Martha's Vineyard travel

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Martha's Vineyard

Bathed in unique beauty, Martha's Vineyard attracts wide-eyed day-trippers, celebrity second-home owners, and urbanites seeking a restful getaway; its 15,000 year-round residents include many artists, musicians and back-to-nature types. The Vineyard remains untouched by the kind of rampant commercialism found on the mainland – there's not a single chain restaurant or cookie-cutter motel in sight. Instead you'll find cozy inns, chef-driven restaurants and a bounty of green farms and grand beaches. And there's something for every mood here – fine dining in gentrified Edgartown one day and hitting the cotton candy and carousel scene in Oak Bluffs the next.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Campgrounds & Tabernacle
Martha's Vineyard
Oak Bluffs started out in the mid-19th century as a summer retreat by a revivalist church, whose members enjoyed a day at the beach as much as a gospel…
Menemsha Harbor & Beach
Martha's Vineyard
Virtually unchanged since it appeared in the movie Jaws 40 years ago, Menemsha is a relaxing outpost to explore. Basin Rd borders a harbor of fishing…
Aquinnah Cliffs
Martha's Vineyard
Also known as the Gay Head Cliffs, these clay cliffs, overlooking a 5-mile-long beach, were formed by glaciers 100 million years ago. Rising 150ft from…
Aquinnah Public Beach
Martha's Vineyard
Aquinnah Public Beach (also known as Moshup Beach) is an impressive 5 miles long. Access is free, although parking ($10 to $20) is not. From the parking…
Chappaquiddick
Martha's Vineyard
Accessed by frequent ferry (the 'Chappy Ferry') from Edgartown harbor, Chappaquiddick is a small island with a big history, thanks to a fatal accident in…
Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary
Martha's Vineyard
Mass Audubon's Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, 3 miles northwest of Edgartown center, is a birder's paradise, with miles of trails skirting fields, marshes…
Gay Head Lighthouse
Martha's Vineyard
Built in 1844 with a state-of-the-art Fresnel lens, this red-brick structure on the Gay Head Cliffs is arguably the most scenic lighthouse on the Vineyard…
Katama Beach
Martha's Vineyard
Although they're convenient, Edgartown's in-town beaches are just kids' stuff. For the real deal head to Katama Beach, aka South Beach, about 3 miles…