If you are in New England you should carve out time to visit Martha’s Vineyard. In so many ways it represents the relaxing side of New Englanders, not their natural state. From the quaint shops in Vineyard Haven to the Edgartown Lighthouse at the shore’s edge, one cannot help but relax and enjoy the warm sunshine and gentle breezes.
We began our journey by parking our car below, and parking ourselves above, decks on the Woods Hole Ferry in Falmouth, MA for the 45-minute cruise to the island. We chose to stay at the Edgartown Commons in Edgartown, about a 20-minute ride from the Steamship Authority Vineyard Haven Terminal in Tisbury. This provided us a nice balance between the hustle and bustle of Vineyard Haven and a chance to spend time with friends on Chappaquiddick Island (aka Chappy).
Like so many other towns and islands that comprise Cape Cod, the year-round population of Martha’s Vineyard is rather small (15,500) but it can balloon to as much as 115,000 during the summer. While we didn’t navigate all of the 126 miles of shoreline during our visit, the following attractions were among the best places we visited that we would definitely recommend you put on your itinerary. Enjoy!
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On the Reel
Jaws (1975)
Starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss. Directed by Steven Spielberg.
Based on Peter Benchley’s best-selling novel, this early Steven Spielberg classic caused an entire summer’s beach goers many a sleepless night. One of the more familiar sites is the American Legion Memorial Bridge, which sits between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown and is now known as the “Jaws bridge.”
Edgartown is located at the eastern end on the mainland Martha’s Vineyard and is one of the (7) towns that comprise the island. The lighthouse is the only one on the island that actually sits on the beach itself. It is easily accessible via the “Bridge of Sighs” wooden causeway built in 1830.
- The Edgartown Lighthouse, located at the mouth of Edgartown Harbor and Katama Bay, is one of (5) lighthouses on the island.
- Since constructed in 1828 of wood, the original structure was demolished and replaced with a cast-iron version in 1939.
- When originally built the lighthouse itself was located on an artificial island a quarter-mile from the shore. Today it sits right on the beach itself.
- With the enhancement of satellite GPS and other electrical maritime navigation aids, lighthouses don’t really serve a practical purpose anymore. Because of the expense of upkeep many have been destroyed but not the one in Edgartown due to a concerted effort by local civil organizations.
- While there take some time to explore the local beachfront. Lots of interesting shells and rocks to be found.
A quaint little village that never fails to please from carousels and seafood restaurants to historic cottages, a wide variety of downtown shops and sandy beaches. Conveniently located near Vineyard Haven, make sure you take a coastal cruise along East Chop Drive with ocean views on one side and beautiful homes on the other.
- A favorite in town is the Flying Horses Carousel, built in 1876, which was originally housed on Coney Island.
- Take a drive along the coastline and stop at the northern most point at the East Chop Lighthouse with its views of Falmouth and the Woods Hole – Oak Bluffs Ferry (if you’re lucky).
- San Francisco may have its Painted Ladies but, for us anyway, the Gingerbread Cottages of Oak Bluffs take the cake. You feel like you’ve entered a different time and place (but you aren’t sure just when or where). The homes are small, colorful and elicit a wonderful sense of childlike innocence.
- Right in the middle of the cottages is the Trinity Park Tabernacle, an imposing outdoor event complex. This National Register of Historic Places was built in 1879 and features large arches, an octagonal cupola and glass colored windows.
- Two perfect ways to end your day is a visit to Ocean Park for a relaxing stroll or a nice sit-down. After you’ve been refreshed head just a few blocks west on Circuit Ave. for ice cream at Mad Martha’s.
On the Reel
The Bostonians (1984)
Starring Christopher Reeve, Vanessa Redgrave and Jessica Tandy. Directed by James Ivory.
Based on the Henry James novel with the creative team of Merchant Ivory Productions comes a beautiful story involving a young 19-century feminist and her relationships. There are seashore scenes and scenes filmed at Lambert’s Cove Cemetery and Ocean Park. More than a hundred Island extras took part in the film’s making.
One of the more unique features of the island, the Pagoda tree is hard to miss, and harder to ignore, once you first lay eyes on it. It isn’t just tall and wide but its branches reach in all directions such that it dominates the landscape. It is just so different than one would expect to find in a beach town.
- Technically the tree began its life in China. In 1837 seedlings were ocean transported in a flower pot by a local sea captain, Thomas Milton, to put on his new downtown property.
- The tree stands at over 100 feet and is 7 feet wide at its largest point. It is impressive!
- Though known as Japanese Pagoda this tree is only found indigenous to China, Korea and Vietnam.
