Visiting Martha's Vineyard in the summer is something everyone should experience at least once in their lives. The beaches, the nightlife, and the quaint tranquil vibes come together unlike anywhere else in the country. While the island is very small compared to many other places you might go for vacation, each area of the island has its own unique flair and you may find yourself at the end of your vacation wishing you had spent more time in one place or another. To help guide your upcoming vacation we're going to give you an Islanders perspective of each one of Martha's Vineyard's incredible towns. By the end of this article, you’ll have a great starting idea of the unique aspects of each town to guide where you’ll want to spend your time when you visit the island during the summer!

 

Oak Bluffs

Oak Bluffs is where you'll want to spend a lot of time if you're looking to experience the nightlife scene on Martha's Vineyard. While Oak Bluffs is a far cry from any sort of happening downtown destination in major metropolitan cities in the United States, the locals of Martha's Vineyard would certainly call Oak Bluffs “the party town” of the island. Circuit Avenue,  the main downtown destination, hosts the Island's many popular restaurants, dessert spots, and bars.  There's no better place on the island where you can easily walk off a beach and within five minutes be sharing a meal or some drinks with your friends or significant other. Additionally, this is an excellent location to spend time if you're bringing your family and have younger or teenage kids with you as Oak Bluffs has the highest concentration of “kid-friendly”  activities on the island such as an arcade and the Flying Horses carousel, America's Oldest Carousel. And don't forget a freshly baked late-night donut from #BackDoorDonuts.

 

Vineyard Haven

Vineyard Haven is the year-round “hub” of Martha's Vineyard. It's the only town where ferries arrive for the full year, and, as such, is often the location many travelers to the island see first when they arrive. Traditional travel logic in most parts of the United States would say that you don't really want to spend a lot of time in the town nearby the airport/way you traveled into the area you’re visiting. However, that is definitely not the case with Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard. If you're looking for great restaurants and shopping locations with a little bit more of a low-key vibe compared to Oak Bluffs, then Vineyard Haven is a great place for you to spend time. Although Vineyard Haven isn’t a “dry” town anymore it was for many years, and consequently, Vineyard Haven doesn't really have that hustle and bustle nightlife scene you're going to find in Oak Bluffs or even Edgartown. So if you want to split the difference between a fully secluded island experience and having some convenience in shopping destinations nearby then Vineyard Haven is the place to be on your vacation. 

 

Edgartown

Edgartown is a very interesting location on the island. It probably has the best publicly-available beaches when compared to Oak Bluffs or Vineyard Haven with Island favorites, like South Beach, covering a lot of ground to relax and have some fun in the ocean with the potential for the waves to get pretty big. Some Islanders may joke and refer to Edgartown as the “preppy” town on Martha’s Vineyard, and while you might see a few more folks wearing a polo shirt,  no one in the town is looking to turn their nose up at you. Edgartown has some classic Island restaurants such as Dock Street Diner and The Wharf, offers some nightlife activities (though not as many as Oak Bluffs),  and has a great mix of shopping destinations. The vast majority of shopping and restaurant options on Martha's Vineyard are exclusive to the island but Edgartown offers a local Lululemon, in addition to many island exclusive stores, as well if you find yourself in need of some quality yoga pants on your trip!  Edgartown is a great location for shopping and dining on the island,  but unlike Oak Bluffs, and Vineyard Haven, you're not going to be able to walk from the downtown area to a beach so keep that in mind when you're planning your time.

 

Up-island (West Tisbury, Chilmark, Aquinnah & Menemsha)

Why are we combining towns here? Well, a deep dive into West Tisbury, Chilmark, Aquinnah or Menemsha would shine a light on some differences between each of them. However, for the purposes of a traveler trying to take in the feel of the different areas of the island, looking at these three towns as the collective ”Up-island” is much more productive. Staying Up-island offers the absolute peak of tranquility that you can only get on Martha's Vineyard. There's no semblance of a downtown or Main Street type area anywhere Up-island, but that could be a very big benefit depending on what you're looking for on your trip to Martha's Vineyard.  Additionally, the Up-island areas offer the best-in-class beaches Martha’s Vineyard has to offer although some of them aren't open to the public. Also, you can't forget about signature Island destinations like the Gay Head Cliffs or the legendary sunsets on Menemsha beach. If you're looking to unplug completely on your vacation spending time Up-island is the way to go, but just make sure you know that you aren’t going to be able to walk to more familiar downtown settings like Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, or Edgartown from any of these Up-island towns.

Are you ready for some summertime fun and relaxation? If you're in need of a place to stay on Martha's Vineyard make sure to check out our rental properties or if you have any real estate-related questions you can reach out to us directly. We look forward to seeing you on the island this summer!

While Martha’s Vineyard is known as one of the greatest summer time vacation spots, it's all too often that travelers disregard a trip to the island outside of the summer months. With the spring season just around the corner, Martha’s Vineyard is an excellent destination for families, couples, or solo travelers looking for some rest and relaxation. If you’re asking “why should I visit Martha’s Vineyard in the spring?” then we have the answers you need.

 

First let’s address the elephant in the room: the beaches. Perhaps more than anything else, Martha’s Vineyard is known for its array of incredible beaches and many of you might be wondering what’s the point of coming to the island if you can’t enjoy the beaches to the fullest. While we definitely wouldn’t recommend a dip in the ocean during March or April, there's way more to the Martha’s Vineyard beaches than swimming. You can stock up on delicious food in downtown Oak Bluffs and take a 5 minute walk to set up a beach picnic at the Oak Bluffs Town Beach for example. You can skip stones and search for wampum at the Lighthouse Beach in Edgartown, and there’s never a bad day to watch the sunset on Menemsha Beach. So yes, swimming is off the table but just about every other benefit is waiting for you on the shore!

