Labor Day weekend - Cape / Nantucket / Martha's Vineyard?

[wellyes]

So this year we have be doing our summer vacation with a toddler for the first time. I'm thinking renting a house would be best - we'll need our own kitchen and we need to let her be noisy sometimes.

I've only ever been to the Cape on day trips. I have this idea that exploring Martha's Vineyard would be so much fun - beaches and biking. Would love some advice!

Is early September still warm and summery?
Is Craigslist a good place to find a house, or is there somewhere better?
What's a reasonable price?
Any other tips?

[jk3]

The weather can be iffy. We spent that week on the Cape 2 years ago and it was chilly - too cold to go swimming on some of the days. It can be sweltering too but it's hard to know in advance. It depends on what you want to do. It's fairly empty at that time since most families are getting ready for school. That was a drawback for us since there weren't a ton of kids for our older DS to play with. Probably less of an issue with a toddler!

[elizabethkott]

Check out Homeaway.com for house rentals. We've had wonderful luck with them finding Cape houses for the past three summers. We generally vacation in Wellfleet during the last couple of weeks in August, and we've been able to go to the beach, go for bike rides, take walks, etc. The water in the ocean on the Cape is never exactly *warm*, but rather "refreshing" after being on the beach for a while!

[hollybloom24]

I have rented on Martha's Vineyard every year, since 1994. If you plan to bring a car, you'll need to make reservations now. I had a hard time getting the times I wanted back in January. Try to find anything but a Saturday-to-Saturday rental. Most houses turn over on Saturdays and the ferry sells out. Some owners are now doing Sunday-to-Sunday or Monday-to-Monday.

I pay $1900 per week for a small, three bedroom average house, inland in West Tisbury, and the same the last few years in Edgartown. $500 security deposit. Always confirm a house is not on a main road - many are, and they can be quite loud. A ferry ticket to bring a car over and back is around $130. Sometimes homeowners have ferry tickets you can buy.

Many of the beaches in Edgartown and Oak Bluffs have really rough surf and are unsafe to bring a small child to. I suggest Long Point Beach, run by the Trustees of Reservation. It has a salt water pond which is great for kids. You might want to join the TTOR - members have a reduced parking fee. You should figure out what the savings would be for a member. Members of TTOR also can park at Chappaquidick at no cost. There are some salt water ponds there as well.

There is a bike path which is very nice and smooth. Edgartown and OB are the towns that have the most going on.

I use cyberrentals.com and weneedavacation.com.

If you have specific questions, feel free to PM me.

[wellyes]

Awesome, thanks guys. I had no idea about the house rental websites - or that there was an urgency to book the ferry in advance! VERY helpful. Will now spend the day researching & dreaming of vacation :)

[boolady]

We spent a week on the Cape last September, right after Labor Day, and loved it. The water was a bit cool, but the weather was great, and there's lots to do. It was a blast!