Intrepid explorer Bartholomew Gosnold was the first European known to have visited Martha’s Vineyard (in 1602), although Leif Eriksson may have done so earlier. Gosnold named the island for its bounty of wild grapes, but Martha’s identity remains a mystery; she may have been Gosnold’s daughter. The island was formally colonized in 1640, when a shipload of English settlers bound for Virginia ran short of supplies. They docked in Edgartown, found the resident Wampanoag friendly, and decided to stay.
The settlers converted the Wampanoag to Christianity with startling success, perhaps aided by the imported diseases that were killing Wampanoag by the thousands. A century after Edgartown was founded, the island’s Native population had dropped from 3,000 to about 350. During that time, Vineyarders learned (from the surviving Wampanoag) how to catch whales. They also farmed in Chilmark and fished from Edgartown and Vineyard Haven.
During the American Revolution, islanders suffered extreme deprivation after British soldiers sailed into Vineyard Haven Harbor and looted homes and ships. Among their plunder were some 10,000 head of sheep and cattle from island farms. The island didn’t fully recover until the 1820s, when the whaling industry took off. The Vineyard enjoyed a heyday from 1820 until the Civil War, with hundreds of whaling vessels sailing in and out of Edgartown. Whaling captains took their enormous profits from whale oil and built large Federal and Greek Revival homes all over the island. Many still stand today as gracious inns, renowned restaurants, and private homes.
After the Civil War, with the whaling industry in decline, tourism became the Vineyard’s principal source of income. By 1878 the Methodist Campground of Oak Bluffs had become a popular summer resort, with 12,000 people attending annual meetings. Over the next 30 years, other travelers discovered the island and returned summer after summer to enjoy its pleasant weather, relatively warm water, excellent fishing, and comfortable yet genteel lifestyle. By the turn of the 20th century, there were 2,000 hotel rooms in Oak Bluffs alone—there aren’t that many B&B or inn rooms on the entire island today! Summertime traffic was so high that a rail line was built from the Oak Bluffs ferry terminal to Katama. Daily ferry service ran from the New York Yacht Club to Gay Head (present-day Aquinnah).
Although the whaling industry rapidly declined, other sea-related businesses continued to reap healthy profits. In 1900, Vineyard Sound was one of the busiest sea-lanes in the world, second only to the English Channel. Heavy sea traffic continued until the Cape Cod Canal was completed in 1914. Tourism picked up again in the early 1970s. And when the Clintons began spending summer vacations here in the mid-1990s, they created a tidal wave of national and international interest in the island. As of late, the Obamas have continued the tradition with visits in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2013.
Today the year-round population of 15,000 mushrooms in July and August to about 150,000. Grumpy year-round Vineyarders are fond of saying that the island sinks 3 inches when ferries unload their passengers.
The terms up-island and down-island are holdovers from the days when the island was populated by seafarers—as you travel west, you move up the scale of longitude. Up-island refers to the less developed, hilly western end, including West Tisbury, Chilmark, the village of Menemsha (in Chilmark), and Aquinnah. Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Vineyard Haven, which are the most developed towns, are all down-island.
EDGARTOWN HARBOR
THE TOWNS
Elegant Edgartown is chock-full of grand, white Greek Revival ship captains’ houses, with fanlights and widow’s walks. Many of these private homes are clustered on North and South Water Streets, while elsewhere downtown you’ll find chic shops, galleries, and restaurants.
Although it’s less showy than Edgartown, Vineyard Haven maintains a year-round level of activity that Edgartown doesn’t. It’s the commercial center of the island, where “real” people live and work. The harbor is home to more wooden boats than any other harbor of its size in New England. For an experience straight out of the 19th century, stop in at Gannon and Benjamin Boatbuilders on Beach Road; it’s one of the few remaining wooden-boat rebuilding shops in the country. Dozens of big-name literary and journalistic personalities have all called Vineyard Haven their second home for decades.
VINEYARD HAVEN HARBOR
GINGERBREAD HOUSES IN OAK BLUFFS
Oak Bluffs today is at once charming and honky-tonk. A number of prominent African Americans have vacationed here over the years, including Spike Lee, Vernon Jordan, Dorothy West, and Charles Ogletree. In fact, Oak Bluffs has a long history of welcoming and attracting African Americans: In 1835, Wesleyan Grove was the site of the Methodist congregation’s annual summer-camp meetings. The campers’ small tents became family tents; then primitive, wooden, tentlike cottages; and finally, brightly painted cottages ornamented with fanciful trim. Cupolas, domes, spires, turrets, and gingerbread cutouts make for an architectural fantasyland. The whimsical, precious, and offbeat cottages are worlds away from Edgartown’s traditional houses. So are Oak Bluffs’ nightclubs and the baggy-pants-wearing, pierced youth.
West Tisbury is often called the Athens of the Vineyard because of its fine New England Congregational Church, Town Hall, and Grange Hall. Music Street, where descendants of the island’s 19th-century ship captains still live in large houses, was so named because many of these families used whaling profits to purchase pianos. Over the years, West Tisbury summer residents have included Washington Post owner-publisher Katharine Graham, cartoonist Jules Feiffer, and historian David McCullough. Other A-list celebs clamoring for their place in the Vineyard sun (in Hollywood East) have included Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, Larry David, film mogul Harvey Weinstein, John Cusack, and Michael J. Fox.
CHILMARK
Chilmark is a peaceful place of rolling hills and old stone fences that outline 200-year-old farms. You’ll find dozens of working farms up-island, some still operated by descendants of the island’s original European settlers.
Travel down North Road to Menemsha, a small, truly picturesque village and working harbor that you may recognize as the location of the movie Jaws. The surrounding area is crisscrossed by miles and miles of unmarked, interconnected dirt roads, great for exploring. (Alas, many are private.) Chilmark is sparsely populated, to the tune of 1,050 or so year-rounders, and they aim to keep it that way. In order to limit growth they issue the island’s only 3-acre-minimum building permits.
Chilmark, which is among the 50 wealthiest towns in America (the average price of a single family home in 2016 was $2.1 million), has hosted such disparate personalities as photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt and John Belushi. (Belushi is buried on-island; “Eise’s” photos are found in galleries and at his beloved retreat, the Menemsha Inn and Cottages.) Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz is a denizen of Lucy Vincent Beach, one of the island’s many residents-only beaches—and a nude one at that.
Aquinnah, a must-see destination, occupies the island’s western tip. (If you haven’t visited the Vineyard for a while, you may know Aquinnah as Gay Head. It was renamed Aquinnah, “land under the hill,” in mid-1997 by a narrow 79–76 town vote.) Of the 1,100 members listed on the Wampanoag Indian tribal rolls, approximately 300 still reside on the Vineyard, half in Aquinnah. Tribal legend holds that the giant Moshup created the Vineyard, taught the Wampanoag how to fish and catch whales, and remains a protector. The Wampanoag own the brilliantly colored bluffs and the face of the Clay Cliffs of Aquinnah.
Martha’s Vineyard has always attracted celebrity summer visitors. But in recent years many who visited decided they wanted to own a piece of it. Beginning in the late 1980s and continuing to this day, a tremendous building boom has changed the face of the Vineyard. While the Vineyard had been a place where the well-heeled and well-off came to escape notice, today the celebrities and power brokers come as much to see and be seen. Although residents are generally unfazed by their celebrity neighbors—movie stars, authors, journalists, musicians, financial moguls—many locals and longtime visitors agree that the Vineyard is no longer the quaint, tranquil island it was prior to the mid-1980s.
MENEMSHA HARBOR
Martha’s Vineyard is unlike most of the rest of America; people tend to get along pretty well with one another. They work hard to maintain a sense of tolerance and community spirit. Most lengthy debates center on land use and preservation rather than on race or religion. (Of course, there are notable exceptions.) Everyone relies, to some extent, on the hectic summer season that brings in most of the island’s annual income, though residents do breathe a sigh of relief when the crowds depart after mid-October.
To experience the Vineyard at its best and still have a dependable chance for good weather, plan your visit from May to mid-June or from mid-September to mid-October. From January to March, the Vineyard is truly a retreat from civilization.
GUIDANCE 
Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce (508-693-0085; mvy.com), 24 Beach Road, Vineyard Haven. There are good, free street maps of Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, and Edgartown available at all chambers.
Information booth (no phone), Steamship Authority terminal, Vineyard Haven. Open seasonally.
Information booth (no phone), at the foot of Circuit Avenue, Oak Bluffs. Adjacent to the Flying Horses Carousel, it’s open seasonally.
Edgartown Information Center (no phone), Church Street, Edgartown. Around the corner from the Old Whaling Church, this minor center has restrooms and a post office, and serves as a shuttle-bus stop (see Getting Around).
GETTING THERE By boat from Woods Hole: The Steamship Authority (508-477-8600 for advance auto reservations; 508-548-3788 in Woods Hole for day-of-sailing information only; no reservations accepted [don’t count on getting lucky]; steamshipauthority.com), 1 Cowdry Road. The Steamship is the only company that provides daily, year-round transport—for people and autos—to Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs. The Vineyard is 7 miles from Woods Hole, and the trip takes 45 minutes. About nine boats ply the waters daily.
STEAMSHIP AUTHORITY FERRY
ISLANDER FERRY DOCKING IN VINEYARD HAVEN
The Steamship annually carries upward of 2 million people to the Vineyard. Here’s the best advice in the entire book: Make car reservations as soon as possible. Call as soon as you know your dates. Auto reservations are mandatory/essential year-round. Otherwise, the Steamship has a standby policy that’s first come, first served.
Round-trip tickets: $$ adults; $ bicycles; more than $150 for autos. Off-season, auto prices drop to just less than $100. If you are not taking your car, the Steamship Authority provides free, frequent buses between the parking lots and the ferry dock. Each bus has a bike rack that holds two bikes. Parking is $$ per calendar day.
By boat from Falmouth: Island Queen (508-548-4800; islandqueen.com), 75 Falmouth Heights Road. This passengers-only service (smaller and more comfortable than the Steamship Authority’s boat) operates late May to mid-October and takes about 35 minutes; departures are from Falmouth Inner Harbor to Oak Bluffs. There is plenty of parking near the Island Queen’s dock ($$ per calendar day). Round-trip fares: $$ adults; $ bicycles.
Falmouth–Edgartown Ferry (508-548-9400; falmouthedgartownferry.com), 278 Scranton Avenue. From late May to mid-October, this service plies the waters three to five times daily between Falmouth and Edgartown (Memorial Wharf). Round-trip fares: $$$$$ adults; $ bicycles. Parking is $$–$$$ per calendar day.
By boat from Hyannis: Hy-Line Cruises (508-778-2600; hylinecruises.com), 220 Ocean Street Dock. Two to five passenger boats (55 minutes) to and from Oak Bluffs from May to late October. If you haven’t purchased advance tickets, it’s wise to arrive an hour early in July and August. Round-trip, in-season fares: adults $$$$$+/high-speed ferry, traditional ferry less; bicycles $$. Parking $–$$.
By boat from New Bedford: Seastreak Ferry (866-683-3779; nefastferry.com) operates passenger boats from 49 State Pier to Vineyard Haven from late May to mid-October. The ferry crossing takes one hour. Round-trip fares: $$$$$+ adults, $$ bicycles. Parking is $$ per calendar day. For visitors coming from the south, New Bedford is a more convenient departure point than Woods Hole. Even those driving from points north may wish to consider taking the New Bedford ferry to avoid Cape Cod Canal bridge traffic.
By boat from Nantucket: Hy-Line Cruises (508-778-2600 Hyannis; 508-693-0112 Oak Bluffs; 508-228-3949 Nantucket; hylinecruises.com) offers interisland service between Oak Bluffs and Nantucket from mid-June to mid-September. The trip takes 1¼ hours; there is only one trip daily. One-way fares cost $$$$$ adults, $ bicycles.
By boat from New York City: Seastreak Ferry (866-683-3779; nefastferry.com) This five-hour voyage runs during the summer months.
See also Patriot Party Boats under To Do in “Falmouth and Woods Hole.”
By bus: Bonanza/Peter Pan (888-751-8800; peterpanbus.com) provides daily year-round service to Woods Hole from Boston, New York, Hartford, and Providence. Buses are scheduled to meet ferries, but ferries won’t wait for a late bus.
By air: With a booming increase in jet-setting visitors, it’s no wonder a new terminal was built in the late 1990s. Cape Air (866-227-3247; capeair.com) flies to the Vineyard from Boston, Providence, Nantucket, New Bedford, Hyannis, and White Plains.
GETTING AROUND By car: The infamous Five Corners is the trickiest and most dangerous intersection on the island. It’s also the first thing you’ll encounter as you disembark from the Vineyard Haven ferry terminal. If you’re going to Oak Bluffs, Katama, Edgartown, and Chappaquiddick, take the left lane. For West Tisbury, North Tisbury, Lambert’s Cove, Menemsha, Chilmark, and Aquinnah, enter the right lane and turn right.
When making plans, consider these sample distances: Vineyard Haven to Oak Bluffs, 3 miles; Vineyard Haven to Edgartown, 8 miles; Oak Bluffs to Edgartown, 6 miles; Vineyard Haven to Aquinnah, 18 miles.
Unfortunately, summertime traffic jams are commonplace in down-island towns. Try to park outside of town and take shuttles into town (see below). Why would you want to stop and crawl in a picturesque village on a vacation day?
In-season, expect to pay more than $100 daily for the least-expensive rental car and upward of $200 daily for four-wheel drives and minivans. A word of note: Rates change according to weekday, weekend, and holiday rentals. Before heading out, invest a few bucks in the very detailed gold-and-orange Martha’s Vineyard Road Map produced by Edward Thomas (508-693-2059). It’s an excellent, accurate resource and even lists mileage between intersections. It’s available at most bookstores, grocery stores, and liquor stores.
OAK BLUFFS
Car rental companies include Budget Rent-a-Car (508-693-1911; budgetmv.com), Edgartown, at the Triangle; 45 Beach Road, Vineyard Haven; 9 Oak Bluffs Avenue (at the ferry dock), Oak Bluffs; and 71 Airport Road at Martha’s Vineyard Airport. I’ve always found these outfits helpful: Adventure Rentals (19 Beach Road, Five Corners, Vineyard Haven, 508-693-1959); and Island Hoppers (23 Lake Avenue, Oak Bluffs, 508-696-9147; islandhoppersmv.com). By the way, gas is usually cheapest at the airport, but Mobil (North Line Road, Edgartown) and Up-Island Automotive (1074 State Road, West Tisbury) have decent prices, too.
MOPEDS FOR RENT
By moped: If most Vineyarders and emergency-room doctors had their way, mopeds would be banned. Once you’ve seen the face, arms, and legs of a fellow Explorer skinned, you’ll know why. Sand, mopeds, winding roads, and speed do not mix. Take a look at the mopeds you might be renting; many of their plastic hulls have been cracked from accidents. Having said that and not wanting to appear maternalistic, here goes: Many rental agencies are located near the ferry terminals in Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven. Adventure Rentals has mopeds (often $100/day). Extra training, yellow diamond road signs (at notorious intersections), and maps (with danger spots and distances between points) should help reduce casualties.
By shuttle: Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) (508-693-9440; vineyardtransit.com) operates an excellent system of buses. Twelve buses travel among Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, West Tisbury, Chilmark, Menemsha, and Aquinnah year-round. Buses seem to stop everywhere you want to go; you can also flag them down. They even have bike racks. Get a copy of the very helpful VTA map with stops and routes clearly listed. Carry it with you wherever you go. One-day passes cost $, three-day $$, seven-day $$$. Exact change is strongly suggested because change is given only in the form of credit vouchers for future trips. All routes run year-round except Edgartown Park & Ride and South Beach; the latter operates May to mid-October.
Of particular use are the following routes:
Edgartown Park & Ride. VTA has an alternative to wrangling for a parking place in Edgartown’s car-choked streets. Leave your car at the Triangle (at the corner of Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road and Oak Bluffs Road) and ride the shuttle. Parking and rides are free.
Tisbury Park & Ride, State Road (across from Cronig’s Market). Avoid the parking nightmare in Vineyard Haven and let the VTA shuttle drop you off downtown. The free shuttle runs year-round. Parking is free for seven consecutive days; after that you must purchase tickets in advance at Town Hall (508-696-4200, William and Spring Streets) in Vineyard Haven. Seasonal passes available.
South Beach. This route runs from Edgartown’s information building (near Church and Main Streets) to three points at South Beach.
Bus tour: Gay Head Sightseeing (508-693-1555) and Martha’s Vineyard Sightseeing (508-693-4681) offer tours from mid-April to late October. The clearly marked buses meet incoming ferries. The Gay Head tour covers all six towns, but makes only one stop—at the Clay Cliffs of Aquinnah—where there are small food stands, souvenir shops, public restrooms, and a wonderful view of the cliffs and the ocean. The only potential drawback: You may tire of hearing the constant running commentary about which celebrities live down which dirt roads. They also offer charter tours for large groups. $$$.
Taxi tour: Most taxis conduct island sight-seeing trips for a price, but you don’t want to go with just anyone. I highly recommend Jon’s Taxi (508-627-4677). Trips with Jon or his drivers cost $$$$$+ per hour for one to six people. Schedule these private trips at your convenience.