- In 2014 a plan to add a private garage near the roots of the Chinese Haui giant (aka Chinese scholar tree) was approved by the town commission only to be rescinded, once it became public knowledge, due to pressure from townspeople.
- It is believed the Edgartown Pagoda is the oldest, and largest, such living tree on the entire North American continent.
Vineyard Haven is what most people envision when they think of Martha’s Vineyard. While certainly “touristy” it has managed to retain its charm quite well over the years. Chock-full of great shopping and restaurants sure to delight all ranges of culinary tastes, the Vineyard is an ideal walking town with plenty to keep everyone engaged and entertained.
- Vineyard Haven, its official name since 1871, is actually in the town of Tisbury and has just over 2,000 permanent residents. It also serves as the main entry point onto the island.
- The original known inhabitants, the Wampanoag tribe, called the area “Nobnocket”. The colonial settlers called it “Homes Hole”. “Homes” for the Wampanoag word for “old man” and “Hole” denoting a sheltered inlet.
- The area is most known for its quaint shops and variety of restaurants. Despite how crowded it can get in the summer it never feels like it be warned . . . parking can be a challenge. Park wherever you can as the walk from wherever is easily accomplished.
- Before the creation of Cape Cod Canal, this was one of the busiest shipping ports along the entire eastern seaboard.
On the Reel
Sabrina (1995)
Starring Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond and Greg Kinnear. Directed by Sydney Pollack.
This remake of the 1954 Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn classic holds its own quite well. Features a change of pace performance by Ford and the entrancing presence of Julia Ormond. A clever romantic comedy is served well by its Chilmark and Vineyard Haven locations.
The Aquinnah area of the Vineyard resides at the western end. It was and still is, the native home of the Wampanoag, part of the Algonquin Nation of Southern New England. In fact, the Tashtego character, in Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick, is a Native American harpooner from Aquinnah. Despite local opposition, the tribe began to break ground for construction of the Aquinnah Cliffs Casino in March of 2019.
- A 1/3 mile trail gets you to Moshup’s Beach with a spectacular view of the unique Gay Head Cliffs.
- The cliffs are sacred to the Wampanoag tribe. There is a law against disturbing the red clay in any way.
- In the 1960s and 70s, the beach became a favorite of nude sunbathers who would indulge in “clay baths”.
- In order for the lighthouse to be built, then Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton had to request $5,750 from Congress.
- Built in the late 18th-century, the 47-foot (57-foot to the top of the lantern) lighthouse was erected on a stone base.
- The lighthouse was erected because the passage between the Gay Head cliffs and the Elizabeth Islands was treacherous due to the long underwater obstacle aptly named Devil’s Bridge which extends out from Gay Head.
- In 2015 the 400-ton Gay Head Light, as locals refer to it, was moved 150 feet inland due to natural erosion along the cliff’s edge.
- Until 1997 the town now known as Aquinnah was called Gay Head. It is home to just over 300 year-round residents and has been designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service since 1965.
We spent a fantastic day on Chappaquiddick with family friends and discovered Wasque Beach. If you have younger kids this isolated beach, located at the southern end of Chappy, is seldom crowded. Chappy itself is wonderful if you want to get away from it all. It’s very private with lots of horticultural delights.
- Chappy, as it’s known by locals, has a surprisingly small land mass of just 3,800 acres.
- Though often referred to as an island, it technically is a peninsula of the Vineyard. There is a small stretch that sometimes connects the southern shore of Chappaquiddick to the southern shore of Martha’s Vineyard. Makes sense that translated it means “at the separated island”.
- As late as the 1870s there were no summer residents on Chappy at all. The introduction of the automobile changed all that but, not that much. Today the population is still less than 200.
- It still takes the Ferry to get over to Chappaquiddick. While there check out Wasque Beach. Very peaceful with lots of pebbles, rocks, sand and shore to keep the family entertained.
- Obviously Chappy is most famous for the incident involving Mary Jo Kopechne and Ted Kennedy. The bridge itself couldn’t be more innocuous though there are now guardrails where none existed in 1969.
On the Reel
Chappaquiddick (2017)
Starring Jason Clarke, Kate Mara and Ed Helms. Directed by John Curran.
This faithful retelling of the incident, sourced from actual inquest documentation, tells the tragic story of Mary Jo Kopechne and Senator Ted Kennedy that made Chappaquiddick infamous.
Martha’s Vineyard, like so many “beach towns”, is so uniquely beautiful. The sometimes violent weather that hits the island has created many exceptional natural phenomena (like the Gay Head Cliffs) not found anywhere else in the world.
Have you ever been to the Vineyard, Nantucket or Cape Cod? We’d love to hear about your experience and what you loved most about this incomparable spot along the Eastern seaboard.
