Island Queen
75 Falmouth Heights Road, Falmouth | 508.548.4800 | IslandQueen.com
You know summer is near when you see the Island Queen slip into its berth at Falmouth Harbor.
The 522-passenger ferry runs between Falmouth and Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard from late May through mid-October each year. The current vessel is actually the third Island Queen; the original Vineyard Queen first crossed the sound in 1960 with 108 passengers.
Today passengers are treated to a quick 35-minute ride to the island, complete with a full-service snack bar offering a variety of snacks, beer, wine, mixed drinks and non-alcoholic beverages. Although the ferry doesn’t transport vehicles, there’s plenty of room for bikes and your furry travel companions (provided they are leashed or crated).
The travel schedule changes during the season, with more frequent crossings scheduled during the height of the summer; always check the Island Queen website for up-to-date news about ship status or travel alerts on your day of travel.
Tickets are easy to book online or on the Island Queen’s mobile ticketing app (download available on the Island Queen website).
“The Island Queen is always a great experience when traveling to the Vineyard from Falmouth,” a reviewer recently wrote. “The price is very reasonable. The whole experience is so easy and seamless. Convenient and reasonable parking is $20 for the whole day. Then a quick, pleasant ferry ride, which leaves you at Oak Bluffs.”
The ferry also offers discounted rates to groups of 20 or more, and the entire ship can be privately chartered for special events.