Adam Cab (508-627-4462; adamcabmv.com) is also very good and gives a general 2½-hour tour twice daily from Edgartown from late May to early September (less often off-season) for $$$$ per person.
By taxi: Uber and Lyft are on-island, but I’d personally rather support local taxis.
By bicycle: Bicycling is a great way to get around, but it requires stamina if you’re heading up-island (see To Do).
On foot: Ghosts, Gossip, and Downright Scandals (508-627-8619) is conducted by very knowledgeable folks from Vineyard History Tours. They take people by appointment any time of the year, except perhaps during a nor’easter. $$.
MEDIA Vineyard Gazette (508-627-4311; mvgazette.com), 34 South Summer Street, Edgartown. The newspaper, which first rolled off the press on May 14, 1846, is a beloved island institution. Although its year-round circulation is only 10,000, the paper is mailed to island devotees in all 50 states and internationally. There’s no single better way for an Explorer to get a handle on island life.
Martha’s Vineyard Times (508-693-6100; mvtimes.com), 30 Beach Road, Vineyard Haven. Celebrating its 30th birthday in 2014, the weekly publication and its corresponding website host up-to-date news as well as feature material on island life, arts, and entertainment. Their Vineyard Visitor publication and vineyardvisitor.com website have lots of travel tips and info on things to do.
MORE WEBSITES mvol.com. A complete guide.
A PERFECT DOWN-ISLAND DAY ON THE VINEYARD
8:00 |
Order everything on the menu at Art Cliff Diner. |
9:30 |
Watch quiet morning harbor activity from Owen Park. |
10:30 |
Feel the whimsy of the gingerbread houses in Oak Bluffs. |
11:45 |
Sit for a minute in the solid Old Whaling Church in Edgartown. |
12:00 |
Have a quick (sidewalk) lunch at Alchemy. |
1:30 |
Head over to Chappy via the charming “On Time” ferry. |
6:00 |
Walk out to the Edgartown Lighthouse with a camera. |
7:00 |
Dine at The Dunes (Edgartown) or Sweet Life Café (Oak Bluffs). |
10:00 |
Resolve to visit the Vineyard longer next time. |
VineyardVisitor.com. Brought to you by the Martha’s Vineyard Times (see Media above).
VineyardStyle.com. With articles about artisans, gardening, trends, home, cuisine, interiors, or shopping.
MVInfo.com. Billed as the original website for the Vineyard and established in 1985.
PUBLIC RESTROOMS In Vineyard Haven head to the top of the Stop & Shop parking lot (seasonal) and to the Steamship Authority terminal (year-round) off Water Street. In Oak Bluffs restrooms can be found at the Steamship Authority terminal on Seaview Avenue (seasonal); on Kennebec Avenue, one block from Circuit Avenue (seasonal); and next to Our Market (seasonal) on Oak Bluffs Harbor. In Edgartown, they’re at the visitor center (year-round) on Church Street. Seasonal facilities are also located near the parking lot for the Clay Cliffs of Aquinnah, at Dutcher’s Dock in Menemsha Harbor, and in West Tisbury at the Grange Hall next to Town Hall.
LAUNDROMATS Airport Laundromat (508-693-5005; takemmycleaners.com/airport laundramat, off the Edgartown–West Tisbury Road. Open daily 8 AM–7 PM.
PUBLIC LIBRARIES 
Most of these libraries have story times and Internet access; call ahead or look online for hours and schedule vagaries:
Aquinnah (508-645-2314; aquinnahlibrary.org), 1 Church Street at State Road.
Chilmark (508-645-3360; chilmarklibrary.org), 522 South Road, Chilmark Center.
Edgartown (508-627-4221; edgartownlibrary.org), 26 West Tisbury Road.
Oak Bluffs (508-693-9433; oakbluffslibrary.org), 56R School Street.
Vineyard Haven (508-696-4211; vhlibrary.org), 200 Main Street.
West Tisbury (508-693-3366; westtisburylibrary.org), 1042 State Road.
See also Martha’s Vineyard Museum under To See.
HERITAGE TRAILS Aquinnah Cultural Trail (508-645-9265; wampanoagtribe.net). For those interested in something other than beaches and shops, look for the excellent and informative map once you’re on-island. You can always find it at the Aquinnah Cultural Center, 35 Aquinnah Circle, Aquinnah. It is full of interesting facts about the “first people of Noepe,” place-name translations, Moshup legends, local government, and a schedule of events.
African-American Heritage Trail (508-693-4361; mvheritagetrail.org). Tours on request late May to early September. The brainchild of a Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School history teacher and NAACP archivist Elaine Weintraub, this developing trail currently has about 16 sites devoted to telling the story of the island’s strong association with African Americans. Weintraub researched the story of the Island’s own African American whaling captain, William A. Martin, and two generations of his family, establishing an African American presence on Martha’s Vineyard before the American revolution. Every town has sites, including abandoned graveyards; the home of Dorothy West, a Harlem Renaissance writer who lived on the island and died in 1999; a site dedicated to Rebecca Amos, an African woman enslaved on the Vineyard; and a decrepit Gospel Tabernacle. The book Lighting the Trail: The African American Heritage of Martha’s Vineyard is sold in all the island bookstores. Choose from three different tours of varying durations and scopes.
BIKES FOR RENT
MEDICAL EMERGENCY Martha’s Vineyard Hospital (508-693-0410; mvhospital.com), 1 Hospital Road, off Beach Road, Oak Bluffs. Includes a 24-hour emergency room. In 2010 the hospital opened a new 90,000-square-foot building.
Lyme disease. Ticks carry this disease, which has flulike symptoms and may result in death if left untreated. Immediately and carefully remove any ticks that may have migrated from dune grasses to your body. Better yet, wear long pants, tuck pants into socks, and wear long-sleeved shirts whenever possible when hiking. Avoid hiking in grassy and overgrown areas of dense brush.
To See
IN VINEYARD HAVEN
Sovereign Bank (508-696-4400), 75 Main Street. This distinctive 1905 beachstone building has lovely stained glass and great acoustics. On this site, incidentally, stood the harness shop where the Great Fire of 1883 started. The conflagration destroyed 60 buildings.
William Street. The only street in town that survived the devastating 1883 fire boasts some fine examples of Greek Revival architecture. The Richard G. Luce House, near the corner of William Street and Spring Street, is prime among the carefully preserved sea captains’ homes. Captain Luce never lost a whaling ship or a crew member during his 30-year career, and apparently his good fortune at sea extended to life on land.
Jirah Luce House, near the corner of South Main and Main Streets. Built in 1804, this is one of the few buildings to survive the Great Fire of 1883.
Old Schoolhouse, Main Street at Colonial Lane. Built in 1829, the schoolhouse now houses a youth sailing program, but the Liberty Pole in front of it recounts the story of three courageous girls who defied British troops.
West Chop Lighthouse, at the western end of Main Street. Built in 1817 with wood and replaced with brick in 1838, the lighthouse has been moved back from the shore twice, first in 1848 and again in 1891. Today the lighthouse is inhabited and not open for touring.
WEST CHOP LIGHTHOUSE
Katharine Cornell Theatre/Tisbury Town Hall (508-696-4200; tisburyma.gov), 51 Spring Street. This 1844 performance center features murals by Stan Murphy depicting island scenes, whaling adventures, seagulls, and Native Americans. The 130-seat theater boasts no box office per se; event listings are best found at mvtimes.com or mvgazette.com.
IN OAK BLUFFS
East Chop Lighthouse (508-627-4441; mvmuseum.org/eastchop), Telegraph Hill, off East Chop Drive, Oak Bluffs. Open Sunday 90 minutes prior to sunset and 30 minutes after, June through August. This circa-1850 lighthouse was built by Capt. Silas Daggett with the financial help of prosperous fellow seafarers who wanted a better system of relaying signals from the Vineyard to Nantucket and the mainland. Up to that point, they’d used a complex system of raising arms, legs, flags, and lanterns to signal that ships were coming in. In 1875 the government purchased the lighthouse from the consortium of sea captains for $6,000, then constructed the cast-iron structure that stands today. There are nice ocean views from here. $.
EAST CHOP LIGHTHOUSE
Flying Horses Carousel (508-693-9481), Circuit Avenue at Lake Avenue. Open mid-April to mid-October. The oldest operating carousel in the country, carved in New York City in 1876, is marvelously well preserved and lovingly maintained. It was brought by barge to the island in 1884, complete with four chariots and 20 horses with real horsehair manes. Adults visit this national historic landmark even without a child in tow to grab for the elusive brass ring, which entitles the catcher to a free ride. (Here’s a public service announcement: A few folks every year are not returning the brass ring when they grab it, and the carousel is getting precariously close to running out of them.) $.
FLYING HORSES CAROUSEL
UNION CHAPEL
Trinity Park Tabernacle, (508-693-0525; mvcva.org), behind Lake, Circuit, and Dukes County Avenues. The enormous, tentlike tabernacle was built in 1879 to replace the original meeting tent used by the Methodists who met here. Today the tabernacle is one of the largest wrought-iron structures in the country. There are community sing-alongs at 8 PM Wednesdays in summer.
Wesleyan Grove surrounds the tabernacle, which, in turn, is encircled by rows of colorful “gingerbread” cottages, built during the late 19th century to replace true tents. Owners painted the tiny houses with bright colors and pastels to accentuate the Carpenter Gothic architecture and woodwork. There are upward of 320 cottages today, still leased from the Camp Meeting Association. Visitors are welcome to wander around the mainly Protestant (but always ecumenical) community. No bicycles are allowed in Wesleyan Grove, and quiet time is strictly observed after 11 PM.
Union Chapel, 55 Narragansett Avenue, at the corner of Kennebec and Samoset Avenues. This 1870 octagonal chapel holds interdenominational services and hosts seasonal performing arts events.
Cottage Museum (508-693-7784; mvcma.org), 1 Trinity Park. Open seasonally. The interior and exterior of this 1867 cottage are typical of the more than 300 tiny cottages in Wesleyan Grove. Memorabilia and photographs span the ages from 1835 to present day. $.
Martha’s Vineyard Museum (508-627-4441; mvmuseum.org), 59 School Street. This excellent collection is housed in several buildings. Perhaps the most interesting exhibit is the Oral History Center, which preserves the island’s history through more than 1,400 interviews with some of the island’s older citizens. (The project was begun in the mid-1990s.) Other facilities include a fine pre–Revolutionary War house which has undergone little renovation since the mid-19th century. Ten rooms at the Thomas Cooke House focus on various aspects of the island’s history, including ethnic groups, architecture, natural history, and agriculture. The society also has a maritime gallery, a historical reference library, a tryworks replica, a carriage shed that houses boats and vehicles, and a historic herb garden. The enormous original Fresnel lens from the Aquinnah Lighthouse is here, too, and it’s illuminated for a few hours after sunset every day. $.
FRESNEL LIGHT
Dr. Daniel Fisher House (508-627-4440; mvpreservation.org), 99 Main Street. The island’s best example of Greek Revival architecture, this 1840 house has an enclosed cupola (perhaps more correctly called a “lantern”), roof and porch balustrades, a shallow hipped roof, large windowpanes, and a portico, all exquisitely preserved. Dr. Fisher was a Renaissance man: doctor, whaling magnate, banker (he founded the Martha’s Vineyard National Bank), merchant, and miller. He insisted that his house be constructed with the finest materials—with Maine pine timbers soaked in lime for two years, and brass and copper nails, for instance. The house is headquarters for the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, which is charged with saving, restoring, and making self-sufficient any important island buildings that might otherwise be sold for commercial purposes or radically remodeled. Combination tours (45 minutes; $) with the Vincent House and the Old Whaling Church (see below) are offered May to mid-October.
MARTHA’S VINEYARD MUSEUM
DR. DANIEL FISHER HOUSE
Vincent House Museum (508-627-4440; mvpreservation.org), behind the Old Whaling Church. Open May to early September. Dating to 1672, the Vineyard’s oldest residence was in the same family until 1941, and was eventually given to the Preservation Trust in 1977. Reproduction and antique furniture in three rooms depicts how the residence looked in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. $.
Old Whaling Church (508-627-4440; mvpreservation.org), 89 Main Street. Built in 1843, this thriving parish church also serves as a performing arts center, hosting plays, lectures, concerts, and films. Owned by the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, the building originally housed the Edgartown Methodist Church and was constructed with the same techniques used to build whaling ships. Free.
Memorial Wharf, adjacent to the Chappy Ferry on the water. This two-story landing is a terrific spot from which to watch harbor boat traffic in one direction and stately manses in the other.
North Water Street. Some of these fine Colonial, Federal, and Greek Revival houses may look familiar because many clothing companies, including Talbot’s, have sent crews of models and photographers here to shoot their catalogs. Architectural detailing on these white houses trimmed in black is superb.
OLD WHALING CHURCH
OLD WHALING CHURCH
Edgartown Lighthouse (508-627-4441; mvmuseum.org), at the end of North Water Street. The first lighthouse to direct boats into and around Edgartown Harbor was built in 1828 on a small island. Shortly after a new lighthouse replaced it in 1938, the island became connected to the “mainland” of the Vineyard by a spit of sand. Today the lighthouse, renovated in 2007, is accessible by foot. Take note of the granite cobblestone foundation (dubbed the Children’s Lighthouse Memorial), a tribute to Vineyard children who have died. Open to the public late May to mid-October. $.
UP-ISLAND
Mayhew Chapel and Indian Burial Ground, Christiantown Road, off Indian Hill Road, West Tisbury. This tiny chapel, burial ground, and memorial to the Praying Indians (who were converted to Christianity by the Reverend Mayhew Jr. in the mid-1600s) is a quiet place, owned by the Wampanoag tribe of Aquinnah.
Grange Hall (508-627-4440; mvpreservation.org), State Road, West Tisbury. Open seasonally. The original Agricultural Society Barn now hosts functions and events.
NORTH WATER STREET
Alley’s General Store (508-693-0088; mvpreservation.org), State Road, West Tisbury. Alley’s is a beloved Vineyard landmark. “Dealers in almost everything” since 1858, the store has a wide front porch where locals have gathered over the decades to discuss current events and exchange friendly gossip. In the early 1990s, though, economic conditions almost forced Alley’s to close. In true island spirit, the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust stepped in to renovate the building and ensure its survival. Alley’s continues to feel like a country store, selling everything utilitarian: housewares, mismatched cups and saucers, and locally grown produce.
Beetlebung Corner, at the intersection of Middle, South, State, and Menemsha Cross Roads; the center of Chilmark. The intersection was named for the grove of beetlebung trees (the New England name for tupelos), which are unusual in this region. Tupelo is a very hard wood, an excellent material for making mallets (also called beetles) and the plugs (or bungs) that filled the holes in wooden casks and barrels during whale oil days.
Abel’s Hill Cemetery, South Road, about ½ mile beyond Meeting House Road, Chilmark. John Belushi, of Saturday Night Live and Blues Brothers fame, was buried here after a drug overdose in 1982 at the not-so-ripe age of 33. He’d been partying with Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams at the Chateau Marmot in West Hollywood on March 5 when a mainline cocktail of heroin and cocaine did him in. According to legend, the only place Belushi ever said that he got a good night’s sleep was on the Vineyard, where he and his wife had some property. You’ll easily find the marked grave near the entrance of the cemetery, but his body lies in an unmarked grave about 11 feet north of where his original headstone was placed.
Quitsa Overlook, off State Road. At Beetlebung Corner, bear left onto State Road, heading toward Aquinnah. After a mile or so, you’ll pass over a bridge; Nashaquitsa Pond (also known as Quitsa) is on your right and Stonewall Pond is on your left. Just beyond, a spot overlooks Quitsa and Menemsha Ponds. About half a mile farther locals fill water jugs from a fresh, sweet stream that’s been siphoned off to run out of a pipe. Local lore attributes various cures to the water—from stress relief, to a flu antidote, to a hangover remedy.
JOHN BELUSHI’S GRAVE ABEL’S HILL CEMETERY
Aquinnah Community Baptist Church (508-693-1539; wampanoagtribe.net), 1 Church Street at State Road, Aquinnah. Turn left at the small red schoolhouse (now the town library). The lovely church is the country’s oldest Indian Baptist church. It might have the prettiest location, too, overlooking windswept grassy dunes, stone walls, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Menemsha Harbor, at Menemsha Cross Road near Beetlebung Corner. This working fishing village is filled with small, sturdy docks and simple, weathered boathouses. Some islanders still earn a living from the boats of Menemsha’s fishing fleet. For the rest of us, the harbor is a great location from which to watch the setting sun. It’s one of several locations throughout the Cape and islands where the ritual of applauding the sun for its day’s work is observed the moment it slips below the horizon. A few little shacks (shops and fast-food eateries) line the road to Dutcher’s Dock.
Aquinnah Tribal Administrative Building (508-645-9265; wampanoagtribe.net), 20 Black Brook Road, Aquinnah. Housed inside this eco-friendly building (made almost completely of recycled materials and run by solar power) are a number of interesting small displays about the Wampanoag tribe. Look for an elders gallery with pictures of the tribal elders past and present, traditional native gardens, and a wetu, a traditional native home. When visiting, be aware that this is a working environment for the government of the tribe, not just a tourist destination.
