Celebrities, musicians, and presidents’ vacation on an island off the coast of Massachusetts, only accessible by boat and air. Among the long list of well known vacationers are President Obama, the Clintons, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Diane Sawyer, and Ted Danson. The late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Ted Kennedy, and Walter Cronkite all had ties to the Vineyard as well.
Beautiful beaches, restaurants, and nature trails line the island. Locally made artisan goods are sold at outdoor flea markets. Farm fresh eggs and local produce can be found at road-side stands. Combined, the six towns that make up Martha’s Vineyard have a lot to offer.
Originally populated by the Wampanoag American Indian tribe, the Vineyard is now known as an affluent summer destination. Martha’s Vineyard was the name given to a small island south of the main island in 1602 by English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold. Later, the main island took the name Martha’s Vineyard. Martha is thought to have been Gosnold’s mother-in-law or his second child.
English settlers joined the Wampanoag tribe in populating the island when Thomas Mayhew purchased the island from English “owners”, along with neighboring Nantucket and the Elizabeth Islands. Mayhew honored the native’s land rights and therefore they were friendly with one another.
Martha’s Vineyard is made up of six towns; Tisbury (which includes Vineyard Haven and West Chop), West Tisbury, Oak Bluffs (incuding East Chop), Edgartown (inducing islands Chappaquidick, or “Chappy”, and Katama), Chilmark (including Menemsha), and Aquinnah (where the Wampanoag tribe is located).
Each town has a unique offering. In Oak Bluffs, where the Flying Horses Carousel is located, children can try their chance at receiving a free ride if they catch the brass ring.
Another notable feature of Oak Bluffs is the community of multicolored gingerbread cottages. The best time to enjoy the cottages is on Grand Illumination Night, when all the gingerbread houses decorate with colorful Chinese and Japanese lanterns and bands play at the Tabernacle.
My favorite activity in Aquinnah is to walk along Moshup Beach and admire the dramatic red, orange, white, and beige clay cliffs. There is also a lighthouse to explore, fantastic views, and tribal stores.
In Chilmark, as you pass by mailboxes bearing names like “Chillhead,” you eventually find the cozy fishing village of Menemsha, where you can walk out on the jetty and take in a sunset. Chilmark also has Great Rock Bight, a preserve you can hike to get to a rocky beach with rock sculptures.
If you need a break from the beach, check out locally made goods at the flea market, which provide such treasures as sea glass necklaces or framed photographs of the island.
In the largest town, Edgartown, you can catch some waves at Katama/South Beach or do some shopping downtown.
Sometimes, though, it is the seclusion that makes the vineyard special. Tucked away, down a dirt road in the middle of the woods, I find my aunt and uncle’s house. Here, I can peacefully lie in a hammock, wander through their exquisite garden, or walk the back trails by a horse farm and admire a tiny pond most vacationers will never see. I can rummage through old records in their basement then dance to them in the kitchen while preparing a meal of island-grown produce.
On this particular morning, I woke up and decided to wander out the front door with a bowl to pick berries to add to my breakfast. As I approach the blackberry briar, I hear some rustling to my right. I look up to see a deer bounding from the blueberry patch into the forest.
After collecting berries, I sit on the deck with my coffee, breakfast spread, and a good book.
There is so much more to share about the vineyard, but for now, I leave you with a list of some of my favorite beaches:
1. Best beach/pond combination (so you can have the juxtaposition of wild ocean and calm pond water): Long Point Wildlife Refuge, West Tisbury
2. Best social scene/off roading beach: Katama/South Beach, Edgartown
3. Best hiking beach: Great Rock Bight, Chilmark
4. Most scenic beach: Moshup Beach, Aquinnah
5. Best Private/Most obscure rock creation beach: Lucy Vincent, Chilmark
6. Best boardwalk run/bike then jump in ocean off a bridge beach: Joseph Sylvia State Beach, Oak Bluffs
7. Best lobster dinner while watching sunset beach: Menemsha Town Beach
Travels With Alison 