The absolute best reason to visit Martha's Vineyard during the spring is the major difference in population on the island outside of summertime. Since the island is so well-known as a summertime destination things can get very very crowded. The Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce estimates that the island is “home to roughly 17,000 year-round residents. During the summer months, the population increases to nearly 200,000. Sixty-three percent of all homes on the Vineyard belong to seasonal residents”. That is over a 10x increase in population during the summer months! When you decide to visit Martha's Vineyard in the offseason you get an entirely different level of tranquility compared to the summer, and after the past few years a vacation should be a relaxing time above all else!

 

In the springtime, now that the weather is starting to get much nicer, the many outdoor activities offered by Martha's Vineyard are ready for you to explore -  without the crowds that come with a summertime visit! The famous Gay Head cliffs are open to the public year-round and getting there with your friends and family for some once-in-a-lifetime photos is just so much better when there's no one else in the background. Take a stroll around the gingerbread houses in the campgrounds of Oak Bluffs, or take a bike ride up beach road connecting Edgartown and Oak Bluffs. These are just a few classic outdoor activities that can make your vacation perfect during a spring time visit.

If you're looking for a place to stay on your springtime getaway to Martha's Vineyard make sure to check out our many rental properties or you can reach out to us on our website with any rental inquiries and we'll help you out with whatever you need. If you're already planning a trip to Martha's Vineyard this March make sure to check out our recent blog post on some fun activities you can do on the island during your stay.

Martha’s Vineyard is the perfect getaway for families, couples, and solo vacationers. If it's your first time thinking about a trip here, you’re probably asking questions like “How do I get to Martha’s Vineyard?” and “What are the best ways to get around on Martha’s Vineyard?” Look no further, because we have the answers you're looking for when it comes to getting to Martha’s Vineyard and getting around the island.

How to Get to Martha’s Vineyard

If you’re interested in flying to Martha’s Vineyard there are a couple options. The main year round carrier is Cape Air which offers round trip flights from locations such as New York and Boston. Additionally, some of the major carriers offer seasonal flights from more locations across the US - but flying isn’t the main way travelers get to Martha’s Vineyard. For the vast majority of travelers, using the ferry is the best way to get to the island.

The ferries are run by the Steamship Authority. There are year round trips between Woods Hole on Cape Cod and Vineyard Haven, and a stop in Oak Bluffs is added during the summer months when more people make the trip to Martha’s Vineyard. If you’re not bringing a car to Martha’s Vineyard you can purchase tickets on location and board one of the ferries. However, if you want to bring your car, which is highly recommended to get the most out of your trip to Martha’s Vineyard, you will need to book in advance. The schedule can get quite crowded so, if you’re planning a trip during the summer months the earlier you can book a ferry reservation the better! The Steamship Authority offers full details of their schedules, travel routes, and of course pricing on their website.

The Steamship Authority ferries are the most popular travel option, but during the summer more ferry options open up that provide routes between Martha’s Vineyard and New York City, New Bedford, Hyannis, Falmouth, and Northern New Jersey. For a more detailed breakdown on additional ferry schedules check out the website for Vineyard Ferries.

Getting Around on Martha’s Vineyard

So you’re all set on how to get to Martha’s Vineyard, but now you need to know what are the best ways to get around Martha’s Vineyard. Travelers to the island have a couple of options available, so let's jump in.

First, a little bit on the layout of Martha’s Vineyard: While The Island is on the small side, covering just about 100 square miles, it is very much not a location where you can experience the entire island by walking around. The gorgeous towns of Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, and Edgartown each have a dedicated downtown area with a distinct look and feel while West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah have a more quiet and rural feel even compared to the other towns on the island. No trip to Martha’s Vineyard is complete without stopping by multiple towns.

By far the best way to get around Martha’s Vineyard is to bring your car with you on the ferry. Traveling to and from the many towns and sightseeing destinations is at its best when you are in total control of your schedule. Driving on Martha’s Vineyard will take a bit of getting used to if you’re coming from a larger city though, don’t expect multi-lane highways or even traffic lights to guide you. Martha’s Vineyard’s low key and low-tech vibe extends all the way to its use of stop signs and only a single rotary on-island. If you want to make sure you have your car on Martha’s Vineyard, you’ll need to travel by ferry and make sure to schedule your reservation with the Steamship Authority far in advance to guarantee a space.

Even though we recommend bringing your car with you to Martha’s Vineyard, if that isn’t an option the island offers a couple of good alternatives. Once you’re on-island you can rent a motor scooter for yourself or even give yourself a nice workout by renting a bike. Martha’s Vineyard has over 44 miles of bike paths and bike-friendly roads in many different parts of the island. Biking down Beach Road that connects Edgartown and Oak Bluffs is truly a sight to behold on a sunny day! There are multiple car rental agencies on island where you can rent any type of a car for a day or for as long as you stay.

If bikes and scooters both don’t sound great, then the Vineyard Transport Authority (VTA)’s bus system will be the way to go. You can purchase tickets in a variety of packages from day and multi-day passes to a flat fee for individual trips on the spot. Getting a day or multi-day pass is the best option since otherwise you’ll need exact change for individual trips, and juggling cash and change isn’t the most relaxing vacation activity! The VTA operates year round, but routes and services are much less frequent outside of the summer months. There are also plenty of Uber drivers and taxi services that can bring you to any place on the island. If you are coming over for a very short stay then we recommend leaving your car in one of the parking lots in Woods Hole or Falmouth and just taxiing around and leave your driving cares off island!

Those are our tips on how to get to Martha’s Vineyard and how to get around the island once you’re here. If you’re looking for a place to stay on Martha’s Vineyard be sure to check out our many vacation rentals or contact us directly and we can help you find the best place to relax on the island and give you further details about any questions you might have!