Clay Cliffs of Aquinnah. The brilliantly colored clay cliffs, a designated national landmark, rise 150 feet above the shore and were formed 100 million years ago by glaciers. For a fine view of the full magnitude of this spectacular geological formation, and distant views of Noman’s Land Island and the Elizabeth Islands, walk beyond the souvenir shops. A wooden boardwalk also leads to the beach, where you can appreciate the towering clay cliffs from sea level. It’s important to note that the Wampanoag have lived here for more than 5,000 years and own most of this land, although most of the beach is public; only they may remove clay from the eroding cliffs.
MENEMSHA HARBOR
Gay Head Lighthouse (508-627-4441; gayheadlight.org). This redbrick lighthouse was built in 1844 to replace a wooden lighthouse that had stood since 1799. In 1856 a powerful Fresnel lens was mounted atop the lighthouse, where it warned ships away from the perilous Aquinnah coast; it was used for almost 100 years. The Gay Head light was named one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2013, and in order to preserve it for generations to come, the “Keep on Shining” committee successfully raised funds to relocate the light away from the eroding cliffs; the committee continues its fund-raising efforts to complete restoration. From late June to mid-September, you can ascend the lighthouse to enjoy the sunset. It opens 90 minutes prior to sunset and closes 30 minutes after sunset; $.
CLAY CLIFFS OF AQUINNAH AND GAY HEAD LIGHTHOUSE
Aquinnah Cultural Center (508-645-7900; wampanoagtribe.net), Aquinnah. Open late June to early September. This 1880s homestead, which serves as the Indigenous Museum of the Aquinnah Wampanoag and community cultural center, enjoys some of the most wonderful windswept vistas on the island. It’s no wonder that their 6 acres are leased for weddings. Donations.
Moshup Beach Overlook, on the northern end of Moshup Trail and south of the parking lot for the lighthouse, off State Road. This scenic coastal road has nice views of wild, low heathlands.
SCENIC DRIVES Instead of making a beeline up-island, detour onto Lambert’s Cove Road from State Road out of Vineyard Haven. Take North, South, or Middle Roads up-island. I particularly like cutting between the roads on Tea Lane and Meeting House Road. As you approach Aquinnah, take a left onto Moshup Trail to the lighthouse and circle back via Lighthouse Road and Lobsterville Road (but do follow Lobsterville to the very end, across the cut from Menemsha).
AQUINNAH CULTURAL CENTER
To Do
AIRPLANE RIDES Classic Aviators (508-627-7677; biplanemv.com), off Herring Creek Road at the Katama Airfield, Edgartown. Open seasonally. Open-cockpit rides in a 1941 Waco biplane, solo or with a friend, with Snoopy-like leather caps and goggles. Rates start at $229 for one or two people for a 15- to 20-minute flight.
BICYCLING & RENTALS Several excellent (albeit crowded) bicycle paths connect the main towns: Vineyard Haven to Oak Bluffs, Oak Bluffs to Edgartown, Edgartown to West Tisbury, and Edgartown to South Beach via Katama Road. Because the roads from West Tisbury to Aquinnah are rather hilly, you need to be in pretty good shape to tackle the ride. A less ambitious but rewarding journey would entail taking your bike to Aquinnah and then pedaling the hilly but scenic up-island circular trail that begins at the Aquinnah Lighthouse: Take Lighthouse Road to Lobsterville Road and backtrack up Lobsterville Road to State Road to Moshup Trail. The Manuel E. Correllus State Forest (see Green Space), off Edgartown–West Tisbury Road, also has several bicycle paths.
Rubel Bike Maps (bikemaps.com) are the best, most detailed maps available. Rubel produces a combination map that covers both the Vineyard and Nantucket ($), as well as another that includes the islands, Cape Cod, and the North Shore ($).
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission (508-693-3453; mvcommission.org) also produces a free map that tells you what to expect on major routes: for instance, narrow roadways (shared with cars), gently rolling terrain, steep rolling terrain, and so on. It does not give estimated times or exact mileage, though.
Bike Ferry (508-645-3511). Operates 9 AM–5 PM (on demand) late May to early September. Some people riding out to Menemsha and Aquinnah will be thrilled to know about Hugh Taylor’s little ferry, which takes cyclists across Menemsha Creek, which separates the picturesque harbor from Lobsterville Beach and Aquinnah beyond. This 150-yard ferry ride saves cyclists a 7-mile bike ride. $.
Dozens of shops rent bikes, including R. W. Cutler Bikes (508-627-4052; marthasvineyardbike.com) on the harborfront at 1 Main Street in Edgartown; and Wheel Happy (508-627-5928), 8 South Water Street, and (508-627-5881), 204 Upper Main Street, both in Edgartown. Mountain bikes and hybrids are rented for one-, three- and seven-day periods. Most shops are open April through October; ask about delivery and pickup service. $$$ daily.
Cycle Works (508-693-6966), at 351 State Road in Vineyard Haven, repairs bicycles. John Stevenson and his enthusiastic and helpful crew have the largest selection of cycling equipment (for sale and rent), accessories, and parts on the island. They’ve been here since 1975.
BOAT EXCURSIONS & RENTALS Magic Carpet (508-627-2889; sailmagiccarpet.com), Memorial Wharf, Edgartown. Departures June through October. This classic 56-foot wooden yawl comfortably accommodates 12 people on two-hour charters along Cape Poge. You’ll learn some good island history and tales along the way.
Sea Witch (508-650-0466; seawitchsailingcharters.com), out of Vineyard Haven, offers highly recommended private charters.
Accessible via the “Chappy ferry,” On-Time II and On-Time III (508-627-9427; chappyferry.com), at the corner of Dock and Daggett streets. The crossing between Edgartown and Chappy is completed in the blink of an eye. The ferry runs 6:45 AM–midnight in-season, but doesn’t really have a schedule; it just goes when it’s needed, and thus it’s always “on time.” Because it’s the only method of transportation between the two islands and a surprising number of people live on Chappy year-round, the ferry runs daily. Round-trip for car and driver $$, walk-on passengers $, bikes $.
Chappaquiddick contains several lovely beaches and wildlife refuges, including the 516-acre Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge, the 14-acre Mytoi, and the 200-acre Wasque Reservation. Unfortunately, though, the beautiful island is perhaps best known because of Dike Bridge, the scene of the drowning incident involving Sen. Edward Kennedy in July 1969. To reach Dike Bridge, stay on Chappaquiddick Road after you get off the ferry until the road turns into Dike Road. When the road takes a sharp turn to the right (in about a mile), continue straight on the dirt road until you reach the bridge.
When the bridge was rebuilt in the mid-1990s, pedestrians once again had direct access to Cape Pogue, a thin ribbon of sand that stretches along the east side of Chappaquiddick and the remote Cape Poge Lighthouse. Four-wheel-drive vehicles can use the bridge when endangered shorebirds like the piping plover are not nesting. Cape Poge is also accessible by foot or by four-wheel-drive vehicle, over the sand of Wasque Point, several miles south of the beach.
Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge and Wasque Reservation (508-627-7689; thetrustees.org). These adjoining tracts of land on the southeastern corner of Chappaquiddick—called Pogue or Poge, depending on whom you are talking to—are relatively isolated, so that even on summer weekends you can escape the crowds. This seaside wilderness contains huge tracts of dunes, the long and beautiful East Beach, cedars, salt marshes, ponds, tidal flats, and scrub brush. Overseen by the Massachusetts Trustees of Reservations, Cape Poge (516 acres) and Wasque (200 acres) are the group’s oldest island holdings. Half of the state’s scallops are harvested each autumn off the coast near the Cape Poge Lighthouse (on the northern tip of the cape). The lighthouse was built in 1893 and automated in 1943. Note: It is dangerous to swim at Wasque Rip because of the forceful tide. Limited East Beach parking $, reservation entrance $ (late May to mid-October).
CAPE POGE LIGHTHOUSE
The outstanding three-hour natural history tours (508-627-3599; thetrustees.org) of Cape Poge are naturalist led, in an open-air four-wheel-drive vehicle, and depart from Mytoi garden (see below) daily, May through October. It’ll be one of your best island adventures. $$$$.
Cape Poge Lighthouse tours (1½ hours), where you’ll learn about the fascinating history of the light and the keepers who lived there, depart from Mytoi garden from late May to mid-October. Space is limited, so reserve early. Don’t miss it. $$$.
Mytoi (508-627-7689; thetrustees.org), Dike Road. Open daily, sunrise to sunset. This 14-acre Japanese garden, built by Hugh Jones in 1958, has camellias, irises, a goldfish pond, and a picturesque little bridge.
Poucha Pond Kayak Tour (508-627-3599; thetrustees.org), Dike Bridge. Late May to mid-October. Only members of the Trustees of Reservations may take these self-guided tours; rentals available. Nonmembers must first purchase an introductory family membership. $$$.
MYTOI
Sail Ena (508-627-0848; sailena.com), Vineyard Haven. Day, sunset, and sailing for women aboard a 34-foot classic Alden sloop.
Mad Max (508-627-7500; madmaxmarina.com), at the Seafood Shanty, Edgartown Harbor. This 60-foot catamaran sets sail on two-hour voyages from late May to September. They sure know these waters well. $$$$$+
Wind’s Up! (508-693-4252; 508-693-4340; windsupmv.com), 199 Beach Road, at the drawbridge on Beach Road, Vineyard Haven. Rentals and instruction mid-May to late September (and possibly into October). This full-service outfit (on-island since 1962) rents Sunfish and small catamarans in addition to kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, and offers beginning, intermediate, and advanced instruction.
VINEYARD HAVEN HARBOR
CANOEING & KAYAKING Long Point Wildlife Refuge Tour (508-627-3599; thetrustees.org), led by Trustees of Reservations in July and August. This two-hour tour is a great way to learn basic paddling techniques and about the local ecology and natural history of Long Point. If your visit is timed right, inquire about their (great) full moon kayak tours. $$$–$$$$$.
FISHING STORES
Chilmark Pond Preserve (Martha’s Vineyard Landbank at 508-627-7141), access just before Abel’s Hill Cemetery (where, incidentally, John Belushi and Lillian Hellman are buried) on South Road, Chilmark. When you paddle across Chilmark Pond, you’ll be rewarded with a small ocean beach on the south shore. This local secret (well worth the effort) is accessed only by canoe or kayak, which you must supply.
See also Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge under the “Chappaquiddick” sidebar and Wind’s Up under “Boat Excursions/Rentals.”
FITNESS CLUBS Airport Fitness (508-696-8000; airportfitnessmv.com), off Edgartown–West Tisbury Road, at the airport. A full-service center.
B-Strong (508-693-5997; b-strong.com), 29 Kennebec Ave, Oak Bluffs. This small gym downtown has a good variety of equipment and the best hours on the island.
The Mansion House Health Club & Spa (508-693-2200; mvmansionhouse.com), Main Street, Vineyard Haven. With a heated pool, spa, and sauna.
YMCA of Martha’s Vineyard (508-696-7171; ymcamv.org), off Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road in Oak Bluffs. A great community center.
FISHING Fishing is excellent from most Vineyard beaches and bridges. The bridge between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown is perfect for anglers. There’s also a wide area that hangs over the swiftly running channel between Nantucket Sound and Sengekontacket Pond. You’re most likely to catch the island’s prized striped bass and bluefish before sunrise. Surf casting is best from south-facing beaches and the beaches at Aquinnah. On Chappaquiddick, East Beach at Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge and Wasque Point (see the “Chappaquiddick” sidebar for both) are famed for fishing.
Coop’s Bait & Tackle (508-627-3909; coopsbaitandtackle.com), 147 Edgartown–West Tisbury Road, Edgartown. This is your basic one-stop shopping for bait, tackle, boat charters, and information on “hot spots” for catching the big ones.
Dick’s Bait & Tackle (508-693-7669), 108 New York Avenue in Oak Bluffs; and Capt. Porky’s (508-627-7117), Dock Street, Edgartown, rent fishing rods, tackle, and other necessary equipment. Capt. Porky’s also arranges charters.
Great Harbor Sportfishing Charters (508-627-3122 land; 508-627-2128 cell; vineyardfishing.com), Edgartown Harbor. Trips May to late October. Captain Charlie uses light tackle, flies, and conventional means when he goes out sportfishing.
North Shore Charters (508-645-2993; bassnblue.com), out of Menemsha Harbor. May through October. Captain Scott McDowell takes anglers in search of bass and blues.
FOR FAMILIES There are so many family- and kid-friendly activities that I’ve interspersed them throughout this section. If I’d listed them under “For Families,” the other headings would have been decimated!
GOLF Farm Neck Golf Club (508-693-3057; farmneck.net), off County Road, Oak Bluffs. Open April through December. Reservations are strongly suggested at this stately 18-hole course, but they’re only taken two or three days in advance. A challenging course, but not long.
Mink Meadows (508-693-0600; minkmeadowsgc.com), off Franklin Street, Vineyard Haven. A fairly long but very subtle nine-hole semiprivate course; more challenging than you might think. Just ask President Obama.
HORSEBACK RIDING Red Pony Riding (508-693-3788; redponyfarmmv.com), 85 Red Pony Road, off Edgartown–West Tisbury Road, West Tisbury. Private lessons and trails for experienced riders.
Nip-n-Tuck Farm (508-693-1449), 39 Davis Look Road, West Tisbury. Hayrides are offered year-round.
ICE-SKATING Martha’s Vineyard Ice Arena (508-693-5329; mvarena.com), Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs. Who brings skates to the Vineyard? No one, but you can rent them here. $.
MINI-GOLF Island Cove (508-693-2611; islandcoveadventures.com), 386 State Road across from Cronig’s Market, Vineyard Haven. Open mid-May to mid-October. After golf, try your mountaineering prowess on the rock-climbing wall, then stick around for BBQ and ice cream.
SAILBOARDING Wind’s Up! (see above for practical details). Sheltered Lagoon Pond, where Wind’s Up! has a facility, is a great place for beginners to learn sailboarding and sailing. The water is shallow and the instructors patient. Those more experienced can rent equipment, consult the shop’s map, and head out on their own. Sailboarding is excellent all over the island, but experienced surfers should head to Menemsha, Aquinnah, and South Beach.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS Vineyard Conservation Society (508-693-9588; vineyardconservation.org), Wakeman Conservation Center, 57 David Avenue off Lambert’s Cove Road, Tisbury. Since it was established in 1965, this nonprofit group has protected thousands of acres from commercial and residential development by engaging in conservation land acquisition and advocacy. The society also sponsors a wide range of public activities, most of them free, including the Winter Walks program, a summer environmental lecture series, educational seminars and workshops on such topics as alternative wastewater treatment and solar-powered building technology, and the annual Earth Day all-island cleanup.
PLEIN AIR PAINTING, EDGARTOWN
Featherstone Center for the Arts (508-693-1850; featherstoneart.org), Oak Bluffs, off Barnes Road half a mile north of Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road. On 6 acres donated by the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank, this former horse barn and farm has been transformed into a community art center. Classes change seasonally but might include woodworking, stained glass, pottery, papermaking, printmaking, weaving, guitar lessons, and photography. Weekly summer art camps for kids, too. Continuously searching for ways to be more responsive to its community, from late June to late August the center also stages a flea and fine-arts market, an open pottery studio, an open darkroom, and Musical Monday evenings (with folk, country, jazz, blues, reggae . . . you name it). About 20 of the surrounding acres are crisscrossed with so-called Featherstone Trails for hiking.
Farm Institute (508-627-7007; farminstitute.org), 14 Aero Avenue, off South Beach and Katama Road, Edgartown. By now you hopefully are aware of the Vineyard’s deep agricultural roots. Well, this is the place to milk goats, watch baby piglets or calves being born, explore vegetable gardens, or get lost in a multiacre corn maze (when they can pull it off)—for a day or a week or the whole season! This nonprofit educational center offers summer programs for kids, Saturday morning farm chores, adult workshops, tons of fresh produce and meats, and more special events. It’s a rare opportunity for most of us to connect to the natural world.
A PERFECT UP-ISLAND DAY ON THE VINEYARD
7:45 |
Pick up fresh doughnuts from Humphrey’s. |
8:00 |
Take the scenic drive along Lambert’s Cove Road. |
9:30 |
Hike the crestline trail at Menemsha Hills Reservation. |
11:30 |
Drive Tea Lane and Meeting House Road between North and South Roads. |
12:00 |
Sit on the front porch of Alley’s General Store with a sandwich. |
1:15 |
Interact with the joyful sculptures at Field Gallery. |
2:30 |
Explore Polly Hill Arboretum. |
4:00 |
Visit Chilmark Pottery or Martha’s Vineyard Glass Works. |
5:30 |
Stroll the beach beneath the Clay Cliffs of Aquinnah. |
7:30 |
Watch the dusky light change color at Menemsha Harbor. |
8:00 |
Enjoy clam chowder or lobster rolls at The Galley or The Bite. |
10:30 |
Split a Mad Martha’s ice cream cone with your partner. |
OPEN SPACE RULES
Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank (508-627-7141; mvlandbank.com), 167 Upper Main Street, Edgartown. The Land Bank was established in 1986 in order to purchase open space with funds raised by a 2 percent tax on real estate transactions. I highly recommend getting this organization’s map prior to your visit for a current look at the Vineyard’s open land (more than 3,100 acres). Many of the island’s conservation areas—ocean beach, moors, meadows, ponds, and woods—are free for all to enjoy. Maps are available at the six town halls, libraries, this office, and online. Don’t forget to check out their guided walks.
