Major city · United States
GosnoldGosnold, Massachusetts
Go only if you want a car-free, phone-weak island day: Cuttyhunk is the one public island, reached by boat, and most people visit as a day trip, not a stay.
Gosnold is a Massachusetts town made of the nine Elizabeth Islands, strung west from Woods Hole between Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay. It has the smallest population of any town in the state, and eight of the nine islands are private. Cuttyhunk is the only one you can visit: a small harbour, golf carts instead of rental cars, deer paths as trails, and one inn. Plan it as a day trip from Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard or New Bedford, and treat a night there as a deliberate slow-down.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- USD
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- avoid Nov–Apr (boats and services largely shut)
- Airports
- EWB · BOS · ACK
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
- United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
- United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
- United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Gosnold911 ▾
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Poison control1-800-222-1222
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Gosnold, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the US dollar (USD, $).United States-wide
- SIM or eSIMAT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.United States-wide
- Tap waterTap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.United States-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.United States-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 120 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.United States-wide
- SafetyVery low crime — the real risks are weather, water and isolation.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations.United States-wide
- Emergency numbers911 police, fire, ambulance · 1-800-222-1222 Poison control
- Sundays & holidaysFederal holidays close offices, banks and post offices; national parks stay open.United States-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportEWB New Bedford Regional (Closest mainland airport; the island is a short hop or a boat ride from New Bedford.).
- Getting aroundOn Cuttyhunk you walk, or rent a golf cart — there are no rental cars and the island is small enough to cross on foot in well under an hour.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee or a cold drink at the island storeSeasonal hours.US$3–6
- Sit-down mealDinner at the island innSeasonal.US$30–60 per person before tip
- Street or quick mealSandwich or simple lunchUS$12–20
- Budget bedMainland motel near Woods Hole or New Bedford, a night, per roomUS$120
- Mid-range bedInn room on Cuttyhunk (shared bath), a night, per roomUS$260
- High-end bedInn room on Cuttyhunk (shared bath), a night, per roomUS$380
A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$80 · Mid US$150 · High US$280
Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- EWB New Bedford Regional (Closest mainland airport; the island is a short hop or a boat ride from New Bedford.) · BOS Boston Logan (Main gateway; about 1 h 30 min by road to Woods Hole or New Bedford, then boat.) · ACK Nantucket Memorial (Relevant only if you approach via Martha's Vineyard and Menemsha.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
Feb
Avoid
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
Mar
Avoid
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Apr
Avoid
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
May
not flagged
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Jun
Best
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
Jul
Best
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
Aug
Best
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
Sep
Best
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
Oct
not flagged
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
Nov
Avoid
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
Dec
Avoid
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
Best: Jun–Sep. Avoid: Nov–Apr. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)), coolest Jan (−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C) low), wettest Jan (10 rain days), driest Jul (8). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Gosnold: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C)
10 rd
Feb
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C)
9 rd
Mar
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
−1°C (30°F)30°F (−1°C)
10 rd
Apr
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
10 rd
May
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
10 rd
Jun
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
9 rd
Jul
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
8 rd
Aug
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
8 rd
Sep
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
8 rd
Oct
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
9 rd
Nov
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
10 rd
Dec
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
−1°C (30°F)30°F (−1°C)
10 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
On Cuttyhunk you walk, or rent a golf cart — there are no rental cars and the island is small enough to cross on foot in well under an hour. Deer paths double as trails. Everything else in Gosnold is private land or water: you move by private boat, kayak or charter.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Door to door: About 1 h by boat
Boat from the mainland side, or drive to the dock and park
The mainland anchor for the Elizabeth Islands; ferry dock, science village and parking.
Door to door: About 1–1.5 h
Boat link via Menemsha on the island's west end
Pairs naturally with Cuttyhunk on a two-island trip.
Nantucket
overnightDoor to door: Half a day or more
Ferry or short flight from the mainland, then a separate crossing
Too far to combine with Cuttyhunk in one day; sleep over instead.
Barnstable
cautionDoor to door: About 1.5–2 h
Drive on the Cape, then boat from Woods Hole or New Bedford
Fine as a base, not as a same-day add-on to an island crossing.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Cuttyhunk harbour
The only place to sleep in Gosnold: one inn with shared baths, plus a handful of rental houses and cottages. Book months ahead for summer.
Woods Hole or Falmouth (mainland)
Practical base if the island is full: ferry dock, parking and normal shops, then a day crossing.
New Bedford
Second mainland option; the other traditional boat departure point and the nearest airport.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- US$60–110 excl. bed
- Mid
- US$110–200 excl. bed
- High
- US$200+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Inn room on Cuttyhunk (shared bath)1 × 1 night × US$260 | US$260 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$150 | US$300 |
| Return boat crossing, per person2 × US$60 · Seasonal timetables and fares vary by operator. | US$120 |
| Golf-cart rental, one day1 × US$120 | US$120 |
| Fishing charter, half day1 × US$450 | US$450 |
| eSIM or US data add-on, about a week2 × US$20 · Coverage on the islands is weak regardless. | US$40 |
| Buffer 15%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | US$194 |
| Trip total≈ US$742 per person per day, bed included | US$1,484 |
The island's only inn; book well ahead for summer.
2026 estimate in US dollars; mainland travel to the dock excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee or a cold drink at the island storeSeasonal hours. | US$3–6 |
| Sandwich or simple lunch | US$12–20 |
| Dinner at the island innSeasonal. | US$30–60 per person before tip |
| Golf-cart rental, one day | US$80–160 |
| Return boat crossing | US$40–90 per person |
| Tipping | 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, US$1–2 a drink |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Eight of the nine Elizabeth Islands are private: do not land on Naushon, Pasque or Nashawena without an invitation.
- Cell reception is weak or absent; some places still rely on landlines. Download offline maps and tell someone your plan.
- Boat seats and the one inn sell out for summer weekends: book the crossing and the bed together, or you may have neither.
- Services are seasonal. Outside summer, expect the store, boats and rentals to be closed or running a reduced schedule — check before you commit to a date.
- There is no nightlife, no cinema and no tennis courts; if you need entertainment laid on, this is the wrong island.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 911
- Poison control
- 1-800-222-1222
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
GosnoldGosnold, Massachusetts
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
To this address, pleaseTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Poison control1-800-222-1222
Embassy
No embassies on the islands; consulates and embassies are in Boston, New York or Washington, DC. US visitors: 911 and the local harbormaster are your first call.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Mainland → Cuttyhunk, return boat: US$40–90 per person, roughly 1 h
- Golf cart, one day: US$80–160
- Taxi or rideshare, Woods Hole → New Bedford: US$40–70
Say or show
- Where is the boat dock? — Where is the boat dock?
- What time is the last boat back? — What time is the last boat back?
- Is there cell service here? — Is there cell service here?
- Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
Print this card: the island's phone signal is unreliable, so a paper copy of the boat times and emergency numbers is worth carrying.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Gosnold. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Jun–Sep · avoid Nov–Apr (boats and services largely shut) · month by month →
- 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Boat-operator contract for the Woods Hole and New Bedford crossings: seasonal timetables, last return, weather cancellations and a mainland fallback bed.
- Cuttyhunk walking and golf-cart clusters with rescue anchors: harbour, the store, the inn, the beach and the old fort.
- Place pages with verified cutoffs (harbour, fort, beach, fishing charters) and eat pages with seasonal opening windows.
- Offline-first fixtures: cached map, printed timetable and a landline list, so the page still works when the phone does not.