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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Aquinnah
Spend a half‑day in Aquinnah to see the Gay Head cliffs and lighthouse; add a night only if you want beach time or a quiet stay.
Aquinnah is a small town at Martha's Vineyard's western tip. Its main attractions – the multi‑coloured Gay Head cliffs, the historic lighthouse and the nearby beaches – are close together, so a half‑day covers the highlights. Overnight accommodation exists but is limited and pricey, so most visitors treat Aquinnah as a day stop from a base elsewhere on the island.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (warm, full ferry service)
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (cold, limited ferry and bus)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $50–$80 excl. bed · Mid $80–$130 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police/Fire/Ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | $2–$4 |
| Sandwich or salad | $6–$12 |
| Gay Head Lighthouse entry | $5 adults, under 12 free |
| Bike ferry (summer) | $5–$7 per person |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MVY · Martha's Vineyard Airport
- Seasonal service, about 10 min drive from Aquinnah
Typical fares
- MTA #5 bus Aquinnah loop
- about $12 per day (check schedule)
- Bike ferry West Basin
- about $5–$7 per person, summer only (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Bicycle is the most common way to explore the bluffs and beaches; the MTA #5 bus runs a limited loop through Aquinnah. Roads are steep and windy.
See and do
Known for
- Gay Head cliffs
- Gay Head Lighthouse
- Moshup Beach
- Lobsterville Beach
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Edgartown | MTA #5 bus, about 20 min | 30 min |
Sleep
- Outermost Inn
- 7 rooms, upscale, reservation only; $310‑$390 per night (seasonal).
- Duck Inn
- 1 suite and 4 rooms on a bluff; limited info on price.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Excusez‑moi / Pardonexcusez‑moi |
| Thank you | Mercimerci |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?combien ça coûte |
| Where is the restroom? | Où sont les toilettes ?où sont les toilettes |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Stay off the cliffs and out of the clay – illegal and fined.
- Nudity is tolerated on the northern part of Moshup Beach, but police enforce the clay‑cliff protection rules.
- The West Basin Bike Ferry operates summer only; check schedule before planning.
Aquinnah is safe; main concerns are the illegal climbing of cliffs and respecting beach nudity norms.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Aquinnah yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gay Head cliffs
- Gay Head Lighthouse
- Moshup Beach
- Lobsterville Beach
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Aquinnah: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1315773
- Wikivoyage: Aquinnah, revision 4582918 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4582918
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Aquinnah
À cette adresse, s’il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police/Fire/Ambulance911
US citizens need no visa for short visits; see /united-states/visa-requirements.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/aquinnah). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.