Martha's Vineyard: GPS-Guided Historical Audio Tour

Embark on a GPS-guided historical audio tour of Martha’s Vineyard, uncovering the island’s surprising history, from the Wampanoag tribe to the origin of the famous ‘gingerbread houses’.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Martha’s Vineyard Camp meeting Association (MVCMA) - Your tour of Martha’s Vineyard begins the quaint town of Vineyard Haven on the island’s north coast. Famous for its gorgeous coastline and historic towns, there’s so much to see on this beautiful island! Your tour will take you along the Vineyard’s eastern coast, where all the island’s top attractions can be found.

Note: This 13+mile-long tour covers the essentials of Martha’s Vineyard in 2-3 hours.

  • Flying Horses Carousel - The Flying Horses Carousel is a totally unique landmark. It’s the oldest operating platform carousel in the country, having been built in 1876. In the early days, the horses on this ride sported real horse hair! The carousel is still in operation today, though it has been updated for comfort and safety.
  • Cottage Museum - The Cottage Museum is a one-of-a-kind museum and gift shop offering more information about the origins of the Gingerbread Houses and the people who built them. Here, you’ll also find all kinds of souvenirs. Whether you’re in the market for sterling silver charms, toys, calendars, or postcards, this combination museum and gift shop has you covered.
  • Inkwell Beach - Inkwell Beach, situated on the eastern side of Oak Bluffs, is a small and pretty beach with a bit of an unsavory past. In the early to mid 1900s, Martha’s Vineyard beaches were fully segregated. As a result, beaches like this one were underfunded and generally left in disrepair by local authorities. Today, however, all of that has changed.
  • Caroline Tuthill Wildlife Preserve - As you pass the Caroline Tuthill Wildlife Preserve, you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for any of the more than 300 species of bird which can be found on the Vineyard. This preserve is also home to tons of local flora, including bountiful wildfowers of all sorts. Beyond it, you’ll also head about the whaling industry and how it once defined the island.
  • Chappaquiddick Island - Chappaquiddick Island, just off the coast of Edgartown’s downtown, gets its name from the Wampanoag tribe. In their language, Chappaquiddick means “separated island.” And yes, that does mean that its name is technically “Separated Island Island”!
  • Katama Beach/ South Beach - Finally, you’ll arrive at South Beach. This long strip of sand is basically two beaches in one, with the placid Katama Bay on one side and the dramatic Atlantic Ocean surf on the other. Whether you want to lounge on the sand, catch some surf, or just break out the binoculars and search for shore birds, this is the beach for you. Your tour concludes here, though there are more optional stops around the island if you want to keep the adventure going.
  • Edgartown Historic District - Passing through Edgartown’s Historic District is a truly lovely experience. Wonderfully preserved houses from the 1800s flank the street, while cute shops and restaurants wait on every corner. As you drive, you’ll also get a glimpse into how the town got its start, its name, and the role that whaling played in the development of it all.
  • Lighthouse Beach - On Lighthouse Beach, you’ll enjoy a pristine sandy beach, gentle surf, and a picture-perfect New England lighthouse. It’s a great spot to pause, picnic, and snap that perfect photo from your trip. While you’re here, you’ll also get a bit of background on that lighthouse.
What's Included
  • Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
  • Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
  • Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
  • Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
  • Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
  • Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
  • Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
  • Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
What's Not Included
  • Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations
Additional Information

Get ready to visit one of the greatest vacation spots in the USA, a favorite among celebrities and even presidents! Martha’s Vineyard is home to stunning beaches and coastline, picturesque little towns, and plenty of fun—but this GPS-guided driving tour with walking portions will also dig beneath the beautiful surface and into the island’s surprising history. Learn about the Wampanoag, the origin of the Vineyard’s famous “gingerbread houses,” and the lost language invented by the island’s residents!

After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route.

New, extra validity — now yours for an entire year! Use multiple times over multiple trips!

This isn’t an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.

