What to do on Martha’s Vineyard
Martha’s Vineyard is a wonderful getaway on the East Coast. Right off the coast of Massachusetts, the island is beautiful and has plenty of activities when considering what to do on Martha’s Vineyard.
Contrary to its name, Martha’s Vineyard has no vineyards. I know, right?! I looked it up no less than 5 times before confirming.
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How to Get to Martha’s Vineyard
There is no bridge to Martha’s Vineyard. So, you’ll need to arrive by ferry or airplane. You’ll likely pick the ferry option…
Ferry
Marth’s Vineyard has two ferry terminals: Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven. You can bring your car on the ferry, but you must make advance reservations for this.
You can also bring your own bike on the ferry!
Woods Hole, Massachusetts
You can drive to Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and then take the ferry to Oak Bluffs. The ferry trip is only about 45 minutes.
The ferry schedules are posted online at the Steamship Authority website.
New York/ New Jersey
You can get to Martha’s Vineyard from New York or New Jersey using the Sea Streak ferry. This is a passenger (and bike!) only ferry. This trip takes about 5 hours and it is a beautiful ride. Round trip is around $240 and there is a $30 bike fee. Check the site for the latest prices.
I did this from NYC and really enjoyed it! The ride was smooth and the first hour had great views of NY and NJ.
View from the top deck where we managed to stay for a bit before it got too windy…
Day Trip Options
If you’re around Boston, then check out this day trip with transportation included (I personally think it’s a steal!)
Getting around Martha’s Vineyard
Bike
The roads, bike trails, and bike lanes are perfect! Martha’s Vineyard is SO much fun to bike around. There are several bike rental spots in Oak Bluffs such as All Star Bike Rentals and MVe Rental.
If you have a bike at home, you may want to bring your own lights. Though the site I rented from said that lights were included, when we went to pick them up the shop said they didn’t have any available… At night it gets REALLY dark. I biked with my phone in my hand to use it as a flashlight at night.
Cars
There are several taxi services around the island. Call up whatever companies show up on your phone to see which are available to arrange your trips for dinner. Uber is available too. A note that it is pricey to Uber and taxi around the island.
What to do on Martha’s Vineyard
Explore the Beaches
Lake Tashmoo Town Beach— There are perfectly clear waters for swimming and the beach is just under an hour’s walk from Vineyard Haven.
Katama Beach/South Beach— This is a great beach to bike to from Edgartown. The long stretch of sand merges with Norton Point Beach. Lots of parking and bike racks are available. Watch out for sharks!
Lighthouse Beach—you can take a dip in the water and check out the lighthouse before heading to Edgartown for dinner. The lighthouse is a popular photo spot. I’d say this beach is more for taking pictures than to spend the day at. The water wasn’t as crystal clear as the other beaches around the island.
Go on a Cruise
Check our Black Dog Tall Ships for cruises around the island or tours from Mad Max.
Eat a lot of Seafood
Lookout Tavern, Oak Bluff— For lunch or dinner, check out Lookout Tavern. It has great seafood in a bar-like atmosphere. The lobster roll is the “best on the island.”
The Seafood Shanty, Edgartown— Head here for views of the water while eating seafood. The Fisherman’s Platter has a little bit of everything and was a favorite among our group but I went for the classic lobster roll. This place can fill up so you may end up waiting a bit for a table.
19 Raw Oyster Bar, Edgartown— Classy seafood restaurant with excellent oysters and seafood. There is nice patio seating. (This place really reminded me of my favorite oyster spot in Baltimore).
Alpaca Yoga
Head to Island Alpaca Farm for alpaca yoga! You’ll spend a calm hour with the farm’s yoga instructor and taking pictures with the alpacas. It is $35 per person and you should register for the session. The bike ride from Edgartown is a warm-up!
The farm also has a gift shop and several other events depending on the season.
Visit the Jaws Bridge
The movie Jaws was filmed in Martha’s Vineyard. In the opening scene, a woman gets attacked by a shark along the Jaws Bridge. This is also a cool spot to watch windsurfers fly around. You can do a nice bike loop from Edgartown, up past the Jaws Bridge, and then loop back down Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road. We stopped for a break along the old airstrip.
Live like a Local
We made a bunch of our own lunch and dinners during our week at Martha’s Vineyard. We bought our own seafood and groceries from around Edgartown.
Morning Glory Farm, Edgartown— Bike to the farm to get fresh fruit and veggies. There is also great bread, cheese, jams, and almost everything you’ll need for an excellent home-cooked meal.