SWIMMING POOL Mansion House Health Club & Spa (508-693-2200; mvmansionhouse.com), Main Street, Vineyard Haven. The 75-foot heated mineral spring pool also has lap lanes. $$.
YMCA of Martha’s Vineyard (508-696-7171; ymcamv.org), off Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road in Oak Bluffs, this community center has a 25-yard, six-lane pool, a large workout room, and a snack bar. $$$.
TENNIS Public courts are located at: Church Street (clay) near the corner of Franklin Street and Lake Street near the town landing, both in Vineyard Haven; Niantic Avenue (hard courts) in Oak Bluffs; Robinson Road (hard courts) near Pease’s Point Way in Edgartown; Chilmark Community Center (508-645-3061) on South Road at Beetlebung Corner in Chilmark (available when members are not using them); and Old County Road (two hard) in West Tisbury.
Airport Fitness (508-696-8000; airportfitnessmv.com), 22 Airport Road, off Edgartown–West Tisbury Road, West Tisbury. When it’s raining, this full-service indoor facility arranges matches. Lessons, tennis camps for all ages, and ball machines, too.
Vineyard Youth Tennis (508-693-7762; vineyardyouthtennis.org), 618 Barnes Road, just west of Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road in Oak Bluffs. An inflatable bubble over the courts allows youngsters to play for free, year-round.
Farm Neck Golf Club (508-693-9728; 508-693-3057; farmneck.net), off County Road, Oak Bluffs. Tennis from mid-May to mid-October. Outdoor Har-Tru courts are available, reserved a few days in advance.
WATERSKIING Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Sports (508-693-8476; mvoceansports.com), Dockside Marina in Oak Bluffs. Open mid-June to mid-October. Even if you’re a self-described klutz, these folks can teach you how to waterski, Jet Ski, kneeboard, tube, wakeboard, and parasail.
Manuel E. Correllus State Forest (508-693-2540; mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks), off Edgartown–West Tisbury Road or Barnes Road. Comprising almost 5,400 acres of woodland and meadows in the center of the island, the forest’s trails are used regularly by bikers, joggers, picnickers, and hikers. Park near the Barnes Road entrance.
IN OAK BLUFFS
Ocean Park, along Ocean Avenue. Fringed with some of Oak Bluffs’ best-preserved gingerbread cottages, the park’s centerpiece is a large white gazebo that serves as a bandstand for summer-evening concerts.
IN AND NEAR EDGARTOWN
Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary (508-627-4850; massaudubon.org), off Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road, Edgartown. The Vineyard is populated by many species of birds that flock to the island’s forests and wildlife sanctuaries. This 219-acre preserve, affiliated with the Audubon Society, has 4 miles of easy trails that traverse thick woods, open meadows of wildflowers, beaches, and salt marshes. The interpretive exhibit center has turtles, aquariums, a gift shop, and a library. Year-round activities for children and adults include guided nature walks and bird-watching trips for novices and experts alike. Inquire about weeklong children’s day camps. $.
See also Mytoi, Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge and Wasque Reservation, and natural history tours under the “Chappaquiddick” sidebar.
IN WEST TISBURY AND UP-ISLAND
Menemsha Hills Reservation (508-693-3678; thetrustees.org), off North Road, Chilmark. This exceptional Trustees of Reservations property makes for a great two-hour hike. The 3-mile crestline trail, part of which runs along the island’s second highest point, leads down to a rocky beach. This point was used during World War II as a military lookout. No swimming allowed.
Cedar Tree Neck Sanctuary (508-693-5207; sheriffsmeadow.org), off Indian Hill Road from State Road, West Tisbury. The 400-acre sanctuary, owned and managed by the Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, has trails through bogs, fields, and forests down to the bluffs overlooking Vineyard Sound.
Long Point Wildlife Refuge (508-693-7392; thetrustees.org), off Edgartown–West Tisbury Road, West Tisbury. A long, bumpy, dirt road leads to a couple of mile-long trails, Long Cove Pond, and a long stretch of the south shore. Parking is limited at this 632-acre preserve, maintained by the Massachusetts Trustees of Reservations, so get there early. $ per person, parking $$ per vehicle.
Peaked Hill Reservation (mvlandbank.com), off Tabor House Road from Middle or North roads, Chilmark. Turn left on the dirt lane opposite (more or less) the town landfill and then keep taking right-hand turns until you reach the trailhead. This 149-acre Land Bank property is the highest point on the island, at a whopping 311 feet above sea level. Good for hiking, picnicking, and mountain biking, this reservation also offers vistas of Noman’s Land Island, Aquinnah peninsula, and Menemsha Bight.
Waskosim’s Rock Preservation (mvlandbank.com), North Road, just over the Chilmark town line. At almost 200 acres, this is one of the largest and most diverse of the Land Bank properties, with great hiking, bird-watching, picnicking, and mountain biking. The Waskosim boulder marks the start of a stone wall that ran down to Menemsha Pond, separating the English and Wampanoag lands in the mid-17th century.
Allen Farm Vista (mvlandbank.com), South Road, Chilmark. On the south (or the left side) about 1 mile beyond Beetlebung Corner as you head toward Aquinnah. Practically the entire stretch of South Road in Chilmark once looked like this striking 22-acre field and pastureland, protected as a Land Bank property. Lucy Vincent Beach is just beyond the pond, grazing sheep, and moorlands.
Cranberry Acres, West Tisbury. This cranberry bog, on the southside of Lambert’s Cove Road from Vineyard Haven, has walking trails.
Polly Hill Arboretum (508-693-9426; pollyhillarboretum.org), 809 State Road, West Tisbury. Grounds open year-round; visitor center open late May to mid-October; tours during the summer, and winter walk program during the off-season. This is a magical place. Now totaling 70 acres, this former sheep farm was brought under cultivation by legendary horticulturist Polly Hill in order to preserve it as native woodland. The arboretum, opened to the public in the late 1990s, is a not-for-profit sanctuary devoted to a mix of almost 3,100 native and exotic plants, many threatened by extinction. The arboretum is tranquil and beautiful from early spring well into fall. Wandering visitors will discover an extraordinary range of plants. Lecture series, too. Donations gratefully accepted.
Fulling Mill Brook Preserve, off Middle Road, about 1½ miles east of Beetlebung Corner, Chilmark. Biking and foot access from South Road. Hiking trails pass through 49 acres of forests, fields, and streams.
See also Featherstone Meetinghouse for the Arts under To Do.
BEACHES Unlike Nantucket, many Vineyard beaches are private, open only to homeowners or cottage renters. (By law, though, anyone has the right to fish from any beach between the high- and low-water marks. So if you want to explore where you otherwise aren’t allowed, make sure you’re carrying a fishing pole!) Many innkeepers, especially those in the up-island establishments, provide walk-on passes to their guests. (A much-coveted Chilmark pass will get you access to Lucy Vincent Beach off South Road, the island’s prettiest.) And just to keep you in the loop, two other private beaches in Chilmark—Quansoo and Hancock—require a key to gain entry. It’s always locked and sometimes guarded. If you don’t summer in Chilmark, you might consider purchasing a key, which sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars. (File under: if you have to ask the price, you probably can’t afford it.) The following are public beaches.
IN VINEYARD HAVEN
Lake Tashmoo (or Herring Creek), at the end of Herring Creek Road, off Daggett Avenue from Franklin Street. This small beach offers good swimming, surf-fishing, and shellfishing. No facilities; limited parking; lifeguard.
Owen Park Beach, on the harbor just north of the ferry. Good for small children and swimming. Public restrooms; lifeguard. Limited parking.
IN WEST TISBURY
Lambert’s Cove Beach, off Lambert’s Cove Road. Although it’s restricted to town residents and inn-goers in-season, you can park here off-season to enjoy one of the island’s top beaches. The sand is fine and the waters calm.
ISLAND MYSTERIES
Vineyard mystery novelist Philip R. Craig writes page-turners that are perfect for beach getaways. In one of my favorites from this 20-plus-book series, The Double Minded Men, we first meet J. W. Jackson, a retired Boston cop, and his future wife, Zee, who tangle with a potentate, stolen necklace, and murder—all of which threaten their idyllic island home.
A big Craig fan who visited the Vineyard frequently, I always looked forward to the next installment of J. W.’s escapades, ones that took him to every nook and cranny of the island. When visiting, I’d always know with certainty that I’d just passed a little road that led to one of his character’s homes or a favorite fishing beach where he and Zee would catch blues when they were running. I recognized places from every page: street corners, shops, summertime traffic, Alley’s General Store, or a specific beach on which we’d search for shells. The Vineyard becomes even more real to anyone who’s read Craig’s books.
J. W.’s friends and family are sometimes helpful in solving these cozy mysteries, but at other times he must protect them as he becomes involved in schemes by land developers, old-time gangsters, entertainers, environmentalists, and old pals. The characters who pop up become old friends we look forward to meeting in subsequent books. Sprinkled throughout, his love of cooking also becomes apparent with recipe riffs for smoked bluefish, clam cakes, and striped bass (“delish”). When reading the last sentence of his last book—Vineyard Chill, which was completed just before his death—I felt a sadness that I’d not read another J. W. case that would bring Martha’s Vineyard even more to life than it already is.
—Martha Grant
Oak Bluffs Town Beach, on both sides of the ferry wharf, Oak Bluffs. This calm, narrow beach is very popular with Oak Bluffs families and seasonal visitors with small children. No facilities. Public restrooms next to the ferry dock.
Joseph Sylvia State Beach, along Beach Road between Edgartown and Oak Bluffs. The Edgartown end of this 2-mile-long barrier beach is also called Bend-in-the-Road Beach; this part of the gentle beach has lifeguards but no facilities. Park free along the roadside. Kids will like jumping into the water from Big Bridge, famous from the movie Jaws. Good shore fishing and crabbing along the jetties, too.
Aquinnah Beach, just south of the Clay Cliffs of Aquinnah. Take the boardwalk and path through cranberry and beach plum bushes down to the beach, about a 10-minute walk. Resist the temptation to cover yourself with mud from the cliff’s clay baths; the cliffs have eroded irreparably over the past century. (If that doesn’t dissuade you, perhaps the law will: it’s illegal to remove or use the clay.) Instead, walk along this 5-mile beach, called, from north to south, Moshup Public Beach, Moshup (the shuttle bus drops off here—otherwise, it’s a 10-minute walk from paid Aquinnah parking), Philbin, and Zack’s Cliffs. The cliffs are to the north, but the beaches are wider to the south. Philbin and Zack’s Cliffs beaches are reserved for residents, but if you stick close to the waterline, you might not have a problem. Zack’s fronts Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s former estate. The farther south you walk, the fewer people you’ll see. But those people you do see, you’ll see more of—people come here specifically to sunbathe nude. It’s not legal, but generally the authorities look the other way. Swimming is very good here; the surf is usually light to moderate, and the shore doesn’t drop off as abruptly as it does along the island’s south shore. Facilities include restrooms and a few small fast-food shops at the head of the cliff. Parking is plentiful; $$.
JOSEPH SYLVIA STATE BEACH
Eastville Beach, Beach Road (at the drawbridge), Oak Bluffs. This county-owned public beach has gentle surf and good views of the ferries coming and going in Vineyard Haven Harbor. No facilities.
IN EDGARTOWN
Lighthouse Beach, at the end of North Water Street, adjoining Fuller Street Beach. From Lighthouse Beach you can watch boats going in and out of the harbor. Rarely crowded with bathers because of seaweed, but always crowded with picture-takers; gentle waves. No facilities. Fuller Street Beach is a short bike ride from town and generally quiet.
Katama (or South) Beach, off Katama Road, is a favorite among college students. A shuttle runs from Edgartown to this popular, 3-mile-long barrier beach, which has medium to heavy surf, a strong undertow, and high dunes. Children can swim in the calm and warm salt water of Katama Bay. There are lifeguards, but not along the entire beach. Facilities at the end of Katama Road and Herring Creek Road. This beach becomes the Trustees of Reservations’ Norton Point Beach when you are traveling east.
UP-ISLAND
See also Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge and Wasque Reservation in the “Chappaquiddick” sidebar, and Long Point Wildlife Refuge, above.
UP-ISLAND
Long Point Wildlife Refuge, off Waldron’s Bottom Road from Edgartown–West Tisbury Road, West Tisbury. Owned by the Trustees of Reservations, this wide beach is isolated and beautiful, with good surf. From here you can also follow nature trails to Tisbury Great Pond. Limited parking. $.
Menemsha Beach, Menemsha Harbor. This calm, gentle beach is also pebbly. Nearby restrooms. Sunsets from here can’t be beat.
Lobsterville Beach, off State and Lobsterville Roads, Aquinnah. This beach is popular with families because of shallow, warm water and gentle surf. Limited parking along the road. Popular for fishing, too.
Lucy Vincent Beach, off South Road, is arguably the island’s nicest beach. Although it’s open only to residents and Chilmark inn-goers (which is reason enough to stay in Chilmark), you can enjoy the wide, cliff-backed beach off-season. The farther east you walk, the less clothing you’ll see. The farther west you walk, the more trouble you’ll get in, because that stretch of beach is as private as they come.
Squibnocket Beach, also off South Road in Chilmark, has the most reliable surfing on the island.
Uncle Seth’s Pond, off Lambert’s Cove Road. A tiny (but public) freshwater pond on the side of the road. Good for children. Limited parking.
PICNICS Owen Park, off Main Street, north of the ferry dock, Vineyard Haven. This thin strip of grass runs from Main Street down to the harbor beach. It’s a great vantage point for watching boats sail in and out of the harbor. Swings for the kids. Limited parking.
Mill Pond, West Tisbury. This wonderful place to feed ducks and swans is next to the simple, shingled West Tisbury Police Department.
With a few exceptions (primarily smaller B&Bs noted by our special value [] symbol), it is very expensive to stay on the Vineyard. Room rates have soared well, well beyond the rate of inflation since the late 1990s. Of all the towns, Edgartown is the most expensive by far; Oak Bluffs tends to draw younger visitors; and Vineyard Haven and West Tisbury are the most sensibly priced towns.
Reservations, made well in advance of your visit, are imperative during July and August and on weekends from September to mid-October. The height of high season runs, of course, from late June to early September, but many innkeepers define high season as mid-May to mid-October. In addition, many up-island inns are booked months in advance by hundreds of bridal parties, many with no ties to the island, who want meadows, stone walls, and spectacular ocean views as the backdrop for their photographs.
So many inns require a two- or three-night minimum stay in summer (and two nights on weekends in autumn) that I have omitted this information from the individual reviews. Assume it’s true. Although there are quite a few year-round lodging choices, the island is incredibly quiet from January to March. Rate ranges listed below are for high season.
WINNETU OCEANSIDE RESORT
RESORT
IN EDGARTOWN
Winnetu Oceanside Resort (508-310-1733; winnetu.com), South Beach, Edgartown. Open mid-April to late October. The Winnetu is easily one of the best family resorts on the Eastern Seaboard. But it also offers plenty of ways for romantics and more active folks to have a stellar holiday, too. It has no rivals on the Vineyard or Cape Cod. (It’s rival on Nantucket—the Nantucket Hotel & Resort—isn’t really a rival; it’s their sister property!) Three miles from Edgartown proper, and abutting South Beach (via a private pathway), this 11-acre resort offers tip-top service and plentiful amenities—two heated pools, a kiddie pool, a first-rate tennis club and fitness center with an array of classes and massages, plenty of teen and children’s programs (including a complimentary one in the mornings in-season), oversized chess pieces for playful fun, poolside bingo, a little pond with turtles, outdoor table tennis, a putting green, antique fire truck rides, weekly clambakes, a library with fireplace, and a sublime restaurant (see The Dunes under Dining Out). A variety of accommodations suit a multitude of vacationer configurations: studios; one-bedroom suites with a combo living/dining area and a deck or patio (sleeping a family of five); and larger suites. Full kitchens are available. Furnishings are summery, contemporary, and upscale but not so precious that you can’t enjoy the place after the beach. In the end, it’s hard to say what’s better—the facilities or the services, but they do go hand in hand. Tons of organized trips make it easy to relax here: kayak tours of Poucha Pond, private charters to Nantucket, whale watching, lighthouse and dune trips, and sunset water taxis to Edgartown. Concierges are ready to help with any and all requests and nary a staff member passes without a huge smile on their face and a ready hand. Rooms $$–$$$$$+; off-season packages offer a great value.
NOBNOCKET BOUTIQUE INN
IN VINEYARD HAVEN
Nobnocket Boutique Inn (508-696-0859; nobnocket.com), 60 Mt. Aldworth Road. No indulgence was spared in this 2016 top-to-bottom renovation; no detail within the Arts & Crafts manor house was too small to overlook. It’s the signature work of innkeeper–owners Simon and Annabelle Hunton, who most-immediately hail from an extraordinary property on Cape Cod. They tackled this seven-room boutique property with the same aplomb. The result? Just the balance of soulful rejuvination and visual excitement. Just the right aesthetic for modern travelers with a respectful nod to its historic bones. And of course, what truly sets Nobnocket apart is its concierge-level services. $$-$$$$.
