1 day for Martha's Vineyard? Brewster or Chatham base for Cape Cod?

[N0rdicStar]

Planning on a week on Cape Cod in the Chatham/ Brewster area and 3 days near Falmouth to do Shining Sea Bike Path and Martha's Vineyard. Want to enjoy Martha's Vineyard in a relaxed fashion. Would 1 day be enough? Or 2 day trips? Or would 2 nights on the island be preferable( really expensive)? Would Chatham or Brewster be better for a Cape Cod base?

Chatham is a lovely town and I would really recommend it. 1 day probably isn’t enough for the Vineyard.

2 nights MV would be better if you have time and can afford it. However if you only have a week, do you want to spend time going there? Cape Cod is pretty good!

No got a full week for Cape Cod Chatham end. Got 2 nights after and 1 before which we'll base near Plymouth Plantation. Toying with Falmouth for the 3 days after( not a whole lot cheaper for a family of 5) but would have to take the ferry over 2 days on the trot. Doesn't look that onerous and could do the bright sea cycle path too. Found a hotel in MV which is £800 for 2 nights . Struggling to get quotes online.

Chatham is gorgeous. You could easily just spend a week there, with day trips. The town really comes alive in the summer, with lots of community events. The beaches are lovely, especially for families. Brewster is only a short drive but small. Falmouth is a while away in the traffic. Cape Cod is a place to chill and relax, I'd avoid too much running about. The traffic is quite busy in the summer, so even nearby spots can be a bit of a faff. It's a great holiday spot, hope you have a loved time

Would you bother with staying on the island or is ferrying it 2 days on the trot doable?

If accommodation is peak prices, I would probably go on the ferry if you cannot afford it. It’s not a bargain basement holiday spot! Do you have to book the ferry?

We stayed at Falmouth. Also at Chatham. You cannot go wrong really!

It’s only around 35 minute ferry ride from Falmouth and there’s public transport when you get there. I would make sure you can get a place on the ferry though! Alternatively, going further north of Boston is great.

Don’t think you need to book if just foot passengers.

Thanks for the advice.

Chatham is beautiful and has a great buzz ( plus we saw seals frolicking just off the beach!) but I got the impression that's it's very much the premium resort with prices to match. I don't know if budget is a factor, but pretty much everywhere on the Cape is cheaper than Chatham.

Last year we stayed at Pilgrim View on White Pond in Chatham. Peak season last year was about £850 for a cabin £1800 for a hotel. Not super cheap, but lovely to be in Chatham, with a freshwater lake to swim in. We got out and about but afternoons swimming and paddle boarding on the lake, with a couple of great fish restaurants nearby were perfect. Chatham is really gorgeous.

Have tried emailing them and ringing but got no answer.How long did you stay?

And was the airport next to it noisy?

White Pond? We stayed a week. They are probably on their winter break at the moment. It's run by a couple in their seventies and most of their business is repeat bookings, they don't advertise or really have a website but are very friendly. We found out about it from a Bostonian colleague whose family has been each year since 1982. It's really not a glossy commercial set up!l. We did meet a couple of English families there who also go most years. You barely notice the airport. Its just a couple of small private planes an hour, mostly incoming Kennedys and the like. There is a lot of accommodation in Chatham but it does get booked up as people often go back to the same place each year.