Martha's Vineyard Travel Review - History - Attractions

M artha’s Vineyard lays off the coast of Massachusetts - a one-hour ferry ride from Woods Hole or or a very short plane trip from Boston. Although relatively small, the island offers a wide variety of scenery…from the misty beach at Cape Pogue on Chappaquiddick…to the quaint fishing village of Menemsha…the colorful Victorian houses of Oak Bluffs in the North…and the spectacular ocean vistas at Gay Head (Aquinnah…Martha’s Vineyard is a jewel in the Northeast. We recommend taking a plane trip from Boston rather than the ferry from either Woods Hole or Hyannis Port to avoid long lines and multiple forms of necessary transportation.

History
Called "Noepe" by the Indians, a word which means "in the midst of the sea", Martha's Vineyard is the largest island on the southeastern coast of Massachusetts. Martha's Vineyard was incorporated on November 1, 1668, along with Chappaquiddick, "Notman's Land" and the Elizabeth Islands, all part of Dukes County. Norsemen first visited the island aroung the year 1000 in their exploaration of the northeast coast of North America. Italian explorer Vertazano sighted the island in 1524 and Bartholomew Gosnold of England sailed here in 1602 and named the island in honor of his mother Martha.

Local Wampanoag Indians inhabited the area and thrived on fishing until English settlers found the island ideal for the same pursuit. Nearby Nantucket Island became the whaling capital of the world in the 1880s - 1890s. Edgartown - the largest town on the island - was named after the first son of the Duke of York. The movie "Jaws" was filmed here in 1975 and caused greater media attention to the island.

In recent times, Martha's Vineyard has become famous as the playground of the rich, with homes for Carly Simon, James Taylor and other celebrities. Today it stands as a great place to relax, enjoy delicious seafood, fun shopping and generally escape from urban pressures. It is a lovely grand tradition. More history...

Restaurants
The Seafood Shanty has an overly “casual” name, but the food is great and it has the best view with an open air deck giving you superb view of the waterfront at sunset. Ride back to town and cruise past the lighthouse, then stop for the best breakfast in town at the Dock Street Coffee Shop (a bit funky), where a variety of interesting local characters are sure to keep the conversation lively. There are many fine restaurants in Edgartown - consult the local brochures for a list. More restaurants...

Area Attractions
Edgartown is the place to go for the best in fine dining, great shopping, art galleries, sunset cruises and night life. Rent a bike in the morning and take the ferry over to Chappaquiddick, ride out past the Oriental Gardens to Cape Pogue Beach and Wildlife Refuge where the morning fog kisses the beach and you can rent a canoe or ocean kayak to explore the beautiful inlets. Stroll the quaint streets past the many art galleries and nautical-themed shops and pick up some great gifts, along with perhaps a pair of summer shorts (a popular color is “Nantucket red), tops, belts and T-shirts. The Edgartown Inn has hosted celebrities, congressmen and other statesmen since the 1800’s- but the best waterfront view is at the Harborview Inn . Vineyard Haven is a miniature Edgartown, with a bit less hustle and bustle, but many quaint shops and good food. Bookstores and antique shops, art galleries and furniture stores give you a wide array of shopping options. Menemsha is the place to go to get away from the crowds, where you can get fresh seafood right off the boat and stroll the waterline where the fishing boats come in…

You should try to spend at least 3-4 days on the island to get on “island time”. Martha’s Vineyard residents take great pride in their beautiful gardens and a walking tour around the outskirts of Edgartown allows wonderful views of New England clapboard houses surrounded by gorgeous floral arrangements. Oak Bluffs to the North boasts the oldest merry-go-round still in operation in the U.S. (1876). A short trip west to Gay Head allows you to see the best panoramic ocean views on the island. James Taylor, Livingston Taylor, Carly Simon and other folk-rock heroes of the early-mid 1970’s have owned homes and spent time on Martha’s Vineyard and have often played at the Hot Tin Roof. There are several bike trails around the island and the Island Transit Authority offers prompt and convenient bus service to all points of interest.

For an even more relaxing escape from civilization, you can even take the ferry over to Nantucket, formerly the whaling capital of the world in the 1870’s- 1880’s, where Herman Melville wrote his famous Moby Dick…one of the great classics of literature. Superb lobster bisque, fresh lobster, mussels, scallops, shrimp, oysters and other seafood is brought in fresh daily and the cobblestone streets will take you back in time….to the days when lamps burned with whale oil and fireplaces smoked with fresh cut timber to keep sailor’s wives warm on those long Winter nights…..Go to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket to relax and re-charge….you may not want to leave. More attractions...

To learn more, we highly recommend: "Vineyard Days, Vineyard Nights", by Nancy Ellison, "The Houses of Martha's Vineyard", by Keith Moskow and "Moby Dick", by Herman Melville- see our MARTHA'S VINEYARD Travel Store link where you can buy these and other products at no additional charge through Amazon.com.