New England is known far and wide for its many beach-side towns and cities and fresh seafood restaurants. Each summer season families from all over the country flock here for a memorable vacation filled with rest and relaxation. When you think of classic New England vacation spots places like the Jersey Shore, Long Island, and Rhode Island immediately jump to mind. However, if you’re planning a summer vacation to New England, Martha’s Vineyard is far and away the best place to visit! Today, we’re running down exactly why Martha’s Vineyard is so much better than places like the Jersey Shore for your New England getaway.
Clean Beaches with No Entry Fees
Chances are if you’re eyeballing New England as the area for your summer vacation, you’re looking to spend some serious time at the beach. While the Jersey Shore might seem like the best in class location (it does have shore in its name after all), Martha’s Vineyard is a much better spot in New England for a relaxing day at the beach! The majority of beaches along the Jersey Shore require a $10+ entry fee per person per day to get on specific beaches during the morning or afternoon, and it's common for those packed beaches to end up with trash floating in the ocean. Is there anything worse than paying for entry to the beach and then seeing an empty bag of chips floating alongside you in the water? You don’t have to worry about that here on the island! While some beaches are private, there are dozens of beaches with crystal clear water free to entry for all who visit.
No Chain Restaurants or Shopping Centers
For many people, a getaway to New England is about a change of pace from their everyday lives. One major aspect that makes Martha’s Vineyard a truly unique getaway spot is that it's free from major chain restaurants and shopping centers. When you’re exploring the island’s quaint towns you’ll see that everything is locally owned! So instead of another strip mall with a Wal-Mart and McDonalds, your shopping and eating experiences will be brand new and unlike anywhere else in New England.
Excellent Night Life Scene
Even though the Vineyard doesn’t have any chain restaurants or shopping centers, the nightlife scene is just as thriving as the popular vacation spots on “mainland” New England. Concentrated in the towns of Edgartown and Oak Bluffs, you’ll find dozens of bars and places to dance with your friends in the evening after a day at the beach. Also, if you’re traveling with your family and have younger kids there are plenty of spots to quickly jump in for a few slices of pizza, fried seafood, or ice cream without needing to sit down so you can explore the downtown areas with a snack in your hand!
Peace and Quiet
Like we said at the beginning of this blog post, rest and relaxation are crucial parts of any summer vacation. When you come to Martha’s Vineyard you get to have your cake and eat it too: Even though there's a happening nightlife scene, when you return to your rental house for the night you’re not bombarded with the sound of cars along a highway, you’ll only hear sounds of nature. Furthermore, since there's nothing resembling skyscrapers on the island we have no light pollution, so on clear nights you can check out the stars as far as the eye can see. Truly, there’s no better place in New England to find some peace and quiet after a stacked day of vacation activities.
There you have it, that’s why we think Martha’s Vineyard is the best summer vacation spot in New England. If you’re planning a summer trip to the island then make sure to check out our variety of vacation rentals or reach out to us directly for any questions about the best places to stay on Martha’s Vineyard!
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