Escape to Martha's Vineyard
This summer island getaway is just a short ferry ride from Cape Cod
One of the Northeast's hottest summer retreats is the nearby island of Martha's Vineyard, accessible only by air or ferry.
Many people have heard the name "Martha's Vineyard" but most probably don't realize that the name refers to an island and not a vineyard. This triangular-shaped island is just under 90 square miles in size, and is located about 7 miles off the coast of Massachusetts and 3 miles off the coast of Cape Cod.
The only access to the island is by air or ferry. Ferries run regularly, with much more frequent service in the summer. The year-round population is only about 15,000 but in the summer time, those numbers can swell to 100,000 or more, especially around the 4th of July weekend. The island locale is a comfortable summer retreat, with temps rarely topping the low 90s, making "the Vineyard" as it's most often called," a wonderful place to escape hotter temps found inland.
The island has a history of whaling and fishing industry and most of the handful of small towns have a New England feel similar to other coastal towns and villages. The small permanent resident population is very devoted to environmental causes as well as the tourism that is their main industry and you will find them active to both accommodate visitors and protect their local ecosystem.
The island was made famous to a generation, appearing as the setting for the movie "Jaws" in 1977. Fans of the movie can still find remnants of some boats from the movie in Chilmark. The town is also where you can get boat tours of the sound, go sailing or kayaking, and take in the sunset from the famed Menemsha Harbor.
Edgartown is where the Martha's Vineyard Airport is located, for the minority that comes in to the island by plane. In the summer, this is a great place to take a biplane ride or to go up in a glider. There are also fireworks and a parade for the 4th of July.
Oak Bluffs is where the ferry from Woods Hole, MA docks, and you'll find this to be a larger and more developed town than some of the others. There's a public library, the Farm Neck Golf course and the East Chop lighthouse. The Flying Horses Carousel, the oldest operating carousel in the US, is also located in Oak Bluffs.
If you're going to the Vineyard for a day trip, be sure to start out early and make sure you know which ferry you want to catch at the end of the day. Not planning ahead can result in having to wait around, or in missing your desired ferry. Crowds peak in early July, so avoid that time if you don't want it to be as packed with people. Water temperature warm up to a comfortable swimming level in July, August and September.