Crocker House Inn (508-693-1151; crockerhouseinn.com), 12 Crocker Avenue. With each return visit, I remain impressed by the value that Jynell and Jeff Kristal offer at their turn-of-the-20th-century B&B on a quiet side street near the center of town. And to boot, they’re one of the few inns that takes one-nighters (although I certainly suggest staying longer). Each of the eight guest rooms has a fresh summer charm, retiled bathroom, and an iPod docking station. The primo third-floor loft, tucked under the eaves with a gas fireplace and Jacuzzi, also has harbor views. Room 5 has good cross breezes and a private feeling; Room 7 is larger, with a gas fireplace and strong morning sun; Room 3 is good for three people traveling together and boasts a private entrance. A word of caution: The intimate size of the inn allows sound from the common areas to carry into the downstairs rooms. If you’re a light sleeper, opt for a room on the second or third floors. A full breakfast, served daily in the small combination living/dining room, is included. But many guests linger over a second cup of coffee and the newspaper on the front wraparound porch set with rockers. You can’t go wrong here. Also check out the first-rate, fabu “cottage” that Jynell and Jeff offer! $$–$$$$.
CROCKER HOUSE INN
THORNCROFT INN
Thorncroft Inn (508-693-3333; thorncroft.com), 460 Main Street. Under the meticulous care of Karl and Lynn Buder (veteran hospitality gurus presiding here since 1980), this elegant and conservative Craftsman-style bungalow sits on a 3½-acre wooded estate about a mile out of town. All nine guest rooms are decorated with Victorian and Colonial-period antiques and have plush carpeting. There is also a private cottage with a king bed. Amenities include thick robes, air-conditioning, and the morning paper delivered to your door. Some rooms have hot tubs or Jacuzzis for two; many have wood-burning fireplaces. A complimentary full country breakfast is served at two seatings in the inn’s two intimate dining areas, or you may opt for a continental breakfast in bed. It’s all very sedate and harks back to another era. $$$–$$$$$.
Kinsman Guest House (508-693-2311), 278 Main Street. This shingled summer home is located a 10-minute walk from the center of town and a 20-minute walk to the West Chop Lighthouse. Built in 1880 as the original manse to the church across the street, it boasts high ceilings and an elegant staircase. It has only three guest rooms, two of which share a newly tiled bath with modern fixtures. All rooms are gussied up with Laura Ashley accents, and two have four-poster beds. Breakfast is not included, but the front porch is so inviting many people pick up something in town to enjoy here. $.
OAK BLUFFS INN
IN OAK BLUFFS
The Oak Bluffs Inn (508-693-7171; oakbluffsinn.com), 64 Circuit Avenue at Pequot Avenue. Open May through October. You can’t miss the inn—it’s the marvelously detailed pink building with an enormous third-floor cupola. It also has a great location: at the tip of Circuit Avenue, on the edge of the “campground,” three blocks from a beach, and a 10-minute walk to the ferry. And it completely reflects the ethos of Oak Bluffs: laid-back casual. The friendly innkeepers, Erik and Rhonda Albert, have done a great job freshening the place up. All 10 guest rooms have small but newly redone baths, air-conditioning, cottage-style bedroom sets, and views of colorful neighboring cottages from every window. Make a beeline for the soothing and contemporary two-bedroom apartment ($$$$) on the third floor; you could easily settle in for a week, especially given the balcony and kitchenette. Families are welcome in the carriage house or the first-floor room. An expanded continental buffet breakfast, enjoyed at individual tables, is included; guests may also eat on the wraparound porch. $$–$$$$$+.
Isabelle’s Beach House (508-693-3955; isabellesbeachhouse.com), 83 Seaview Avenue. This turn-of-the-20th-century guest house was resurrected in 2008 by the namesake innkeeper, who has been associated with in-town inns for some time. Most of the 11 simply and tastefully decorated rooms have ocean views; all have air-conditioning and refrigerators. Although the house sits on the main drag heading out of town and toward Edgartown, the traffic isn’t a problem for city dwellers (who are at the beach and exploring during the day anyway). Two big pluses: It’s across the street from the expansive town beach and it’s just a five-minute walk to town from here. The wide front porch is also perfect for sunset cocktails. Buffet breakfast included. $$$–$$$$$.
Brady’s NESW Bed & Breakfast (508-693-9137; sunsol.com/bradys), 10 Canonicus Avenue. A 10-minute walk from the center of town and one block from the water, this refreshingly friendly place has been Brady Aikens’s family home since 1929; he summered here in the 1940s and opened it as a B&B in the early 1990s. Guest rooms are named according to direction: north, east, south, or west (hence the NESW appellation). The summery, whitewashed rooms have wood-slat walls and are decorated in soothing colors and designer linens. West (with sunset views) is the largest and nicest room. Two rooms boast a private balcony; one has a private bath; all have a ceiling fan. Start your day with an outdoor shower, followed by a continental breakfast on the wraparound porch with rockers, and end up back here with Brady as the sun sets. (He’s here at 5 PM sharp every afternoon.) The comfy living room, decorated with southwestern influences, has a large video and CD collection. $–$$.
Nashua House (508-693-0043; nashuahouse.com), Kennebec Avenue. The 1873 Nashua House has 17 breezy and simple rooms, all of which share five bathrooms. I particularly like the corner rooms (Room 11 included). This guest house is perfectly situated in the thick of the action. $–$$.
Attleboro House (508-693-4346; attleborohouse.com), 42 Lake Avenue. Open mid-May through September. This authentic gingerbread cottage faces Oak Bluffs Harbor and sits on the outer perimeter of the Methodist Camp Meeting Association. It’s been taking in seaside guests since 1874, and it hasn’t changed much since then. In Estelle Reagan’s family since the 1940s, the guest house has 10 simple but tidy guest rooms that share five bathrooms. (Some rooms have a sink.) Most rooms have a porch, but if yours doesn’t, there’s a wraparound porch on the first floor. $–$$.
IN EDGARTOWN
The Christopher (508-627-4784; thechristophermv.com), 24 South Water Street. Formerly the Victorian Inn, and now completely renovated and operated by the delightful duo of Julie and Marla, this boutique property is a two-minute walk from the harbor and a world away when you are sitting by the backyard patio fire pit. The inn manages to walk a casual-chic line straddling contemporary, breezy and comfy. Attention to detail reigns in their 15 rooms, right down to black out shades, iPads for use during your stay, Apple TV for the flat screen TVs, waffle robes and luxe bedding. Full breakfast and afternoon snacks are included, as you might expect with this level of service. $$–$$$$.
Edgartown Inn (508-627-4794; edgartowninn.com), 56 North Water Street. Open mid-April to mid-October. You don’t find these kinds of places anymore because usually they’ve been gutted and gussied up. But this is the real deal, with an honest sense of place. A hostelry since the early 1800s, the inn has hosted such notables as Daniel Webster, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and then-senator John F. Kennedy. Sandi, the inn’s manager since 1985, has worked hard at maintaining and upgrading the inn’s 15 (generally large) rooms with firm mattresses and homey antiques. The spick-and-span rooms are simply but nicely decorated and represent perhaps the best value in town. Bathrooms are nicely retiled. Three light and airy (but somewhat spartan) rooms in the Garden House have private entrances. A full country breakfast ($)—including homemade muffins, griddle cakes, and the like—is served in the old-fashioned, charming period dining room or on the back patio. No credit cards. $$–$$$.
EDGARTOWN INN
Hob Knob Inn (508-627-9510; hobknob.com), 128 Main Street. This boutique property exudes a haughty sense of self and prides itself on attentive services and eco-friendliness. Just a few minutes’ walk from the center of town (request a room off Main Street if you like to sleep in—otherwise you’ll be awakened by truck traffic), this Gothic Revival house has 17 spacious guest rooms (and two private houses) with down bedding, king-sized beds, fine antiques, and a very soothing and tasteful ambience. Afternoon tea and a full, local, organic breakfast, served at small tables, are included. Or have breakfast in bed. During inclement weather, you’ll appreciate the enclosed porch, a private back patio, two sitting rooms, and a front porch with rockers. Exercise hounds will appreciate the fitness room. $$$–$$$$$+.
HOB NOB INN
The Charlotte Inn (508-627-4751; thecharlotteinn.com), 27 South Summer Street. The Vineyard’s highbrow grande dame is owned by Gery and Paula Conover, ardent Anglophiles who make frequent trips to the United Kingdom to purchase antiques. Without an ounce of hyperbole, it’s fair to say that it has few equals in the U.S. Equestrian prints, elegant armchairs, and collections of beautifully bound classic novels have turned each of the 17 rooms (and two suites) into a luxuriously inhabitable museum. The Conovers’ taste for all things English reveals itself on the inn’s grounds, too: ivy-edged brick sidewalks, small croquet-quality lawns, impeccable flower beds. Continental breakfast included; full breakfast available for an additional charge. $$$–$$$$$+.
CHARLOTTE INN
The Lightkeepers Inn (508-627-4600; thelightkeepersinn.com), 25 Simpson’s Lane. Within a short walk of Lighthouse Beach and just a block from the harbor, the five suites in the main house each have a separate sitting room and kitchen or kitchenette, and they share a covered patio with a BBQ grill. (The East Chop suite boasts its own deck.) None is fancy, but they sure are comfortable. The separate cottage sleeps four. $$–$$$.
UP-ISLAND
Lambert’s Cove Inn & Restaurant (508-693-2298; lambertscoveinn.com), 90 Manaquayak Road, West Tisbury. This place is quite something. The secluded country inn has a setting that couldn’t be more picturesque. The farmhouse estate once belonged to an ardent horticulturist, and the impressive formal gardens (and ancient rock walls) are nicely preserved. Common rooms, straight out of a magazine shoot, have the feel of a private gentleman’s club; everything is just so, right down to the gilded mirrors and hunting prints. That said, service is quite friendly rather than haughty. Fifteen guest rooms are scattered throughout the inn and two outbuildings. They vary considerably, but each is distinctive and highly recommended. The grounds boast a heated outdoor pool and hot tub, around which are plenty of chaises and teak furnishings. Guests also receive parking passes to nearby Lambert’s Cove, one of the island’s prettiest beaches. In addition, the secluded and beautiful Ice House Pond is within walking distance. Tennis court, too, and a full breakfast featuring farm-fresh eggs laid from 50 hens and goat products from their “future cheese makers.” The restaurant (see Dining Out) is outstanding. $$–$$$$$.
Beach Plum Inn (508-645-9454; beachpluminn.com), 50 Beach Plum Lane (off North Road), Menemsha. Open May through October. Secluded amid 7 wooded acres overlooking Menemsha Harbor in the near distance, the Beach Plum offers 11 luxurious guest rooms with fine bedding, first-class bathrooms (many with deep soaking or whirlpool tubs), stylish but unpretentious furnishings, and high-quality craftsmanship. A few inn rooms have small but private balconies with harbor views, and most rooms have some sort of water view. Practical in-room amenities like umbrellas, beach chairs, playing cards, and flashlights are not overlooked, either. The six cottages are each decorated with a simple but fresh style and grace. Facilities include beach access, a croquet court, and a tennis court. Don’t be alarmed if you see some alpaca grazing on the grounds; they are gentle and soft creatures. Because this is such a popular place for weddings, you’ll find a large white lawn tent between the inn and the harbor in spring and fall. The inn also offers dinner (see Dining Out). Off-island innkeepers Sarah and Bob Nixon (of soap opera Agnes Nixon fame) have owned the inn since the mid-2000s. Full breakfast and afternoon wine and cheese included. $$–$$$$.
Outermost Inn (508-645-3511; outermostinn.com), Lighthouse Road, Aquinnah. Open early May to mid-October. Hugh and Jeanne Taylor’s 20-acre parcel of land has the island’s second-best ocean view. (The best view is just up the hill from the Aquinnah Lighthouse, where Jeanne’s great-great-grandfather was born.) The inn’s seven rooms (one with a whirlpool, two with views of the lighthouse) and one suite feature natural fabrics, wool rugs, and down duvets. Subdued colors and unpainted furniture emphasize the seaside light. Rooms are named for the wood used in each: beech, ash, hickory, oak, and cherry. (Speaking of wood, don’t miss the outdoor bar made from one long, impressive hardwood tree.) Inquire about the adjacent lighthouse suite. In keeping with the family’s musical tradition, guitars, pianos, and other instruments are placed in the common areas. (You might get lucky and wander into an impromptu living-room concert given by Hugh’s brother James.) There’s also a full-service restaurant on premises; see Dining Out. $$$–$$$$.
The Duck Inn (508-645-9018; duckinnonmv.com), 10 Duck Pond Lane, off State Road, Aquinnah. A throwback to the ’70s in that it feels like a hippie retreat, The Duck Inn is arguably the most unusual place to stay on the island. It’s also only a five-minute walk to Philbin Beach, one of the island’s top two or three strands. You may be sleeping in a sleigh bed with a silk, hand-painted, feather duvet (in my favorite room, which also boasts a balcony). Another room has a brass bed, freestanding marble basin, a little balcony, and one French door to the water closet. Ask longtime proprietor Elise LeBovit for a complete description of the eclectic rooms. The whole open first floor is a communal-style gathering space, complete with wax-covered candlesticks on the dining table, a central fireplace and Glenwood stove, and kilims and Native American carpets. There is a well-used game area and special breakfast table for kids, not to mention a hot tub and masseuse. A full organic breakfast is included. Ask about the sauna in the “Flintstone” room. $–$$.
COTTAGES & EFFICIENCIES
IN OAK BLUFFS
Island Inn (508-693-2002; islandinn.com), Beach Road. Open late March through November. If you want to avoid in-town crowds or let the kids (or dogs) run around, this is a decent choice. Situated between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, this 7-acre resort is right on a bike path, within walking distance of two beaches, and adjacent to Farm Neck Golf Course. In all there are 51 units with kitchenettes (in the form of studios, one- and two-bedroom suites, town houses, and a cottage that can sleep up to four) in several low-slung buildings. For a quieter stay, choose a room in a one-story building. Townhouse units have a fireplace, a spiral staircase to the loft bedroom, and a separate bedroom. Facilities include three well-maintained tennis courts, a swimming pool, playground, and plenty of space to picnic and barbecue. There is also a restaurant and bar on premises; see Dining Out. $$–$$$$.
IN EDGARTOWN
Edgartown Commons (508-627-4671; edgartowncommons.com), Pease’s Point Way. Open May to mid-October. These 35 efficiencies—from studios to two-bedroom apartments—are near the center of town and great for families. Most of the individually owned units are in very good condition; these are rented first. Units in the main building have high ceilings and thus feel more spacious. Many units surround the pool, all are comfortably furnished, and most feature newish kitchens. Outside there are grills, picnic tables, and a nice enclosed play area. $$–$$$.
Menemsha Inn and Cottages (508-645-2521; menemshainn.com), North Road, Menemsha. Open May through October. This secluded 25-acre parcel of forest has some lovely views of Vineyard Sound, a four-minute wooded path to Menemsha Beach, and a friendly atmosphere. Over the years (it was actually opened in 1923) it has been continuously upgraded and maintained with pride. There’s an emphasis on peace and quiet, rather than fussy interior decorating. The complex boasts six luxurious and crisp rooms in the carriage house (with a great room and fieldstone fireplace); nine smaller but first-rate “regular” rooms with freshly retiled bathrooms; 11 tidy seascape cottages; and one elegant, two-bedroom suite. Cottages have a screened-in porch, fully equipped kitchen, outdoor shower, barbecue, and wood-burning fireplace. Walk-on passes to Lucy Vincent and Squibnocket Beaches are provided. Reserve cottages as far ahead as February if you can; this well-manicured place has a loyal, repeat clientele. Facilities include a fitness center, bike rentals, basketball court, table tennis, croquet, and a tennis court. Expanded continental breakfast with smoked salmon quiche and the like included. $$$$–$$$$$+; inquire about weekly cottage rates.
MENEMSHA INN AND COTTAGES
See also Island Inn under Cottages & Efficiencies.
HOTELS
IN VINEYARD HAVEN
Mansion House Inn (508-693-2200; mvmansionhouse.com), 9 Main Street. This professionally operated four-story hotel, located just a few blocks from the ferry, features 40 rooms and suites that range from cozy to spacious—with prices to match. Deluxe rooms have soaking tubs, fireplaces, and balconies that afford views of Vineyard Sound (or Main Street). The basement health club and spa, with a 75-foot mineral spring pool, pampers guests with a wide array of services, including clay cliffs Moshup Mud Wraps. The roof deck is a quiet place to escape. Continental breakfast included. $$$–$$$$$.
IN OAK BLUFFS
Surfside Motel (508-693-2500; mvsurfside.com), 7 Oak Bluffs Avenue. One of the few Oak Bluffs places open through the winter (with limited availability), the Surfside has above-average motel-style rooms near the ferry. The area can get a bit boisterous on summer evenings, but room rates reflect that. Each room has a queen, two double beds, or two twin beds, air-conditioning, and a small refrigerator; cribs and roll-away beds are available for a fee. Corner rooms are particularly nice and spacious. $$–$$$$.
