Sandy beaches, weathered lighthouses, and quiet coastal roads give this island getaway a timeless New England charm. Long favored by artists, celebrities, and politicians, it still manages to feel relaxed and unhurried despite its popularity.
Lying just south of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard was once an important whaling center before becoming one of the region’s most beloved summer destinations. Its six small towns are filled with boutique hotels, seafood restaurants, and historic homes, all surrounded by beautiful coastal scenery.
Beyond the beaches, visitors can spend their time biking through the countryside, hiking along the shoreline, or visiting the island’s iconic lighthouses and scenic viewpoints.
Oak Bluffs Campground
Now recognized as a National Historic Landmark District, the enchanting Oak Bluffs Campground is a magical place to either stay or explore. Set just a short distance from the town’s ferry terminal, it has over 300 cute and colourful ‘Gingerbread Cottages’ for you to wander around.
Just after the Civil War, the area was turned into a summer campsite by Methodists who came here to pray and worship while enjoying the reinvigorating sea air. Over the years, they erected hundreds of Carpenter Gothic-style cottages around a central open-air tabernacle which still hosts services to this day alongside cultural events and community gatherings.
As the historic houses are so brightly painted and extravagantly decorated, the whole district really is a treat to amble about and photograph. Some cozy cottages now also act as inns or holiday homes while the Cottage Museum contains period pieces and photos from the campground’s heyday.
Aquinnah Cliffs
As they look so spectacular and offer up such sweeping views over the Atlantic, the Aquinnah Cliffs are definitely not to be missed when visiting Martha’s Vineyard. Lying right at its westernmost tip, the enormous headland also has a beautiful beach for visitors to enjoy down below.
Formerly known as Gay Head, the colourful cliffs tower around 150 feet in height and were created many millennia ago by slow moving glaciers. From atop them, you can gaze out over the endless ocean and the isle’s coastline or hike about its heathlands and woods and visit its lonely lighthouse.
From Moshup Beach at their foot, you can snap some fabulous photos of the clay cliffs and the tufts of green grass poking out from the ridge high above.
Edgartown Lighthouse
One of the island’s most famed and photographed landmarks, the Edgartown Lighthouse looks out over the picturesque harbor and bay. Now open to the public, its bright white tower makes for some phenomenal photos with the views from its summit being just as special.
While the first light at the entrance to Edgartown Harbor and Katama Bay was built out of wood in 1828, the current cast-iron one ‘only’ dates to 1939. Originally set just offshore on a small artificial island, it is now surrounded by a beach as sand has slowly accumulated over the decades around its stone causeway.
From atop its spiral staircase, guests can take in fine panoramas of the harbor and Chappaquiddick Island before heading to the beach nearby.
South Beach
Undoubtedly the most popular beach on the island, South Beach lies just a short cycle ride or drive from Edgartown and its iconic light. Hugging the south side of the Vineyard, it has miles and miles of scenic sands to enjoy while its sizeable swells also attract plenty of watersport enthusiasts.
Looking out over the Atlantic, its sweeping sands stretch more than three miles in length with some parts being calm and quiet and others nearer the car park and bus stop being a bit busier. At its state park, you can hike about the dunes and go shellfishing and birdwatching amidst its idyllic nature.
As the waves are usually quite rough, families with young kids tend to stay away though lifeguards are normally on duty during the summertime. Its fierce rips, however, are perfect for surfing, boogie-boarding and kitesurfing with lounging on the beach also a great way to spend the day.
Lucy Vincent Beach
Although often overlooked by visitors to the isle, the lovely Lucy Vincent Beach is undoubtedly one of its most stunning stretches of sand. Set along the southwest coast, just outside of Chilmark, it is a great place to sunbathe, swim and take in some spellbinding views and scenery.
Backed by both towering cliffs and twinkling lagoons, the beautiful beach is actually named after its former owner, Lucy Vincent, who was the town librarian. Asides from strolling about and paddling in its shallows, you can also snap some fantastic photos here of all the striking rock formations and boulders that dot its reaches.
As it is only accessible to residents and those renting houses nearby from June 1st to September 15th, it rarely gets crowded during summertime. The rest of the year, the beach can be enjoyed by all with some even braving its cold waters and roughish waves for a reinvigorating dip.
Menemsha
Another picture-perfect spot to hit up nearby is the quaint fishing village of Menemsha, located just up the road from Chilmark. While its brilliant beach, nature reserve and views are what attract most people, the cozy harbor also has a lively fish market and chartered fishing trips to check out.
Home to a US Coastguard Station, the small town lies along the east coast of Menemsha Pond, right at the point where it opens into the vast Vineyard Sound. Each day, local fishermen head out to sea with scenic cruises also taking sightseers around the isolated Elizabeth Islands and up and down the surrounding coast.
Although it was the shooting background of Steven Spielberg’s epic movie Jaws, its calm waters are ideal for swimming with the bright white beach also known for its vivid sunsets. In addition to lounging on its soft sands, you can hike to the top of the Menemsha Hills for fine panoramas over the sound and Aquinnah Cliffs far off in the distance.
Jaws Bridge
On the way from Oak Bluffs to Edgartown is the popular Jaws Bridge that famously appeared in the massive hit movie. While it may appeal to hardcore film buffs, crowds of mostly young people also congregate here in summer to jump off the side of it into the cool waters some fifteen feet below.
Officially known as the American Legion Memorial Bridge, the shortish steel structure crosses over the Sengekontacket Inlet with almost endless water lying on all sides. In the film Jaws, Chief Brody runs across the bridge to save his sons who are playing in the estuary when the shark strikes again.
Other than taking selfies at the iconic site and basking in some delightful sunsets over the Nantucket Sound, you can also dive bravely off the bridge if you fancy. Now almost a rite of passage for many youngsters, it is lots of fun to do with many filming themselves to show their friends back home.
Chappaquiddick Island
A very pretty and peaceful place to visit, the tiny Chappaquiddick Island lies just off the eastern end of Martha’s Vineyard. Sure to delight nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike, its pristine woods, beaches and waters offer up all kinds of fun recreational opportunities.
Considered a part of the nearby Edgartown, ‘Chappy’ is actually a small peninsula that is sometimes cut off from the Vineyard by high waters in the sound. Only accessible by either boat or car ferry, its untouched and unspoiled reaches are a delight to cycle about slowly with the Mytoi Japanese gardens and Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge counting among its main sights.
Besides hiking about its dunes, salt marshes and woods or relaxing on its gorgeous beaches, you can also kayak and canoe around the island for a better view of its scenic coastline.
Go Cycling
A wonderful way to see even more of Martha’s Vineyard is to cycle along some of the well-marked paths that crisscross the entire isle. Bikes are available for rent from numerous shops scattered about its towns with maps also provided before you set off, though you really can’t go wrong.
In total, 44 miles of bike trails meander their way about, with some taking you through farms, fields and forests and others atop craggy cliffs and by breathtaking beaches. Although cycling about the island is certainly suitable for all ages, some sections can be quite hilly and windy in places with the paths also getting quite congested during the peak summer season.
As well as being a great way to get about and see its far-flung villages, lighthouses and viewpoints, cycling enables you to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying some exercise at the same time.