Edgartown Meat and Fish, Edgartown— Stop here for smoked fish, crackers, crab cakes, salmon cakes, and more for your beach nibs.
The Net Result, Vineyard Haven— Excellent smoked blue fish!
Stop & Shop, Edgartown— This is your Martha Vineyard version of Giant and Safeway.
Explore the towns
Walk up and down Main Street in Vineyard Haven. The storefronts are well-decorated and the restaurants have cute outdoor seating. I stopped at Waterside Market for wine and a snack in the evening.
Go to Oak Bluffs in the evening to see the colorful houses and nightlife scene.
Get dinner in Edgartown and walk around the small town. The houses are beautiful. It makes me think there must be some super intense Home Owners Association…
Go on a Tour
If you only have a short time to figure out what to do on Martha’s Vineyard, I suggest you put the planning aside and just go on a tour like this one with a local.
Take a trip to Aquinnah
Aquinnah is located on the western part of the Island. It has magical sunsets and feels like a total escape from reality. I recommend you make some time to visit either by biking (more on that below) or just by driving around.
First, go to Aquinnah Public Beach. This is a stony beach right along the cliffs. We even saw some animals in the water (seals, I think!). Stay away from marine life! There will be sharks around if they are hungry.
Sunset after our bike ride over
Visit Gay Head Lighthouse and get a great view of the Aquinnah’s cliffs.
Have a fancy dinner at Outermost Inn. This is a beautiful inn with amazing dinner, drinks, and views. Plan in advance if you’d like to come here because reservations can be hard to get. Ask to sit outside. The chargrilled Katama Bay Oysters were incredible.
Bike to Aquinnah
This is an excellent biking activity when figuring out what to do on Martha’s Vineyard. Bring some snacks and mentally prepare for the uphills. The ride was an adventure and you’ll pass some cute towns along the way. There was limited internet service as we were biking (in case you need to be available). We took a cab back in the evening. If you do this, call the cab company to tell them you have bikes so they send a van.
Chappaquiddick Island
Chappaquiddick Island is only accessible by ferry from Martha’s Vineyard and is a fun addition when thinking of what to do on Martha’s Vineyard.
Take the Chappy Ferry to Chappaquiddick Point. This is the only ferry that goes here. Cars can be taken on the ferry but be prepared to wait a while if it’s busy. It’s $7 roundtrip for you and your bike. There is a machine you can use to buy the tickets right before you get on the ferry. The island is small and you can bike the length of it to get to the other beaches.
Stop at Chappaquiddick Beach, a short bike ride after you get off the ferry. Most of the beaches here look private but you’ll see a few small sand paths leading from the road to the beach. You can leave your bikes by the path. These beaches are pretty empty. I found a trail somewhere around here.
After a beach break, visit Mytoi Japanese Garden. You may need cash to pay the entrance fee as the card machine doesn’t work sometimes. The garden is small and peaceful. Biking on the sand/dirt to get here can be a bit tricky. I saw some bikers fall so be careful.
Continue on to East Beach and Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge. If you’ve paid for the Myoti Garden then you don’t need to pay the entrance fee at the ranger station. You’ll cross over Dike Bridge and get a cool view of the barrier beach with salt marches before reaching the beach. This is all a short walk/bike ride. The beach is not crowded and the water felt calmer to me than Katama Beach.
Bonus: There are a bunch of wild turkeys on Martha’s Vineyard. Keep your eyes open for these fun creatures.
Where to Stay on Martha’s Vineyard
Martha’s Vineyard is quite large! There are lots of options for where to stay. The three main options to consider are Oaks Bluff/ Tisbury (the towns are across from each other), Edgartown, and Aquinnah.
Oaks Bluff/ Tisbury
Vineyard Harbor Motel is reasonably priced and near the two ferry ports in Tisbury (across from Oak Bluffs). There are coffee shops, grocery stores, and shops all within walking distance. The motel is right up on the beach and if the weather is good, you can head straight into the water. We stayed here for one night as our Vrbo house wasn’t available the day we arrived.
Edgartown
Edgartown is quaint and with a bike you’ll have an easy enough time getting around. I like the look of Harbor View Hotel and The Christopher for a couple vacay. For our group of 6, we stayed in this lovely house.
Aquinnah
To stay in Aquinnah, I suggest you have a car during your trip. The distances between activities and restaurants are a little greater than when in Oaks Bluff or Edgartown. That said, it has a more secluded vibe. For a group, this house would be perfect as it’s also within walking distance to a beach) or this luxury home.
For a romantic vibe, check out The Duck Inn which (they claim) was built by a Native American Whaler 200 years ago.