IN EDGARTOWN
Harbor View Hotel and Resort (508-627-7000; harbor-view.com), 131 North Water Street. This is one privileged perch. Overlooking a lighthouse, grass-swept beach, and Chappaquiddick, the 1891 Harbor View Hotel is Edgartown’s best-situated hostelry. This grande dame boasts 114 rooms and 21 suites. (Suites, by the way, are privately owned condos but available for rent. They feature deep soaking tubs and kitchenettes with granite countertops.) Tranquil harbor views from the hotel’s spacious veranda (lined with rocking chairs) are reason enough to patronize the place. Some guest rooms enjoy these views; other rooms have porches overlooking the pool. The upscale guest rooms are generally large and appointed with antique prints and watercolor landscapes by local artists. Facilities include room service, summertime children’s programs, a swimming pool, and concierge. Because of its size, the hotel caters to large groups. $$$$$+.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE MV DINING SCENE
Most restaurants are open May to mid-October; some are open through Christmas. Each year more and more operate year-round. Opening and closing days vary considerably from week to week, largely dependent on the weather and number of visitors, so it’s impossible to tell you reliably which days any given restaurant will be open. Always call ahead after Labor Day and before Memorial Day.
There are a few more generalizations I can make. Vineyard Haven and up-island towns are “dry,” so BYO wine or beer. West Tisbury is now “half wet,” so beer and wine are sold in some establishments. (Some/most restaurants charge a nominal corking fee.) I’ve tried to note when there is a chef-owner because generally these places provide the most reliable food. Many Oak Bluffs establishments are family oriented and casual, though there are a few sophisticated options. The dress code in Edgartown is a bit more conservative. Dining options are scarcer up-island and require reservations well ahead of time. Otherwise, reservations are highly suggested at all Dining Out establishments.
Harborside Inn (508-627-4321; theharborsideinn.com), 3 South Water Street. Open mid-April to early November. This seven-building place—half time-share and half conventional hotel—is one of the few waterfront (harborfront, no less!) accommodations on the island. And it’s the only one on Edgartown Harbor. Practically all rooms have some sort of water view; most have a porch or patio. The 90 rooms and four suites are well appointed with standard hotel-issue furnishings. Facilities include a heated pool overlooking harbor boat slips. $$–$$$$.
RENTAL HOUSES & COTTAGES Mattakesett Properties (508-310-1733; mattakesett.com). South Beach, Edgartown. Open mid-May to mid-October. These exceptional properties, privately owned and located all along South Beach, will not disappoint. They’re fully equipped and offer access to their sister property, the Winnetu Oceanside Resort (see Resort) and The Dunes (see Dining Out). Town houses, duplexes, and three- to five-bedroom homes rent weekly.
Seacoast Properties (800-388-1855; mvseacoast.com), 261 Upper Main Street, Edgartown. Dozens of agencies handle thousands of rentals, which vary from tiny cottages to luxe waterfront homes, from dismal and overpriced units to great values. I like this one.
CAMPGROUND Martha’s Vineyard Family Campground (508-693-3772; campmv.com), 569 Edgartown Road, Vineyard Haven. Open mid-May to mid-October. In addition to shaded tent and trailer sites, the island’s only campground also has rustic one- and two-room cabins.
YOUTH HOSTEL Hostelling International—Martha’s Vineyard (508-693-2665; 888-901-2087 for in-season reservations; hiusa.org/marthasvineyard), Edgartown–West Tisbury Road, West Tisbury. Open mid-May to mid-October. This saltbox opened in 1955, and it remains an ideal lodging choice for cycling-oriented visitors. The hostel is at the edge of the Manuel E. Correllus State Forest (which is full of bike paths; see Green Space) and next to the path that runs from Edgartown to West Tisbury. The large kitchen is fully equipped, and the common room has a fireplace. Reservations strongly recommended, especially from mid-June to early September, when large groups frequent the hostel. Linens, pillows, and blankets provided free of charge. Accommodations are single-sex, dormitory-style bunk beds, with the exception of one private room ($–$$) available.
Where to Eat
DINING OUT
IN VINEYARD HAVEN
Black Dog Tavern (508-693-9223; theblackdog.com), 21 Beach Street Extension. Open B, L, D. Longtime Vineyarder Bob Douglas became frustrated when he couldn’t find good chowder within walking distance of the harbor, so he opened this place in 1971, naming it for his dog. These days the restaurant—and its ubiquitous T-shirts—are synonymous with a Vineyard vacation. And although the portions are smaller now that Bob’s son is running the place, it’s a fair place to eat. While you’ll have to wait an hour for dinner, lunch won’t be much of a problem. Interior decor is simple, with pine floors, old beams, nautical signs, and shellacked wooden tables packed close together. Best of all, this shingled saltbox is cantilevered over the harbor. And you can now sit outside. Fresh island fish and locally grown vegetables dominate the menu. Although staff are often eager to hustle you out the door, don’t be shy about finishing your meal. B $, L $–$$, D $$–$$$$.
BLACK DOG TAVERN
IN OAK BLUFFS
Sweet Life Café (508-696-0200; sweetli femv.com), 63 Circuit Avenue. Open D, May through September. In 2013 Sweet Life was purchased by Kevin and Suzanna Crowell, owners of the acclaimed Edgartown establishment Detente. Though Kevin has taken over as chef, Sweet Life retains a classical gourmet menu of fresh island seafood within a restored and airy Victorian house or outside on the twinkling garden patio. During my most recent dinner, their seared halibut with sweet pea risotto rose above my expectations. The wine list is exemplary. The café was a must for the Obamas when they vacationed on the Vineyard. After leaving, you’ll muse about how sweet life is, indeed. $$$$.
Park Corner Bistro (508-696-9922), 20 Kennebec Avenue, in the square off Circuit Avenue. Open D, Sunday brunch. This cozy, 10-table find has a rustic, European, and intimate feel. Featuring a wide range of New American dishes and a well-versed staff, Park Corner serves seasonal dishes like steak frites, chicken Marsala, and grilled pork. $$–$$$.
M.V. Chowder Company (508-696-3000; mvchowder.com), 9 Oak Bluffs Avenue. Open L, D. The venerable Yankee Magazine claims this is the best chowder in New England—and I heartily agree: Their chowder rules. Beyond that, come for classic burgers and BLTs or Asian fusion dishes like pork dumplings and tempura nuggets. The ambiance is classy but dark. They also specialize in cocktails, particularly martinis. L $–$$, D, $$$–$$$$.
The Red Cat Kitchen at Ken ’n’ Beck (508-696-6040; redcatkitchen.com), 14 Kennebec Avenue. Open D, April through September. Don’t let burly, tattooed chef and co-owner Ben deForest fool you; he has a delicate way with food. The menu features robust items like buttermilk fried chicken and waffles, “Big-Ass Scallops,” and PBR/BBQ-braised pork shank, but changes daily; the flavors, sides, and desserts are divine and imaginative. $$$–$$$$.
IN EDGARTOWN
Atria (508-627-5850; atriamv.com), 137 Upper Main Street. Open D, April through October. Atria specializes in elegant, hip dining with a global flair. It’s the kind of quiet and sophisticated place where celebs like to hang out. It’s classy but casually romantic; tables are closely spaced and there’s a rose garden patio, too. Fish is a big deal here; look for rare ahi tuna tempura as a starter and pan-seared Georges Bank scallops and cauliflower-goat cheese purée. The menu changes daily, but it’s always worth asking about a vegetarian risotto. (The burgers with onion rings are also great.) Natural flavors come through loudly and clearly. As for dessert, think along the lines of gooey chocolate molten cake or traditional thin pecan tart. The bar (which hosts live jazz, folk, and blues on many nights) is a great place for solo diners and an even better place for a nightcap—try their martinis. $$$$–$$$$$.
ALCHEMY
Alchemy (508-627-9999; alechemyedgartown.com), 71 Main Street. Open L, D, February through December. Owners Scott and Charlotte Caskey, so successful at Savoir Faire for so many years, have struck gold in this larger and more visible casual American space. Chef Giordano Smiroldo (new to Alchemy in 2015) is their bullion, keeping the inspired food focus loosely on French and Italian. If you’re lucky, you’ll get one of a few sidewalk tables. Fish and seafood specialties at dinner change regularly, but with luck you’ll find seared salmon with creamed lentils or halibut meunière with lemon. The wine list is quite well chosen. In the evening, the open, rotunda-like, two-story bistro and bar is loud and energetic; it’s a great place for singles to nosh at the bar. L $$, D $$$–$$$$$.
l’étoile (508-627-5187; letoile.net), 22 North Water Street. Open D, late April to late November. After all these years (since 1986, to be exact), chef-owner Michael Brisson is still the go-to guy for that singularly spectacular meal. Check out his impressive resume on the website; it’s a dishwasher-to-young-prodigy-chef story. There isn’t a more elegant dining room on the island, nor more perfect contemporary French cuisine in New England. Although the garden patio is romantic too, I’m always bowled over by the soothing main dining room. Nothing short of spectacular, dishes like Dover sole, rack of lamb, and étuvée of native lobster are meticulously prepared and artistically presented. Michael uses local fish and produce whenever possible, and you can taste the difference. If your wallet and appetite aren’t quite up to the main event, a lighter bar menu has venison burgers, cheese paninis with roasted tomato soup, and the like. Look for biweekly wine tastings and tapas on the lawn. Bar menu $$–$$$$, D $$$$–$$$$$, tasting menu $$$$$+.
Detente (508-627-8810; detentemv.com), 15 Winter Street. Open D, May through October. This intimate and stylish restaurant, tucked back in Nevin Square, feels like a real find. Especially when you’re inside with white linens and dark furniture. Especially when you dine on the summertime terrace. Especially when you grab a bite at the soapstone bar. It doesn’t matter where you dine: It’s candlelit, refined, romantic, and tickling to a modern palate. Owners Kevin and Suzanna Crowell get my warm thanks for superb New American cuisine. The menu, which features locally procured ingredients, is thankfully limited to about six entrées, all executed with aplomb. Try the harpooned swordfish with sweet pea raviolis on spiced carrot slaw. The wine list is excellent. $$$$–$$$$$+.
The Dunes (508-627-3663; winnetu.com), 31 Dunes Road (Katama Road). Open B, L at the pool, D, mid-April through October. The Dunes, emphasizing the freshest of island ingredients, is a centerpiece of the outstanding Winnetu Oceanside Resort (see Resort under Lodging). It successfully walks the tightrope of feeding regulars multiple times a week and pushing the envelope for foodies. Although I didn’t get to dine here on my most recent visit, based on island contacts I’m comfortable with wholeheartedly endorsing the new (in 2016) chef Noel Middleton. Katama Bay oysters (plucked from waters just a stone’s throw away) and sea scallops prepared in any manner of ways remain divine. To give you as many reasons as possible to return, children have their own menu and families have their own dining room. Snag a seat on the second-floor deck and enjoy the sunset during dinner. Snag their free sunset water taxi to the restaurant from Edgartown at 5:30 PM in the summertime. It’s a lovely way to arrive. L $$–$$$, D $$$–$$$$$.
Chesca’s (508-627-1234; chescasmv.com), 38 North Water Street. Open D, early April to mid-October. Chef-owner Jo Maxwell offers a reliable menu of eclectic Italian-inspired seafood and pasta specials. She features a diverse menu where you can either eat affordably or drop a bundle. Try the grilled salmon with sweet Thai chili BBQ glaze, or lobster ravioli and seared sea scallops. It’s noisy here—not good or bad noisy, just loud. Because reservations are accepted only for large parties, expect to wait (preferably at the sceney bar). $$$–$$$$.
Lattanzi’s (508-627-8854; lattanzis.com), Old Post Office Square, off Main Street behind the brick courthouse. Open D. Chef Albert Lattanzi and his wife, Catherine, offer sophisticated and traditional Italian cuisine in conservative but not stuffy surroundings. Tables are candlelit, covered with bistro paper and linen; the staff is professional. As for the food, it’s prepared with flair: from wonderfully crusty Tuscan bread and handmade pastas to lobster and wood-grilled steaks and chops. In a nod to modern preferences, you’ll also find gluten-free selections. Of course the tiramisu is great, but so is the gianduja (flourless chocolate hazelnut cake). There is some alfresco dining, too. $$$–$$$$.
Square Rigger (508-627-9968; squareriggerrestaurant.com), at The Triangle. Open L, D, February through December. You can tell right away that this place is by and for locals: Patrons and servers are friendly well into September! It’s a meat-and-potatoes kind of place; actually, it’s a char-grilled meat, seafood, and lobster kind of place—with an emphasis on lobster. There’s nothing surprising—just good and casual, with plenty of parking and a publike atmosphere. $$$–$$$$.
UP-ISLAND
Lambert’s Cove Inn & Restaurant (508-693-2298; lambertscoveinn.com), 90 Manaquayak Road, West Tisbury. Open D; call for opening months. Dine on exceptional New American cuisine far from the crowds in a rarefied world that epitomizes genteel elegance. Wall sconces, floor-to-ceiling bookcases, fireplaces, and well-spaced tables set a deeply romantic tone. Tinkling piano music in the summer furthers it. Chef James McDonough is deft at menu creation and execution. The inn serves beer and wine. $$$–$$$$.
Beach Plum Inn (508-645-9454; beachpluminn.com), 50 Beach Plum Lane, off North Road, Menemsha. Open D, May through October. Although you’re probably drawn here for its country location and distant sunset views of Menemsha Harbor, the chef would probably prefer the focus to be their locally caught seafood and locally grown produce from Chilmark’s Beetlebung Farm. With good reason. Although the menu at this minimalist dining room changes nightly, portions tend toward nouvelle (read: small). And unless you’re allergic to chocolate, you’d be crazy not to order the chocolate quad cake. Service, by the way, is friendly and low-key but professional. BYOB. $$$$$.
Outermost Inn (508-645-3511; outermostinn.com), 81 Lighthouse Road, Aquinnah. Open D; call for opening months. Take the inn on its terms—or don’t. It draws patrons because it’s exclusive (there are a limited number of tables), because they do things their own funky way out here, and because of dramatic sunsets over the ocean. As for the New American menu, it highlights fresh island ingredients. There are usually four or five appetizer and entrée choices, perhaps including Edgartown oysters and roasted halibut. Two seatings; reservations required. $$$$$+.
Home Port (508-645-2679; homeportmv.com), 512 North Road, Menemsha. Open D. New ownership in 2009 saved this institution by retaining the menu and improving the quality. It’s an efficient surf-sun-and-turf kind of place, with long wooden tables and lobster cooked lots of different ways, thick swordfish, jumbo shrimp, and a raw bar. The servings are large and the clientele a bit older. Dine on the outside deck for the best sunset views of Menemsha Creek. Or get take-out from the back door and sit at the harbor. BYOB. $$$$.
Chilmark Tavern (508-645-9400; chilmarktavern.com), 9 State Road, Chilmark. Open D. If you’re stationed up-island, the haul to Edgartown, Vineyard Haven, or Oak Bluffs for dinner can be daunting. Chilmark Tavern is one of the few up-island options, but it’s a good one. The food is simply but classily presented, like the establishment itself. Perhaps not surprisingly, crowds can slow down the service in summertime. BYOB. $$$–$$$$$.
State Road Restaurant (508-693-8582; stateroadrestaurant.com), 688 State Road, West Tisbury. Open B, L, D. Special attention has been paid to interior design craftsmanship at this local favorite off-season; but it’s an upper-class outing during the summer. Reservations are hard to come by, but the food—contemporary American cuisine by chef Austin Racine—is exquisite. Brunch is a good option if you have kids in tow or if you want to enjoy State Road without the wait. Wine and beer only. $$$–$$$$$.
ART CLIFF DINER
EATING OUT
IN VINEYARD HAVEN
Art Cliff Diner (508-693-1224), 39 Beach Road. Open B, L. Great things come from this little package. Although it’s not much to look at and the parking is limited in summer, the buzz is resounding and the dishes stellar. Chef-owner Regina Stanley, a whirlwind of energy who was the pastry chef at Blair House, the guest house of the White House, meets and greets patrons. She works alongside Teddy Diggs, who has brought success to island restaurants like Home Port and The Beach Plum. Breakfast is out of this world: fancy frittatas, daily scone and eggs Benedict specials, tofu scramble, almond-crusted French toast, breakfast tacos, and the Bayou Bundle. Anything-but-prosaic meat loaf is a terrific lunch choice. It’s also family friendly, with crayons available for the kids. $$.
Waterside Market (508-693-8899; watersidemarket.com), 76 Main Street, Vineyard Haven. Open B, L. Stop by these spacious and casual digs for quick but filling lunchtime sandwiches and salads, as well as breakfast dishes like hash, croissant sandwiches, and buttermilk pancakes. There’s always something appealing on the huge blackboard menu. Watch the street scene through large, street-front picture windows. Sandwiches are huge. You can usually get away with splitting one, but the fresh ciabatta bread will make you want to eat the whole thing. $–$$.
