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Major city · United States

Hyannis

Give Hyannis 2 nights as a Mid Cape base: ferries to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard leave from here, and the Kennedy sights sit within a 20-minute walk.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Jun–Sep for ferries, beaches and whale watches; late May and September for lower prices
avoid Jan–Mar (many businesses closed, ferries reduced); hurricane season peaks Aug–Oct
Airports
HYA · BOS
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
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.

Hyannis is the commercial hub of Cape Cod and the village where the Kennedy family summered. It holds the cape's main ferry docks, its regional airport and its bus and seasonal rail terminals, so most trips pass through rather than stay long. Two nights covers the harbour, the Kennedy museum and memorial, and one island day trip; add a night if you want both islands or a whale watch.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Hyannis, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Street or quick mealBreakfast diner plate$12–20
  • BeerDraft beer in a bar$7–10
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi or rideshare, Main Street to Route 132 hotels$15–25
  • Metro or bus rideCCRTA bus ride$1–2
  • Museum or sight ticketJFK Hyannis Museum entryAdults $12, seniors $10, ages 8–17 and students $6, under 7 free
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed (May–October), a night, per personUS$45
  • Mid-range bedMotel or budget double room, a night, per roomUS$140
  • High-end bedMotel or budget double room, a night, per roomUS$220

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$180 · High US$320

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

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.

Kennedy family summer homeFerries to Nantucket and Martha's VineyardHyannis Harbor and Main StreetCape Cod gateway airport and bus terminal
Airports
HYA Barnstable Municipal Airport (Boardman/Polando Field) (Cape Air links Boston, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and Provincetown; seasonal Providence and New Bedford service (check)) · BOS Boston Logan International (About 1 h 30 min by car; Plymouth & Brockton buses run to Hyannis, roughly hourly)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Hyannis: 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

−4°C

10 rd

Feb

4°C

−4°C

9 rd

Mar

7°C

−1°C

10 rd

Apr

12°C

4°C

10 rd

May

17°C

9°C

10 rd

Jun

22°C

14°C

9 rd

Jul

26°C

18°C

8 rd

Aug

26°C

18°C

8 rd

Sep

22°C

14°C

8 rd

Oct

17°C

9°C

9 rd

Nov

12°C

4°C

10 rd

Dec

7°C

−1°C

11 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is walkable: Main Street to the harbour is about 15–20 minutes on foot. Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority buses cover the cape, with fares around $1–2 each way; the H2O route runs Hyannis–Orleans along Route 28 and the Sealine route runs west toward Woods Hole. Taxis and rideshares fill the gaps; a car helps for beaches and the mall strip.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Nantucket

go

Door to door: About 1 h by fast ferry, 2 h 15 min by traditional ferry

Steamship Authority or Hy-Line fast ferry from Hyannis Harbor

Book vehicle space weeks ahead in summer; foot passengers can usually walk on.

Martha's Vineyard (Oak Bluffs)

go

Door to door: About 1 h by catamaran

Hy-Line catamaran from Ocean Street Dock, or Steamship Authority from 65 South St

A full day; rent a bike or use the island bus from the dock.

Provincetown

go

Door to door: About 20 min by air, 1 h 15 min by car

Cape Air from Barnstable Municipal, or drive Route 6

Better as an overnight in summer than a rushed return.

Yarmouth and Dennis beaches

go

Door to door: 15–30 min

Drive Route 28 south, or CCRTA bus

Parking lots fill by mid-morning in July and August.

Boston

go

Door to door: About 2 h 15 min by rail

CapeFLYER train from Hyannis Transportation Center (seasonal), or Plymouth & Brockton bus

CapeFLYER runs roughly Memorial Day to Labor Day, Friday–Sunday.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Hyannis Harbor / Ocean Street

Walk to the island ferries, the JFK Memorial and waterfront restaurants; the most useful base without a car.

Main Street

Shops, cafés and the JFK Hyannis Museum on foot; the bus and rail terminal is at Main and Central.

Route 28 / Iyannough Road (Route 132)

Chain hotels, the Cape Cod Mall and the airport; cheaper, but you need a car or the local bus.

West Yarmouth and Hyannis Port edges

Resorts with pools and parking; a short drive from the centre.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$90–150 excl. bed
Mid
$150–260 excl. bed
High
$260+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range hotel double room1 × 2 nights × US$230US$460
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$180US$720
Round-trip fast ferry to Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard2 × US$90US$180
Whale watch cruise2 × US$53US$106
Car rental, one day1 × US$90US$90
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$160
Trip total≈ US$439 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,756

2026 estimate in US dollars; prices are shown before Massachusetts sales tax (6.25%). Flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Breakfast diner plate$12–20
Fish and chips or a lobster roll$18–35
Draft beer in a bar$7–10
CCRTA bus ride$1–2
Taxi or rideshare, Main Street to Route 132 hotels$15–25
JFK Hyannis Museum entryAdults $12, seniors $10, ages 8–17 and students $6, under 7 free

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Hyannis is a normal working town with a busy summer crowd; the real risks are traffic, rip currents and late-night bar tabs. Stick to lit streets around Main Street and the harbour after dark, and lock your car at beach lots.
  • Summer traffic on Route 28 and Route 132 can double short drives; allow extra time for ferry check-in.
  • Ferry and whale-watch seats sell out in July and August: book ahead.
  • Some hotels and restaurants close or cut hours from November to April.
  • Rip currents and cold water on ocean-side beaches; swim near lifeguards.
  • Hurricane season runs roughly June–November, peaking August–October: watch forecasts if you are camping or boating.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

HyannisHyannis

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Hyannis; national embassies are in Washington, DC and consulates-general in Boston.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Hyannis → Nantucket, fast ferry: about $45–60 one way, about 1 h
  • Hyannis → Martha's Vineyard, catamaran: about $40–55 one way, about 1 h
  • Boston → Hyannis, Plymouth & Brockton bus: about $30–40 one way, about 2 h
  • CapeFLYER Boston South Station → Hyannis: about $20–40 one way, about 2 h 15 min, seasonal

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the ferry dock? — Where is the ferry dock?
  • One ticket to Nantucket, please — One ticket to Nantucket, please
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the restroom? — Where is the restroom?

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis.

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 Hyannis. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep for ferries, beaches and whale watches; late May and September for lower prices · avoid Jan–Mar (many businesses closed, ferries reduced); hurricane season peaks Aug–Oct · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for HYA and BOS: last bus and train departures field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Main Street, Hyannis Harbor and Ocean Street, the Route 132 hotel strip.
  3. Place pages with verified hours and cutoffs (JFK Hyannis Museum, Cape Cod Maritime Museum, JFK Memorial, Cape Cod Melody Tent) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Ferry and whale-watch booking fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources