Martha’s Vineyard by bus

It’s a common misconception. The islands are a pain to get to, and once there, you’re stuck having to rent a bike, moped, or a taxi to get around. Well, while that may be true to a certain degree on Nantucket, which boasts a fine, if limited, public transportation service, it’s an argument you can’t make about Martha’s Vineyard, where you can find a bus for practically any destination on the island. We took the Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority, or VTA, for a day on the island to see how many spots we could visit. Depending on where you want to go, the system isn’t always the quickest route, but it is indeed an effective and cost-effective way to tour Martha’s Vineyard.

As it turned out, parking was one of the most expensive ventures of the morning, $15, at the Woods Hole Palmer Avenue lot, from where we took a shuttle to the Steamship Authority ferry dock, and purchased a round-trip ticket for $16. The 7 a.m. departure arrives in Vineyard Haven at 7:45, so it’s often filled with commuters making their way out for the day. At one point during the trip, a crew member reminded all that no smoking is permitted on the deck of the ship, and that a more familiar voice would be normally delivering the message but that he was “no longer with us.’’ This caused a commotion among one of the seated groups, and one woman stormed off to discover what transpired. Turns out the fellow in question merely retired.

Vineyard Haven’s Main Street normally boasts a bustling crowd, but at 8 a.m. on a Tuesday morning it was a pleasant stroll to coffee shop Mocha Mott’s (15 Main St., Vineyard Haven, 508-693-3155, www.mochamotts.com) where I purchased an iced coffee and asiago cheese bagel before heading out to the front porch to enjoy the pair. Before I was even able to sit down, I heard my old college nickname echo from the street, were I spied an old college friend carrying a pair of car seats. A lifelong island native, he’s headed to Gloucester with his family for the day. “It’s crazy here,’’ he assured me, and bemoaned that I hadn’t warned him in advance that I’d be coming on his day off. We promised a fall visit and he raced off to catch his ferry. I wondered just how much of the island I’d actually get to see based on the potential crowds. I ate my bagel in haste and hurried to the bus stop.

I made my way back to the Steamship Authority terminal, where you can purchase a day pass for the VTA for a mere $7. Keep in mind, one-way fares are $1, so if you’re off to multiple stops, it’s in your best interest to purchase a day pass. (Three-day, $15, and seven-day, $25, passes are also available.) The bus stop is just outside, with direct service to many locations on the island, including our first stop, Edgartown. It wasn’t even 8:30, and the sun was searing on a day that expected to reach 90 degrees, even on the island. The bus arrived on time, for an 8:27 a.m. departure, and I embarked following a woman carrying nothing but a sweating, full gallon of milk. As Ron Burgundy might say, that could have been a bad idea.

The ride from Vineyard Haven took less than 20 minutes as the roads were still quite sleepy in the morning hour. The Edgartown bus stop is directly in front of the post office/souvenir stop on Church Street, an area that can become quite busy as the day wears on. Buses leave this area for South (Katama), Menemsha, Vineyard Haven, West Tisbury, and Aquinnah. It was still before 9 a.m. upon my arrival, and the streets in town were still quiet, many businesses having yet to open their doors for the day.

TripAdvisor users ranked The Edgartown Lodge (68 Winter St., Edgartown, 508-627-1092, www.edgartownlodge.com) a small, eight-room accommodation just steps from the post office, the No. 1 specialty lodging in Edgartown.

A T-shirt for sale at Shirt Tales (56 Main St., Edgartown, 508-627-3766) one of many shopping stops in Edgartown, where it’s never seems difficult to find a souvenir.

Hydrangeas were in full bloom along Summer Street.

The Old Whaling Church (89 Main St., Edgartown, 508-627-4440) was built by whaling captains back in 1843, and according to the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, “is considered to be one of the finest examples of Greek revival architecture in New England.’’ It can accommodate as many as 500 guests for a wedding.

Murdick’s Fudge (21 North St., Edgartown, 888-553-8343, murdicks.com/fudge) is synonymous with Martha’s Vineyard, with three locations on the island – Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Vineyard Haven. The popular stop has been using the same recipes for its main item, peanut brittle, and chocolate nut clusters since 1887.

Vineyard Vines (19 Winter St., Edgartown, 508-627-4779, www.vineyardvines.com), preppy and proud of it.

The docks in Edgartown were quiet in the morning, much like the surrounding streets.

At Mad Max Sailing Adventures (25 Dock St., Edgartown, 508-627-7500) novices can charter a boat for a sail around the island.

MacPhail’s Corner Café (18 Dock St., Edgartown, 508-939-3090) claims to have the “Island’s No. 1 lobster roll,’’ a pretty bold claim when you consider just how many options for lobster there are on the Vineyard. I wanted to see if the claim held true, but it’s still early, and we had already planned on grabbing lunch on the docks in Menemsha. So, I took the pass, but remained curious.

Of course, when we say Edgartown is sleepy in the morning, that does not include the extremely popular Among the Flowers Café (Mayhew Lane, Edgartown, 508-627-3233), where you’ll probably find a line lingering for a table during breakfast hours. The outdoor patio is nestled into…well, the flowers, providing a tranquil start to the island day. It’s certainly among the most popular breakfast spots on Martha’s Vineyard.

But second breakfasts are for Hobbit movies. We had a bus to catch to Katama, and just in time as the heat began to make its name known, yet with the added benefit of a pleasant breeze off the water. Still, it was beach time. (Check back Tuesday for Part 2 of this week’s series.)