The Black Dog Bakery Café (508-696-8190; theblackdog.com), 509 State Road. Open B, L. The Black Dog began as a cottage industry, but now it’s more like an industrial complex (figuratively speaking). About a mile out of town, you no longer have to fight traffic to fork over money for Black Dog pastries. Look for the vintage 1914 rail car outside the café, as it makes a fine backdrop for a picnic. $.
Sandy’s Fish & Chips (508-693-1220), 5 Martin Road. Open mid-May to mid-September. Located within John’s Fish Market, this family-operated, no-frills place has great fried fish sandwiches and fried clams. The fish market opened in the 1960s and the restaurant started in 1978. $–$$.
Net Result Fish Market (508-693-6071; mvseafood.com), 79 Beach Road. Sushi, lobsters, shellfish, smoked fish, and bay scallops (in-season) purchased on the spot or shipped home as a nostalgic reminder. $–$$.
Rocco’s (508-693-1125; marthasvineyardpizza.com), 79 Beach Road in Tisbury Marketplace. Open L, D. Though hidden in the back corner of a plaza, Rocco’s is a local favorite for pizza and one of the only spots to get a good pie off-season. In addition to New York–style cheese and pepperoni slices, they offer inventive meat and veggie specials daily. Full pizzas come with all the usual toppings. Skip the rest of the offerings—only because the pizza rules. $.
Little House Café (508-687-9794; littlehousemv.com), 339 State Road. Open B, L, D. This easy-to-miss, tiny gem next to Cronigs puts a Mediterranean twist on breakfast, lunch entrées, and salads. Regulars and I dive into their fish tacos and shawarma. $$.
THE NET RESULT
IN OAK BLUFFS
Nancy’s Restaurant and Snack Bar (508-693-0006; nancysrestaurant.com), 29 Lake Avenue. Open L, D, late May to mid-October. Nancy’s is another sought-after spot of the Obama family. Classic lobster rolls, a nice raw bar, and the Dirty Banana mudslides at Donovan’s Reef, the downstairs bar, drive the success of this busy location. Not to mention, you can almost pull your boat right up to the window. $$–$$$.
SLICE OF LIFE
Slice of Life (508-693-3838; sliceoflifemv.com), 50 Circuit Avenue. Open B, L, D. This wonderful and casual place offers savory and sweet treats to eat in or take out. Don’t miss it. It’s always one of the friendliest places on-island. Try the chowder and a fried green tomato BLT for lunch. Dinner is fancier with, perhaps, roasted cod with sundried tomatoes or any number of nightly specials. You can always keep it simple with a thick burger, too. B, L $–$$, D $$–$$$.
20ByNine (508-338-2065; 20bynine.com/mv), 16 Kennebec Avenue. Open L, D mid-April to mid-October. This isn’t just a fun craft beer and whiskey bar for the Vineyard; it could compete with the best of the breed within 300 miles. The vibe is cool but not hipster-haughty, warm but not too intimate. The small plates are way better than simply providing a little something to soak up the drinks! Try their diverse cheese board, mini-burgers, and lobster fritters, and by all means, do leave room for the s’mores. $$-$$$.
Linda Jean’s (508-693-4093; lindajeansrestaurant.com), 25 Circuit Avenue. Open B, L, D. Established in 1976, this is a classic American diner without the chrome. It’s a pleasant storefront eatery serving old-fashioned meals at old-fashioned prices. Breakfast is still the best meal of the day here: Pancakes are thick but light, for instance. But the fish sandwich is quick and good, and the onion rings are crispy. Kids are happy with burgers and PB&J. And the waitstaff is friendly. What more could you ask for? If you haven’t tried that famed New England “delicacy,” Grape-Nuts custard, this is the place to do it. Expect a wait for breakfast even in the dead of winter! $$.
Offshore Ale Co. (508-693-2626; offshoreale.com), 30 Kennebec Avenue. Open L, D. Not only is the food good—crispy, wood-fired, brick-oven pizzas, hefty burgers, grilled fish, fried calamari, and beer-batter fish-and-chips—but the place is fun, too. The front door is marked with a big barrel full of peanuts, and patrons toss the shells onto the floor. But freshly fermented beer is reason enough to frequent this dark, two-story barn—as is the homemade root beer. Check the blackboard for what’s fresh from the shiny copper vats, and try to come in the afternoon for a brewery tour before eating. Frequent entertainment off-season. L $$, D $$–$$$.
Giordano’s (508-693-0184; giosmv.com), 18 Lake Avenue. Open L, D, May through September. This classic, family-style restaurant is run by fourth-generation Giordanos who pride themselves on serving value-packed portions. Giordano’s serves some of the best fried clams on-island (head to the take-out window), but I tend to stick to pizzas here. The cocktails are also big. $$.
Oak Bluffs Harbor Boardwalk, Circuit Avenue Extension. Among the many eateries that line the boardwalk, two places deserve particular mention:
COOPE DE VILLE
Coop de Ville (508-693-3420; coopdevillemv.com), 12 Circuit Avenue Extension. Open L, D, late April to late October. This place is the best fry joint and raw bar. The oysters are excellent and fish-and-chips very good. Otherwise, you know the menu: seafood by the pint or quart; steamed lobster with corn; wings. But the wings . . . the hot wings are arguably the best on the island. With picnic tables and counters, this is a great location for fast food and people-watching. $$–$$$.
Lobsterville Bar and Grille (508-696-0099; lobstervillemv.com), 8 Circuit Avenue Extension. Open L, D, mid-May to mid-October. The big turquoise tower has run-of-the-mill offerings (lots of seafood and fried appetizers), but you can always get a reliable burger here. The real kicker: sit on the second-story deck for an unbeatable view of the harbor. $$–$$$.
Farm Neck Café (508-693-3560; farmneck.net), at the golf club off County Road. Open B, L, D, early April to late November. When I ask locals to recommend a great, inexpensive lunch place, this place inevitably pops up. Yes, it’s crawling with golfers, but the setting is lovely—with views of long, manicured fairways. While the atmosphere is clubby, it’s public and very comfortable. You can get grilled shrimp and other seafood, soups, Cobb salad, sesame chicken wrapped in a flour tortilla, a burger, or a roast beef sandwich Philly style. L $–$$, D $$–$$$$.
Lookout Tavern (508-696-9844; lookoutmv.com), 8 Seaview Avenue. Open L, D, April through December. This aptly named pub looks out over the ferry terminal and into Vineyard Sound. Most folks come for super-fresh sushi, but they also offer de rigueur American fare and fried seafood. It’s a great place to have a draft while watching a Sox game.
Ocean View Restaurant (508-693-2207; oceanviewmv.com), 16 Chapman Avenue. Open L, D. Sink into a seat and watch TV and nosh from a bar menu, or try the tavern. Wherever you sit, the servers make bustling summer OB feel like a small town where everyone knows your name. The combination of a surf-and-turf-oriented menu and crayons for kids keep all familiy members happy. If you haven’t had your fill of fried food for the week, don’t miss this guilty pleasure: the hodgepodge of fried wings, ravioli, and mozzarella sticks. $$.
Bangkok Thai Cuisine (508-696-6322; bkkcapecod.com), 67 Circuit Avenue. This authentic, spicy, and welcome diversion makes a mean peanutty pad thai. Servers are prompt and polite, and the atmosphere is casually romantic, especially outdoors on the brick patio. $$–$$$.
IN EDGARTOWN
Among the Flowers (508-627-3233), Mayhew Lane, off North Water Street. Open B, L, D, May through October. This small, friendly café has some of the most reasonable prices in Edgartown. It’s a good choice for healthier options, and the lunch specials always feature unique flavor combos. There aren’t many indoor tables, but there is an outdoor patio, enclosed and heated during inclement weather. Look for excellent omelets, lobster rolls, PB&J for the kids, crêpes, salads, quiches, corn chowder, and clam chowder. L $–$$, D $$–$$$$.
AMONG THE FLOWERS
THE NEWES FROM AMERICA
The Newes From America (508-627-4397; kelley-house.com), 23 Kelley Street. Open L, D. Occupying the basement of the Kelley House, the food here is surprisingly good for pub grub—renowned burritos and fish-and-chips, as well as burgers and sandwiches. Stick to pub mainstays and don’t order anything too fancy. At about $15 per person, lunch here is one of the better island values. The atmosphere is cozy, too: exposed beams, red brick, and a wood floor. Check out the selection of microbrews, or try the beer sampler rack and receive a wooden nickel souvenir (collect at least 500 and you’ll get a named bar stool). When it’s cold outside, this place will warm you to the core. $$.
Edgartown Diner (508-627-9337; edgartowndinermv.com), 65 Main Street, Old Post Office Square. Open B, L, D. This nostalgic 1950s-style diner is a fun place for kids because there’s plenty to look at—from old signs to a jukebox. As for the actual dining, you’ve got your basic comfort foods: eggs, pancakes, grilled cheese, meat loaf, PB&J, burgers, and some Italian. Parents won’t mind the prices either. L $–$$, D $$.
Seafood Shanty (508-627-8622; theseafoodshanty.com), 31 Dock Street. Open L, D, mid-May through September. So you just want to nibble on something and have drinks on the water? Head here for lobster cakes, something from the raw bar or sushi bar, and a beverage of your choice. If you can’t get a table on the rooftop deck, don’t bother, though. They also have DJs, reggae nights, and the like in the summer. L $$, D $$$–$$$$.
Right Fork Diner (508-627-5522; rightforkdiner.com), 12 Mettakesett Way. Open B, L, D, mid-May to mid-October. Parked at the edge of the airfield on Katama’s right fork, this diner is a fun spot to enjoy a hearty breakfast while watching classic biplanes putter around. $$.
Dock Street Coffee Shop (508-627-5232), 2 Dock Street. Open B, L, D. A hole-in-the-wall with an old-timey breakfast counter, the joint’s menu is straightforward, the service is quick, and they stay open late a few nights a week to satisfy those milkshake cravings.
UP-ISLAND
Fella’s (508-693-6924; fellacaters.com), 479 State Road, West Tisbury. Open B, L, D, May through October. Stop by this tiny, low-key take-out place for breakfast sandwiches, hearty sandwiches, hot pressed paninis, chili, and pizza. You can always count on them when you’re hungry and heading up-island. $–$$$.
Aquinnah Shop (508-645-3867, theaquinnahshop.com), 27 Aquinnah Circle, Aquinnah. Open B, L, D, mid-April to mid-October. Come for the island’s best sunset views rather than decent food and unbearably slow service. The Vanderhoop and Madison families, native Wampanoag, operate this homey restaurant, located near the Aquinnah Cliffs. Try the Tomahawk Special at breakfast: homemade fish cakes covered with salsa atop poached eggs. Lunch is more prosaic: burgers, sandwiches, and salads. I’d go elsewhere for dinner, but just so you know, they dress up the place with sautéed shrimp, lobster with béarnaise sauce, fresh fish daily, and buffalo short ribs braised in cabernet. L $$, D $$$–$$$$.
Plane View (508-693-1886; mvyairport.com), 71 Airport Road, West Tisbury. Open B, L. If you’re flying in, this airport diner is a good first stop—especially at breakfast. Lunches revolve around sandwiches and burgers. $.
LIGHT MEALS, SNACKS, & SWEETS
IN VINEYARD HAVEN
Black Dog Bakery (508-693-4786; theblackdog.com), 11 Water Street. At the Five Corners intersection near the Steamship Authority parking lot, the Black Dog is well positioned to accommodate the hungry hordes that arrive each day. Indeed, it is many visitors’ first stop—for a cup of strong coffee and a sweet pastry, muffin, or other goody.
Humphrey’s (508-693-6518; humphreysmv.com), 455 State Road, West Tisbury. Pick up homemade soups and enormous sandwiches made with homemade bread, and save room for their jelly- or cream-filled doughnuts, affectionately called “belly bombs.” Find two other seasonal operations at Dippin Donuts (508-627-7725; 241 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, Edgartown) and Woodland Center (508-693-6518; 455 State Road, Vineyard Haven).
MOCHA MOTT’S
Tisberry Frozen Yogurt (508-693-1125; tisberry.com), 29 Main Street. Stop for a real fruit smoothie or a low-fat and no-fat froyo with more than 30 fruit, nut, and candy toppings. They also do soups and salads.
Not Your Sugar Mamas (508-338-2018; notyoursugarmamas.com), Tisbury Market Place. Look for Chilmark Coffee and healthier baked goods using cacao and coconut rather than junk ingredients.
IN OAK BLUFFS
Mocha Mott’s (508-696-1922; mochamotts.com), 10 Circuit Avenue. This tiny, aromatic basement café has rich espresso that keeps me going well into the evening, plump bagels, and newspapers that keep me in touch. In Vineyard Haven they’re at 15 Main Street (508-693-3155).
Tony’s Market (508-693-4799; tonysmarketmv.com), 119 Dukes County Avenue. Doubling as a small grocer, this is a good pit stop for caffeine, baked goods, and sandwiches.
M.V. Gourmet Café & Bakery (508-693-3688; mvbakery.com), 5 Post Office Square. Open mid-April through October. Sure, stop during the day, but when the sun goes down they fling open their back door for a late-night crowd. Apple fritters the size of your head, doughnut sundaes . . . there’s a reason the line sometimes fills the entire parking lot behind the building.
See also Slice of Life Café under Eating Out and Humphrey’s under In Vineyard Haven.
Soigne (508-627-8489), 190 Upper Main Street. A connoisseur’s deli just outside town, Soigné has all the makings for a gourmet picnic: the island’s best take-out sandwiches, soups, myriad cold salads, and boutique wine from around the world. Owners Ron and Diana, who have been at this since 1986, also sell “designer” pastas, pâtés, pastries, mousses, excellent clam chowder, dried fruits, imported cheeses, sauces, and select wines. It’s a bit pricey, but worth every penny. By the way, something like “millions and millions” of brownies have been gobbled up here.
Espresso Love (508-627-9211; espressolove.com), 17 Church Street, Edgartown. Open B, L, March through December. Tucked back off Main Street, these folks make strong cappuccino and sweet pastries. If you’re a big breakfast eater, their small egg sandwiches will leave a hole in your stomach. A limited selection of soups and sandwiches is offered at lunch, when you can enjoy the outdoor patio.
See also Morning Glory Farm under Farm Stands and Humphrey’s under In Vineyard Haven.
UP-ISLAND
Scottish Bakehouse (508-693-6633; scottishbakehousemv.com), 977 State Road, Tisbury. Be prepared for summertime waits that are well worth it. Baking scones, meat pies, sweetbreads, and more since the mid-1960s. Double-egg sandwiches and lunch entrées are just as good as the sweets. It’s also a good choice for vegan or gluten-free options.
The Galley (508-645-9819; menemshagalley.com), 515 North Road, Menemsha. Open mid-May to mid-October. This tiny place has the best chowder on the island and great lobster rolls. Burgers and soft-serve ice cream, too.
The Bite (508-645-9239), 29 Basin Road, Menemsha. Open May to late September. This tiny shack serves arguably the best fried clams on-island. Don’t miss the chance to decide for yourself.
MENEMSHA SUNSET PICNICKING
Chilmark Store (508-645-3739; chilmarkgeneralstore.com), 7 State Road, near Beetlebung Corner, Chilmark. Open mid-May through September. This general store offers great pizzas and baked goods (especially the pies) in addition to conventional general-store items. Do some people-watching from the front-porch rockers before you leave.
7a Foods (508-693-4636; 7afoods.com), 1045 State Road, West Tisbury. Behind Alley’s General Store, this busy spot sells killer baked goods, gelato, and filling sandwiches. The Liz Lemon—pastrami, turkey, Swiss, coleslaw, Russian dressing, and potato chips on rye—is a favorite, as are the jalapeño-cheddar biscuits. Lots of ingredients come straight from 7a Farms in Aquinnah.
Larsen’s Fish Market (508-645-2680; larsensfishmarket.com), Dutcher’s Dock, Menemsha. Open early May to late October. Down some oysters and cherry-stones at the raw bar while you wait for your lobsters to be boiled. Or pick up some stuffed quahogs and head to the beach.
FARM STANDS
Despite summer traffic, $45 dinner entrées, chichi boutiques, and a building boom, the Vineyard is an agricultural island at heart. With little effort you’ll find farms with produce so fresh you can almost taste the earth. Stop often; it will be one of the things most cherished about a Vineyard holiday.
Morning Glory Farm (508-627-9674; 508-637-9003; morninggloryfarm.com), 120 Meshacket Road, off West Tisbury Road, Edgartown. Open late May through December. Although their business card says “Roadside Stand,” this is a full-fledged farm with a large, rustic barn-board building. You’ll find farm-fresh eggs, a great salad bar, home-baked pies and breads, and homemade jellies, including especially tasty white grape jelly.
DECIDE BETWEEN TWO MENEMSHA FISH MARKETS
Menemsha Fish Market (508-645-2282; menemshafishmarket.net), 56 Basin Road, Menemsha. This little place smokes its own fish and has a small raw bar, which is convenient for appetizers while you wait for your lobsters-to-go.
AROUND THE ISLAND
Mad Martha’s has irresistible homemade ice cream (with island specialties like lobster ice cream!) and many locations in all the right places (near the ferries, on Main Streets, and the like).
