Martha’s Vineyard Travel Guide
Transportation
For starters, in order to get to the island, you have to catch a ferry from Massachusetts, New York or Rhode Island. Once there, the most common use of transportation for tourists is walking on their feet, but you can also use the island’s bus system or their abundant taxis.
Lodging
Listed from the most expensive to the least expensive high-quality lodging options in Martha’s Vineyard.
- Charlotte Inn: A picturesque, antique merchant’s house dating from 1864, which façade’s decorated by immense, beautiful linden trees and its lobby is filled with 19th-century oil paintings and Edwardian artistic objects. The inn offers 19 private rooms that contain luxurious canopy beds, grandfather clocks, and classic steamer trunks.
- Hob Knob: This has gained its popularity among curious, eccentric tourists because of its playful elements, like its dog-shaped table lamps or chintz wall covering. Located in Edgartown, it’s quite ideal for a fishing trip.
- Winnetu Oceanside Resort: Now going to a little less expensive but still comfortable housing options, this resort – in all sense of the word – offers 54 suites, along with a library, fitness center, and a massive grassland equipped with a nine-hole putting green and a turtle pond.
- Beach Plum Inn: This consists of a set of countryside lodges with artsy interiors painted in pastel colors, and also a restaurant selection with panoramic water views. Besides, it’s close to our good friends the Alpacas. Located in Chilmark.
Down-Island/Up-Island
Now that I mentioned plenty of places to stay and how to move around the island, I would like to detail how the said island is divided. First, there’s the Down-Island, and then the Up-Island. They differentiate themselves the following way.
Down-Island:
- Edgartown: Imperial homes of the 18th-century.
- Oak Bluffs: Victorian chalets and common souvenirs and nonsense stores.
- Vineyard Haven: Unique boutiques and the main ferry terminal.
Up-Island:
- Aquinnah: A Western town with exciting clay cliffs and Gay Head Lighthouse.
- Chilmark: Quiet fishing villages.
- West Tisbury: Acres of farmland.
Shopping
Martha’s Vineyard is far from short on shopping options, and not only for souvenirs. Here you can find fascinating and appealing sets of furniture, interesting coming books, and colorful polo shirts. It is truly a paradise for shoppers.
First of all, if what you’re looking for is some of that furniture that I mentioned, Midnight Farm might be the place for you because of its trendy items in stock. And besides the furniture, they also have many curious objects that any collector would be honored to acquire, like comforters from India and much more.
Or maybe you would want to pass by Bespoke Abode for purchasing a few driftwood picture frames or aperture mirrors.
Oh, by the way, if you’re already thinking about the gifts you will be bringing to your friends back home once you return, Aquanaut Gallery has many options for you. You could acquire some interesting watches decorated with boats and lighthouses or shadow boxes ornamented with seashells made by the island’s craftsmen.
Of course, you can also go to the Alley’s General Store where you can find some more interesting acquisitions, like those comic books I told you about. Or go for colorful vases at the Martha’s Vineyard Glassworks or some ties and shirts at Vineyard Vines.
Eat and drink
As for the shopping, Martha’s Vineyard is not short in options for food and drink, and they are all mouthwatering.
One of the must-go places, for excellence, is the Black Dog Tavern. You can actually make it your first stop since it is only a few steps away from the main ferry. The Tavern has the most exquisite seafood menu and you can enjoy it while sitting at a comfy outdoor picnic table.
Also, if you’re a fan of seafood, the recently opened Hooked could also be a good option for you. (It’s kind of a “local’s secret spot”, so don’t tell them I told you.)
Faith’s Seafood Shack is also a great option and I don’t say it only because it’s near the Gay Head Lighthouse and has great ocean views. But also because its sashimi and lobster rolls are already making my mouth water.
Passing from the seafood, one of my favorite restaurants in Martha’s Vineyard is the State Road, where most of their ingredients are selected from the restaurant’s own, personal gardens. My favorite from all of their menu is the lemon-ricotta pancakes. But there are plenty of outstanding dishes, like the locavore burger. Mmmmm!
And if you’re into living the celebrity’s lifestyle, then you can visit the Sweet Life Café, the favorite of the Obamas on their vacation. Each dish on the menu is a masterpiece by and of its own. Everything is an excellent choice at the Sweet Life Café.