  • How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email with instructions. Follow the instructions right away: • Download the separate app • Enter the password • Download the tour • MUST DO while in strong wifi/cellular.
  • How to start the tour: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction. • Go to the starting point. (Note: no one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided). • The audio will begin automatically at the starting point. If you face audio issues, visit the FAQ. • Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
  • Amazing Savings: why pay for an expensive, crowded, and limited bus tour — priced per person! — when you can have ONE amazing audio guide on your OWN phone for your WHOLE group?
  • Flexibility and Convenience: • Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. It’s perfect for tailoring your exploration and revisiting your favorite spots on future trips. • Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace, free from the constraints of a group.
  • Comprehensive Tour Experience: •The app provides a full itinerary, travel tips, narrated audio stories, scripts, images, videos, and recommendations for additional activities. • Enjoy a private experience without the crowds, ideal for personalized stops and photo opportunities.
  • Ease of Use and Accessibility: • The app is hands-free and activates stories via GPS, offering support through call, chat, or email. • There is no need for a continuous cell or Wi-Fi connection as the GPS map works offline.
  • Memorable Keepsakes: • Utilize the app’s images to create a photo book or share on social media, ensuring you have high-quality, crowd-free memories from your trip.
  • Preparation: • After booking, download the app and the tour using a strong Wi-Fi connection. • Review the tour at home before your trip for a better experience.
  • Starting the Tour: • Open the app upon arrival at your destination. • Select the appropriate tour based on your starting point. • Head to the starting location; the audio will begin automatically. • Follow the suggested route and adhere to the speed limit for an optimal experience. • By following these instructions and taking advantage of the app’s features, users can enjoy a personalized, flexible, and in-depth exploration of their destination at their own pace and convenience.
  • For the tour guide app to function as intended, iPhones must be iOS 13 or above and Androids must be version 9 or above.
Location
The Steamship Authority Vineyard Haven Terminal
Water Street
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
2.9
(25 Ratings)
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1 star
G8523lpaliciaw
Oct 1, 2023
Love it - Loved it. It allowed us to stop and restart at our own pace. It was cool to be able to read and listen to what the guide was saying
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tina_b
Aug 14, 2023
Perfect from the car tour!!! - Such a cute little tour to learn the island!!!! Recommend if you want to take the tour in your private car!!!
Review provided by Viator
Danielletw438hz
Dec 17, 2023
Okay - The island was beautiful, but hard to see much in December when a lot was closed. Would have been good to know this beforehand.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anandr1982
Aug 3, 2023
Worth the $15 - The audio didn't work via the car's Bluetooth, which was a bummer. So, a passenger had to read all the text. Also, we couldn't find parking at one of the places we were supposed to. The tour design was otherwise good and gave a good flavor of Martha's Vineyard, when we had no previous knowledge. The app was downloaded over wifi and didn't need steady internet after that.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patrycja_l
Nov 10, 2023
Martha's Vineyard - This was not the first time for us to use an app with GPS gide but this one was really poorly designed.
Review provided by Viator
R9336eycolleenr
Sep 11, 2023
NOT AS GOOD AS I EXPECTED - This is not a bad gamble for $15 to give a try. Unfortunately, I gambled and lost. It was confusing to navigate. If you drove too fast between talking points, it cut off its current talking point and switched to the next point without finishing the current one. We did not find this a useful tool to tour the island.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jimbourdon1
Aug 29, 2023
Too bad - Very difficult to use. Could t get it to play on media in car. Didn’t use it at all because it kept fading in and out with cell phone coverage
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ellen_g
Jun 7, 2024
Unusable Audio Tour! - We travel quite often and have used many driving audio programs in the past. This one was impossible to use! We tried for over TWO hours to get "on track" and it was just not working correctly! We followed all the instructions, downloaded the app when we had internet connection, we began our tour at the designated spot and was still not able to use the application. Very frustrating!!! In the end, we wish we would have just hired a tour driver to take us around the island.
Review provided by Viator
Jounghyun_k
May 18, 2024
Terrible. Poorly made. - The designated starting location of the ferry is not accessible and we could not get the tour to sync up and start. Also, some of the stories are cut off or incompletely recorded.
Review provided by Viator
Brian
Dec 1, 2023
Paid my money but did not receive my guide - I booked this tour online the evening before we travelled with our car to Martha's Vineyard. During the process I was asked to pay, and did so. I then got a confirmation screen which confirmed my booking (it even said "HAPPY TRAVELS, YOU'VE BOOKED A GOOD ONE" and gave me a confirmation number). I took a screenshot of the confirmation. The confirmation said I would receive an email in an hour but it never came. It should have had all the details of how to access an app for our tour I never received any email. I checked all emails, including spam, social, promotions etc. But it never came. As we had booked to bring our car on the ferry to Marthas Vineyard we went ahead without any audioguide. We tried using the help system to no avail. My advice is to never book an audioguide from this company. (And if you are the owner of the company please do not reply to this review like you have fone with others who have complained, by saying the guide never expires and we can use it another time - that's no use. We only had a short period in this area. Also we certainly won't be relying on your system to try a different guide in another country). I want my money back please!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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