MAO MARTHA’S
Entertainment
ARTS & MUSIC Vineyard Playhouse (508-693-6450; box office 508-687-2452; 508-696-6300; vineyardplayhouse.org), 24 Church Street, Vineyard Haven. This small, community-based professional theater produces well-done plays and musicals; the main stage is within a former Methodist meetinghouse. They also host many special events; keep your eyes peeled. Summer performances are scheduled most nights. Look for a varied and entertaining lineup at the troupe’s Tisbury Amphitheater, Tashmoo Overlook, State Road, Vineyard Haven. The playhouse also offers educational programs, theater for young audiences, summer outdoor productions, and a theater arts camp. $$$$.
The Yard (508-645-9662; dancetheyard.org), Middle Road, near Beetlebung Corner, Chilmark. May through October. Founded in 1973, this colony of performing artists in residence is always engaging and appreciated. The choreography and dance are spirited. If you have a chance to go to one of their performances, by all means go. The Yard is one of those special organizations that makes the Vineyard uniquely the Vineyard. Most shows $$$; some are free.
Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society (508-696-8055; mvcms.org). Mid-July to mid-August. Monday concerts are held at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown; Tuesday concerts are at the Chilmark Community Center. $$$$.
The Vineyard Sound band concerts (886-846-7686; vineyardsound.org). Check the website for locations, days, and times around the island.
NIGHTLIFE
The Newes From America (508-627-4397; kelley-house.com), 23 Kelley Street, Edgartown. This colonial-era basement tavern is atmospheric and cozy, with hand-hewn beams. The Newes features microbrews; try the specialty Rack of Beers, a sampler of five brews from the outstanding and unusual beer menu (see Eating Out).
Atlantic (508-627-7001; atlanticmv.com), 2 Main Street, Edgartown. Open April through October. The setting at this waterfront restaurant and bar couldn’t be better, especially if you get an outdoor table on the porch. It’s hip, urban, and loud, with live bands and DJs. It’s owned by Charlotte Inn proprietor Gery Conover (see Inns & Bed & Breakfasts under Lodging), who also developed the oh-so exclusive and private Boathouse (above the Atlantic).
Sharky’s Cantina (508-693-7501; sharkyscantina.com), 31 Circuit Avenue. Always packed and hopping, Sharky’s is a fun place for wildly inauthentic Mexican food and margaritas—the watermelon version is a local legend. Dishes $–$$. (There’s another location in Edgartown if you’re headed that way.)
The Ritz (508-693-9851; theritzmv.com), 4 Circuit Avenue, Oak Bluffs. Mostly middle-aged locals hang out at this funky blues bar, which, according to the Improper Bostonian, is: “seedy,” “smokin’,” “scary,” “disgusting,” “hilarious,” and “a blast.”
Lampost/Dive Bar (508-696-9352; lampostmv.com, divebarmv.com), 4 Circuit Avenue, Oak Bluffs. On the second floor, the Lampost features dancing from early April to late October. The Dive Bar, open late May to early September, is a smaller lounge with nightly summer entertainment and a young partying college crowd. It has the most diverse beer selection on the Vineyard.
The Wharf (508-627-9966; wharfpub.com), Lower Main Street, Edgartown. A popular pub with a cozy, sports bar feel.
Henry’s Hotel Bar (508-627-7000; harbor-view.com), 131 North Water Street, at the Harbor View Hotel. When you’re in the mood for a sedate drink, there’s no place better for a signature martini or mojito.
See 20ByNine and Offshore Ale Co. under Eating Out in “Oak Bluffs,” and Atria under Dining Out in “Edgartown.”
MOVIES Capawock Movie Theater (508-627-6689; fandango.com), 43 Main Street, Vineyard Haven. Built in 1912, the Capawock was the oldest continuously operating movie theater in Massachusetts until its closure in the mid-2000s for about three years. As entertaining as movies can be, though, you might be just as entertained by conversations before the film begins.
Martha’s Vineyard Film Center (508-696-9369; mvfilmsociety.com), 79 Beach Road, Tisbury Market Place, Vineyard Haven. Richard Paradise is the man behind this elegant little theater, established by the nonprofit Martha’s Vineyard Film Society in 2002. They play some blockbusters, but mostly fine independent and foreign films. Many screenings for the Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival are held here in early September.
Entertainment Cinemas (508-627-8008; entertainmentcinemas.com), 65 Main Street, Edgartown.
Selective Shopping
These entries are truly “selective,” for they do not begin to scratch the surface of what’s available shopping-wise on the Vineyard.
ART GALLERIES For a super-complete listing of artists and galleries, look for the free and excellent “Arts Directory” available in many galleries.
Alison Shaw Gallery (508-693-4429; alisonshaw.com), 88 Dukes County Avenue, Oak Bluffs. Open seasonally. This prolific photographer started in abstract black-and-white imagery (for the Vineyard Gazette) before moving to highly graphic color imagery. Her work these days is more painterly than postcardy. Alison also leads excellent workshops and mentorship programs.
OLD SCULPIN GALLERY
Craftworks (508-693-7463; craftworksgallery.com), 42 Circuit Avenue, Oak Bluffs. These folks have a mixed but usually affordable selection of contemporary American crafts that’s worth a look and always visually interesting. Clay, metal, glass, paper, and wood. Fun and colorful.
Old Sculpin Gallery (508-627-4881; marthasvineyardartassociation.org), 58 Dock Street at corner of Daggett, Edgartown. Open late May to mid-October. Operated by the nonprofit Martha’s Vineyard Art Association, the building was originally Dr. Daniel Fisher’s granary, then a boatbuilder’s workshop. Look for the long, wide depression in the main room where boatbuilder Manuel Swartz Roberts’s feet wore down the floor as he moved along his workbench during the early 20th century. Paintings, photographs, and sculpture of varying degrees of quality are exhibited. Classes for all ages are offered throughout the season.
North Water Gallery (508-627-6002; northwatergallery.com), 27 North Water Street, Edgartown. Regional and national artists emphasizing Vineyard landscapes, seascapes, maritime scenes, figurative works, photography, and still lifes are represented here.
Granary Gallery at the Red Barn (508-693-0455; granarygallery.com), 636 Old County Road, West Tisbury. In addition to folk art and landscape paintings, this gallery carries old and new photography. Look for classic photos by the venerable photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, who came to the island on assignment for Life in 1937 and vacationed here until his death in 1995. Most artists represented here have some affiliation with the island.
Field Gallery (508-693-5595; fieldgallery.com), 1050 State Road, West Tisbury. Open seasonally. Tom Maley’s field of joyfully dancing figures, which seem to be celebrating the surrounding beauty, is an icon of the Vineyard’s cultural life. Other Vineyard artists are exhibited during summer months; receptions are held 5 PM–7 PM on many Sundays June through August.
A FIELD GALLERY SCULPTURE
See also Featherstone Center for the Arts under To Do.
ARTISANS Tuck & Holand Metal Sculptures (508-693-3914; tuckandholand.com), 275 State Road, Vineyard Haven. Although Travis Tuck died in 2002, his partner and former apprentice Anthony Holand carries on as the exclusive maker of Tuck’s famed weather vanes. Holand also creates wonderful original designs of his own. Despite the prices ($12,000 and up) and time required to painstakingly produce one (weeks and weeks), the wait times are long. The client list includes Steven Spielberg, who owns an animated velociraptor, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. You can see examples of their work around the island, too. Check out the weather vanes atop the new Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury (a Holstein cow); Cronig’s Market on State Road (a grasshopper, as a public market symbol); the Tisbury and Edgartown Town Halls (a whale tail and whaling ship, respectively); and the Vineyard Gazette building (a quill pen). A short video with striking images of notable vanes on the website offers a glimpse into this extraordinary enterprise.
Chilmark Pottery (508-693-6476; chilmarkpottery.wixsite.com/chilmarkpottery), 145 Field View Lane, off State Road, opposite Nip-n-Tuck Farm, West Tisbury. In 1982 artist Geoffrey Borr established his studio in a weathered shingled barn where he and his staff transform thoughtfully designed, wheel-thrown creations into hand-painted pottery with distinctive seascape, oxblood, and copper red hues. You’ll find functional and sculptural mugs, vases, and plates, as well as more unusual sculptural pieces.
EDGARTOWN BOOKS
Martha’s Vineyard Glass Works (508-693-6026; mvglassworks.com), 683 State Road, West Tisbury. Open April through January. Many designers share this dynamic studio, a colorfully bold visual feast where you can watch the artists and apprentices at work.
BOOKSTORES Edgartown Books (508-627-8463; edgartownbooks.net), 44 Main Street, Edgartown. Open February through December. This charming independent bookshop has everything from travel and local fiction to books and activities for children.
Bunch of Grapes Bookstore (508-693-2291; bunchofgrapes.com), 35 Main Street, Vineyard Haven. This beloved island establishment continues its 40-plus year tradition as the Vineyard’s best year-round, independent, locally ownedgeneral bookstore.
CLOTHING Black Dog General Store (508-696-8182; theblackdog.com), behind the eponymous bakery, 5 Water Street, Vineyard Haven. The Black Dog rakes in tens of thousands of dollars daily in merchandise (sweatshirts, towels, caps, and so on). And they have all the bases covered with a lot of stores scattered around the island.
Bryn Walker (508-693-8340; brynwalker.com), 21 Kelly Street, Edgartown (open April through December), and 16 Main Street, Vineyard Haven (open year-round). Upscale but affordable, mix-and-match women’s linen and cotton clothing in updated styles and colors.
The Great Put-On (508-627-5495; thegreatputonmv.com), 1 Dock Street at Mayhew Lane, Edgartown. One of the island’s most fashionable clothing stores stocks an impressive selection of dressy clothing for women, more shoes for women than for men, and unisex accessories like leather backpacks, loose jackets, and sweaters.
MUST SEE SUMMER EVENTS
Fourth of July Weekend: July Fourth. One of the busiest weeks of the summer. Edgartown puts on a family-friendly parade followed by fireworks in the harbor.
Late July/Early August: Possible Dreams Auction (mvcommunityservices.com), Winnetu Oceanside Resort, Edgartown. Given the celebrity involvement, it’s not surprising that national publicity surrounds this event. Celebrities offer to fulfill “dreams” that vary from predictable to unusual. High bidders in the past have won a tour of the 60 Minutes studios with Mike Wallace; a sail with Walter Cronkite on his yacht; a seat at a Knicks game with Spike Lee; a tour of Carnegie Hall with Isaac Stern; a walking tour of the Brooklyn Bridge with David McCullough; a song and a peanut butter sandwich from Carly Simon; and a lesson in chutzpah at the Five Corners intersection in Vineyard Haven with Alan Dershowitz. Longtime island celebrities see the auction as their chance to give back to the Vineyard—the auction raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for Martha’s Vineyard Community Services. That’s a far cry from the $1,000 raised in 1979, when it began and folks bid in $5 increments for the privilege of helping lobstermen set out their pots. More than 1,000 people usually attend the event, and to date it has raised more than $11 million.
Mid-August: Illumination Night. Usually held the third Wednesday in August, the evening always begins with a community sing and is followed by an Oak Bluffs resident (usually the oldest) lighting a single Japanese lantern after all the electric lights in town are turned off. Then the rest of the “camp” residents illuminate their gingerbread cottages with lanterns and candles.
Mid-August: Fireworks. Usually held the third Friday in August, these fireworks in Ocean Park, set to the music of the Vineyard Sound, are far more spectacular than the Fourth of July display.
Mid-August: Agricultural Fair (508-693-9549; marthasvineyardagriculturalsociety.org). Held at the Ag Hall and Fairgrounds on State Road in West Tisbury, this is arguably the island’s most beloved summer event. It’s certainly one of the oldest: It began during the Civil War! $.
Pandora’s Box (508-645-9696), 4 Basin Road (off North Road), Menemsha. Open May to mid-October. The emphasis here is on comfortable, contemporary women’s clothing.
HOME FURNISHINGS Midnight Farm (508-693-1997; etsy.com/shop/midnightfarm.com), 44 Main Street, Vineyard Haven. Carly Simon’s home furnishing store has some well-chosen items.
LeRoux (508-693-0030; lerouxkitchen.com), 62 Main Street, Vineyard Haven. This store is devoted to kitchen items, home goods, and furnishings. Their gourmet shop across the street is a foodie’s dream.
CB STARK JEWELERS
JEWELRY C. B. Stark (508-693-2284; cbstark.com), 53A Main Street, Vineyard Haven. Goldsmiths Cheryl Stark and Margery Meltzer have designed gold and silver jewelry with island motifs since 1966. Cheryl created the original grape design that has become so popular on the island. The shop also carries locally made wampum from quahog shells. Look for their shop on North Water Street, Edgartown, too.
SPECIALTY SHOPS Allen Farm Sheep & Wool Company (508-645-9064; allenfarm.com), 421 South Road, Chilmark. Call ahead for hours or take your chances. Engaging in sustainable and organic farming practices, the Allen family has been raising black and white Corriedale sheep on these rolling fields for more than 200 years. Their wool is custom spun and hand dyed and used by islanders to make sweaters, scarves, mittens, and the like.
Island Alpaca (508-693-5554; islandalpaca.com), 1 Head of the Pond Road, off Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs. These gentle creatures, more than 80 in this herd at last count, are raised for breeding, sales, and for their fleece. It’s as soft as cashmere, four times warmer, comes in more than 20 natural colors, and is hypoallergenic. The farm store sells all things alpaca. Inquire about spinning and knitting classes and Alpaca Jr. Discovery Days, on Sunday mornings in the summer, for children ages 8 and up. Follow the alpacas on their very own webcam.
Seaside Daylily Farm (508-693-3276; seasidedaylily.com), Great Plains Road, off Old County Road, West Tisbury. Open seasonally with limited hours; call ahead. These lilies are grown without the use of harmful chemicals that disrupt the ecosystem’s natural balance.
Chilmark Chocolates (508-645-3013), 19 State Road, near Beetlebung Corner, Chilmark. Open in summer and around Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Good deeds and good products make an unbeatable combination. Not only will you love the creamy truffles and mouthwatering chocolates, it’s nice to know that this chocolatier believes all members of society should be given a chance to be productive. They hire people with disabilities to make and sell the chocolate. Try their Tashmoo Truffles, West Chomps, or Squibnuggets.
Mosher Photo (508-693-9430; mosherphoto.com), 25 Main Street, Vineyard Haven.
Special Events
The Vineyard has hundreds and hundreds of charming—great and small—special events throughout the year. A sampling of the larger, predictable, annual events follows. Contact the chamber of commerce (508-693-0085; mvy.com) for specific dates unless an alternative phone number is listed below.
Mid-May through November: Antiques at the Old Grange Hall. On most Fridays, but also on some Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Throughout the summer: Vineyard Artisans Summer Festivals (508-693-8989; vineyardartisans.com). Shows May to December. Don’t have time to pop into two dozen galleries? Then check this out. These excellent shows are held indoors and outdoors, rain or shine at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury. Look for furniture, ceramics, book arts, fiber arts, glass, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.
Mid-June–mid-October: West Tisbury Farmers’ Market (508-693-8989; thewesttisburyfarmersmarket.com), at Grange Hall, late June to mid-October.
Mid-June: Oak Bluffs Harbor Festival (508-693-3392). Since 1991.
July–August: Community Sing (508-693-0525). Singing and more at the Tabernacle at the Methodist “campground” in Oak Bluffs every Wednesday at 8 PM. Band concerts every Sunday evening, alternating between Owen Park in Vineyard Haven and Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs.
Mid-July: Edgartown Regatta (508-627-4361; edgartownyc.org). Racing since the mid-1920s.
Late July: Book Sale (508-693-3366). A benefit since the late ’50s for the West Tisbury Library, held at the West Tisbury Elementary School on Old County Road.
Early August: Edgartown House Tour (508-627-7077). This event, sponsored by the Federated Church of Martha’s Vineyard, opens up five antique houses in downtown Edgartown for tours every year. Tea and refreshments are served in the Old Parsonage at the end of the tour. $$$$.
Mid-September: International Film Festival (mvfilmsociety.com). A laid-back but passionate, four-day celebration of films.
Early to mid-September–early to mid-October: Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby (mvderby.com). When dozens of surf casters begin furiously fishing from your favorite beach, you’ll know it’s derby time. Prizes are awarded for the largest fish caught each day, with a grand prize for the largest fish caught during the monthlong tournament. Weighing is done in Edgartown Harbor, just as it’s been done every year since the mid-1940s.
Mid-September: Tivoli Day. A lively street fair on Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs.
Mid-October: Food & Wine Festival (mvfoodandwine.com), Edgartown. A three-day fete of food and wine with cocktail parties, chef demonstrations, tastings, seminars, and a Sunday farmer’s brunch.
Early–mid-December: Christmas in Edgartown. The town and its lighthouse get dressed up for the occasion. There’s also a parade, chowder contest, horse and carriage rides, and more.
Vineyard Artisans Holiday Festival (508-693-8989; vineyardartisans.com), at the Grange Hall, West Tisbury. More than 50 crafters and artists have gathered for this event since the mid-1960s.
