my family and i have been visiting this small island in Massachusetts forever. every fourth of july we would stay at the Harborview Hotel, just a short walk up from town, and spend a week relaxing by the pool, chasing sunsets, waiting patiently for sunrises, scouring beaches for shells and taking the ferry to Chappy for some nature / off road biking.
so i figured id round up our trip(s) with some pictures, things to do, and how to spend a week on the island.
where to stay...
Edgartown.
it's about a 15 minute drive from the airport as well as the ferry whether you get into Vineyard Haven or Oak bluffs, it's the same distance.
we used to stay at the Harborview Hotel as I mentioned but now rent one of the houses through the Kelly House which is right in town. they are both phenomenal and offer dog friendly rooms.
EDGARTOWN
where to eat...
breakfast
Docs is the best but there aren’t any vegan options only vegetarian
Tocapurro has vegan options and a large selection of baked goods, smoothies, juices, healthy and ‘unhealthy.’
Lucky Hanks, just outside of town i’d recommend biking here since it’s right on the bike path. try to sit in the back if you can, and come hungry!
Behind the bookstore on Main St. is so cute and has amazing food for breakfast and lunch. it’s also dog friendly! so lots of points there.
yelp will likely recommend among the flowers restaurant, but it’s highly overrated. this and murdocks cafe are my least favorite for breakfast.
lunch
the quarterdeck is basically MV version of fast food, and it’s good. it’s all fried but tastes great.
Mix is mostly salads, flatbreads etc. and is part of the Kelly House.
The Kelly House is also a great lunch spot, especially if you’re trying to catch a game on tv while you’re there.
The Port Hunter is nice for both lunch and dinner but gets crazy long waits at dinnertime.be prepared to go somewhere else (next door at Alchemy maybe...) for a drink while you wait for your dinner table; it's usually at least an hour wait.
Backyard Taco in town. you can sit on the front deck or out back if you prefer outdoor seating. there is indoor seating but it's very small and there isn't much AC. this place is not well suited for large parties.
dinner
my favorite is The Warf, their lobster ravioli dish is amazing. we would go here first every year for dinner. they offer vegetarian and vegan dishes and everything on the menu is outstanding; their chef is truly talented.
Seafood Shanty is nice at sunset since it’s right on the bay.
Rockport on Water street is phenominal. the service and the food are exceptional and they usually can accommodate those without a reservation fairly easily.
The Atlantic is almost all seafood, theres not vegan options but it’s a favorite among tourists and has a nice side deck you can ask to sit at.
there’s a slew of other places, most are very good, but these are the ones we try to hit every time we go.
what to do
if you have a pool at your hotel, i’d try to get there early (right after breakfast) if you want a seat, most people spend at least part of their day just laying out.
ride your bike! there are bike paths to literally everywhere: Oak Bluffs (leads to the bach), Vineyard Haven, Tisbury… bikes are available to rent in town or next to Lucky Hanks.
hit the beach! again you can ride your bike to South Beach, there is nothing around this beach but the ride is so nice, very pretty and you will see lamas.
go shopping. there are tons of cute shops in town including one that just opened this summer selling Turkish rugs.
visit the Edgartown lighthouse on Water Street. It’s across from the Harborview hotel and there is usually an incredible sunset from the beach. it is also where we go for the fireworks if you are in town for the fourth.
go fishing. take some fishing gear or rent some in town and head to the pier!
on tuesday nights the pier also offers live music, it’s a lot of fun and all ages go to enjoy.
rent a boat! you can go out for an hour or a half day or full day depending on what you plan to do and where you want to go.
we always hit up Morning Glory farm. to get here, you can take the bike path or drive. it's a great spot to pickup grocery items or go for breakfast or lunch. they have Kombucha on tap, really good iced coffee, and a salad bar as well as fresh baked goods each day. my family loves the zucchini bread.
OAK BLUFFS
where to eat
all of there restaurants on the Bay side are really good.
lookout tavern has amazing food, try to sit on the back porch, it looks out onto the beach
what to do:
we like to bike ride here and sit out by the gingerbread houses on the lawn
have a picnic, sunbathe, fly a kite
if you're feeling adventurous, take the thirty minute ferry ride to woods hole in Cape Cod and roam around Foulmouth for the day
jump off Jaws Bridge
rent a paddle boat or kayak
shopping
walk over to the bay for drinks or lunch. this area is my favorite place for happy hour, plus all the restaurants are good here
there is a new place / resturaunt just outside of town on Seaview that has live music at 12:30 and 4:30 everyday. we didn’t go but we heard great things!
if you have kid, you HAVE to go to Flying Horses. it’s the oldest carousel in the country. we still go every year and i’m almost 30…
UP ISLAND (Chilmark, West Tisbury, Aquinnah...)
i really love the beach in West Tisbury, but be sure you go to the public one. on one side there is the beach and on the other the lake. so you can chose where you'd like to post up based on your mood. this beach will cost you to get in but its so nice, and not a lot of people. there is also a nature reserve that you can hike here as well if you prefer.
Gayhead Lighthouse: go at sunset, and get tacos from the stand on the right when you walk up the stairs toward the cliffs.
Menemsha Seafood Shanty for lunch if you love fresh seafood. this spot is next to a small beach but people generally come for the food.. there is a great resturaunt here as well. just walk down toward the docks and it will be the only one on the left, across from the ice cream stand.
Aquinnah Cliffs
there are tons of paths and hikes you can do. we did Cedar Tree Neck Sanctuary which led to a small beach. other options include Long Point Refugee, Caroline Tuthill Preserve, Great Rock Bight Reserve, and the Farm Pond Trail are just a few.
CHAPPAQUIDDICK (MY FAVE)
so this is my favorite part of Martha’s Vineyard. just take the ferry across from Edgartown.
this island is quiet with only one store on the whole island, lots of gorgeous beaches, a golf course if you like to golf, and many reservations that you can walk through.
i LOVE going to Cape Poge. generally i take my wrangler on the sand dunes and spend time walking along the beach. there are little to no people on the beach most days which is right up my alley. i’ve also spotted seals here early in the morning. there is a fee to get on if you go at opening time, otherwise you can get on for free if you walk onto the beach early. there is also kayaking available to rent here.
many people bike onto Chappy but be sure you have mountain bike tires since you will be on sandy roads part of the time.
VINEYARD HAVEN
is a dry town and my least favorite area of MV but they do have the best shops. definetly walk around town one day.
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