On the Road: Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket

Program Registration. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to meet the Group Leader and confirm orientation time and place. Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Everyone will be responsible for their own luggage, with some assistance available. Transportation will be provided by a variety of vehicles including (but not limited to) ferries, private and taxi vans, motor coaches, and “safari” style trucks. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. On the Road programs are journeys that take participants to multiple study sites in a region with a number of overnight stays. Lectures, talks, discussions, field trips, and on-board commentary amplify the program theme. Some journeys involve great distances and may take hours, others are much shorter. Long or short, On the Road journeys are learning experiences that make the most of our time together.

At the hotel

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead, including morning check out.

At hotel

After checking out of the hotel, we will board a motorcoach and drive to Woods Hole in the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts, on the far southwest corner of Cape Cod. There we will board the ferry to Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard. The ferry crosses the 7 miles between the mainland and the island in approximately 45 minutes. The vessels of the Steamship Authority — a lifeline to the Islands — are functional with basic amenities.

On the ferry we’ll have boxed lunches.

Arriving at the Oak Bluffs ferry terminal, as a group we will walk to our hotel before our field trip. The hotel will provide transport for our luggage. We’ll then be off on a walk with the Group Leader to the Oak Bluffs Camp Meeting Association and the historic Tabernacle at its center. Led by a resident docent, we’ll walk through the campground to learn about the “gingerbread” cottages and the residents who carefully maintain and decorate them. What we see today grew out of Methodist camp meetings that began in 1835.

Plated meal at a local restaurant.

At leisure. You might like to set off on your own and walk back through the campground, relax on the green of one of Oak Bluffs many parks, or just watch boats in the marina set out to sea.

At a local restaurant.

Accompanied by resident experts, we’ll set out in vans to explore the island of Martha’s Vineyard. Take in the scenic up-Island country-side, passing through the historic farming towns of West Tisbury and Chilmark. Catch glimpses of centuries old stone walls, views to the Atlantic shoreline, grazing livestock, rolling hills and historic homesteads in Chilmark and the picturesque secluded fishing village of Menemsha. Stop at the multi-colored clay cliffs at Aquinnah. We’ll end the morning in Edgartown. The remainder of the early afternoon is free for independent exploration.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

We’ll regroup and stroll Edgartown’s narrow brick paths with a local to learn about the history and evolution of the town, from colonial settlement to busy whaling port.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like.

At leisure.

At a local restaurant.

Weather dependent, we'll transfer via taxi vans from Oak Bluffs to a local nature preservation. There, we'll take a guided tour of the nature preservation from a local expert. Learn about the ecosystems and how they are unique to Martha's Vineyard. After, we'll take taxi's to the busy harbor town of Vineyard Haven.

Plated meal at a local restaurant.

After lunch we will depart on foot for the Martha's Vineyard Museum which houses a collection of exhibits related to the islands history. Back in Vineyard Haven there will be time for independent exploration to stroll through the old wharf, shipyard, historic district, art galleries, and quiet lanes.

On your own to enjoy what you like. You are welcome to remain in Vineyard Haven or return to Oak Bluff.

At leisure.

At a local restaurant.

Say goodbye to Martha's Vineyard as we depart by taxi for the ferry terminal at Vineyard Haven. The ferry crosses back to Woods Hole on the mainland. Enjoy a scenic drive on the Cape from Woods Hole to our final destination of Hyannis, MA. Although just one of seven villages in the town of Barnstable, Hyannis is the hub of commercialization on Cape Cod and referred to by some as the "Capital of the Cape". En route we will stop to experience a few of the gems of Upper and Mid Cape Cod.

At a local seafood shack in Sandwich, MA, with many options available.

Settled in 1637 and incorporated as a town just two years later, Sandwich boasts its status as the oldest town on Cape Cod. First, we will visit the Sandwich Glass Museum for a glass blowing demonstration and see how the museum has promoted a broad understanding and appreciation of Sandwich town history, with particular emphasis on the unique contribution of the glass industry to the local community. Afterwards, we will take a short walk to visit the Dexter Grist Mill and explore the grounds around Shawme Pond with commentary from a local expert. Thomas Dexter built the first grist mill on this site in 1654 so that the inhabitants of the village of Sandwich would not have to grind their own corn for cornmeal, their staple food. Finally, we will drive the rest of the way to Hyannis and check into the hotel.

Plated meal at a local restaurant.

At the local restaurant, enjoy a lecture by a local expert on the history of Cape Cod.

At hotel

This morning we will head to the nearby terminal and board the ferry to Nantucket. Upon disembarking, meet a local expert from the Nantucket Historical Association for a narrated walk through the town center. See the architecture and hear the stories of the houses and the families that lived in them to illustrate the island’s history.

On your own to explore local fare in Nantucket.

Enjoy a self-guided field trip to the Nantucket Whaling Museum. Housed in a restored 1847 candle factory, a 46-foot sperm whale skeleton floats suspended from the ceiling above many other attractions. Enjoy the views Nantucket harbor from the rooftop observation deck. Put the information you learned on the morning walk and at the Museum to use as you delve deeper into locales of your choosing. Take some time on your own to go “laning” (walking the lanes of the historic district of Nantucket) and explore independently before returning on the ferry to Hyannis.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure. Take this opportunity to walk along Main Street Hyannis.

At hotel

Departing from the hotel via motorcoach we will have a full day exploration of Cape Cod, all the way to the tip of the cape in Provincetown. We will embark on an educational cruise with an expert naturalist to Monomoy Island, a barrier island that is home to thousands of seals, birds and other wildlife.

At a local restaurant.

Next, we will go off-roading with local experts through the sand dunes of Cape Cod National Seashore in specially-authorized four-wheel-drive Jeeps. You will begin this adventure in Provincetown or “P-town,” as the locals call it. Sitting on the outermost part of the cape, P-town has some interesting history— Did you know that the Pilgrims, before settling in Plymouth, first landed in Provincetown? Today it has become known for its lively art scene that enhances the culture of the rest of Cape Cod, while highlighting the unique ambiance that is P-Town.

At a favorite local restaurant that highlights the unique atmosphere of Provincetown.

Return to Hyannis and prepare for departure in the morning.

At hotel.

This concludes our program. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!