traveling alone, you should also realize that Provincetown is a very diverse community...catering to a large gay population but welcoming all. If you are looking for a more traditional setting then you might consider staying in Eastham, or Wellfleet.

givemesun7

Just wanted to add here that if you are looking to get back from Marthas Vineyard in a hurry you can also take a fast ferry from there to New Bedford, MA where there are plenty of buses to Boston.

http://www.nefastferry.com/

I live in Boston and visit my mother on the vineyard frequently over the summer...this is the only way I will go there now. It is more expensive but the time and hassle you save is worth it!

You will love the island!

cambe

Yellowbyrd, I have e mailed all of the people you suggested. Two were not accepted as their firewall doesn't accept spam. I will report back when I get a reply from the others.

I was informed that Provincetown was 'Gay Friendly', that doesn't bother me but I would feel uncomfortable if, during the summer, it was almost exclusivly gay - is this the case?

Givemesun7,

Thank you for the web address. I am very concerned about timing from MV to the airport and having looked at it, I am going to do 'the Cape & MV in reverse.

Boston to New Bedford
Ferry to Oak Bluffs for 3 nights.

Oak Bluffs to Woods Hole (I want to spent a few hours here as it looks like a place I would like)

Hopefully a bus from Woods Hole to Provincetown. If the breeze and flex buses are eliminated I will hire a car.

I will spend 4 nights here

Ferry from Provincetown to Boston and onwards to the airport (the ferry services to Boston are more frequent as is the public transport to the airpot.

Again, thank you for your excellent advice.

Helen

capxxx

Provincetown is gay friendly, but by no means exclusively gay.

Indeed I would say that _most_ of the tourists are straight. The last time I was there I saw only 2 same-sex couples in a restuarant with at least 40 tables seated. (Why did I bother to count, you ask? Because of a co-worker who thought Provincetown _was_ exclusively gay and wondered why I and hubby would ever think of going ...)

You might want to get a heads-up from the hotel desk clerk on which beaches might suit you best, though. And if there are men dressed in spangly dresses standing outside a particular bar, well, you should draw the obvious conclusion ...

Slow_Wanderer

Helen,

I think the reversal of your Cape itinerary makes a lot of sense and should make things easier and less stressful for you (as a vacation should be!).

I asked the Fodor's editors to delete my post with the long link that messed up the formating of your thread and they very accomodatingly have done so. I don't think there was anything of great importance in that post (other than my admission of idiocy for confusing the ferry terminals you'd be arriving at) but if you'd like me to try to recreate any part of it, just say the word.

I wanted to agree with your earlier comment about the expense of traveling as a single person in the US. Very few hotels here make significant concessions to the single traveler and it's pretty frustrating. I realize you already have accomodation in New York, but for future reference, I found a hotel there that is relatively low priced and is geared toward single occupancy. The downside is that you have to share a toilet but it is clean, comfortable and in a fantastic location. You can check here for more information:

http://www.chelsealodge.com/

cambe

Thank you Capxxx, Your description is more or less what I expected. I am not really interested in night life more what I can do juring the day.

Thanks

Helen

cambe

Slow-Wanderer,

I also feel that reversing my itinerary is better.

If I remember correctly you recommended the lovely cafe in Woods Hole - is that correct?

I would like to spend an hour or two in Woods Hole/Falmouth, if my itinerary allows it and I will get back to you on places to see?

Thank you
Helen

Slow_Wanderer

Helen,

I'd be happy to answer any questions I can about Falmouth and Woods Hole but I'm not sure how helpful I'll be since I have only been there on business, never as a tourist. Woods Hole is quite small and dominated by the various oceanic research institutes there. There is a small row of shops and restaurants (and maybe galleries?). I know of Pie In The Sky only because I needed a place for a quick lunch and I luckily stumbled upon it. It's now a favorite of mine and I'll detour out of my way to go there if I'm anywhere in the neighborhood. I particuarly enjoy it in the winter when it's quiet and cozy (it's very tiny inside, but the advantage of the summer is that there is some outdoor seating).

The downtown area of Falmouth is larger and busier and would offer more variety for you, but I've only driven through so I can't offer specifics unfortunately. But please do ask. If I can't help, I'm sure some of the very knowledgeable people on the thread will be able to assist.

ccrosner

Cambe--

At the risk of being slammed, I wanted to comment on your question about Ptown being "exclusively gay" and Capxx's response. While I agree that there are many straight tourists during the day in Provincetown and many families like ours love to visit there (the beaches and biking are fabulous and the town is fun to walk/shop), you should be aware that you will see many gay couples during your visit. It doesn't bother me or my family (although I'll admit that 15 years ago during my first visits there I found the flamboyant behavior of some a bit off-putting) nor does it keep us from visiting. But when you are in Ptown, you will see many gays and lesbians. Only you know how comfortable you will be.