Read the cliff face from the bottom up and you are reading the last twenty thousand years: gray clay at the waterline, rust and ochre above it, and the moor holding the whole thing together at the top.
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Aquinnah is the western tip of Martha's Vineyard, past Chilmark, and the most dramatic coastline on the island: open ocean, the clay cliffs, and sunsets that turn the whole shoreline gold. Known as Gay Head between 1870 and 1997, Aquinnah remains one of the island's most naturally preserved areas.
This guide was written and photographed by MV Vacation, based on on-island filming, local documentation, and field research in 2025–2026.
We respectfully acknowledge the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) as the original stewards of this land.
The Cliffs
The Aquinnah Cliffs are a designated National Natural Landmark with deep cultural significance to the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). Shaped by ancient glaciers and constant Atlantic surf, the cliffs reveal layers of clay ranging from deep gray and black to bright red and orange in the upper sections.
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C A: red strata under February snow; B: clay in raking light; C: the wash of color below the scarp.
History
The Wampanoag presence in Aquinnah extends back more than 10,000 years. English colonists arrived in the mid-1600s on land the Wampanoag had lived on for thousands of years, and the Wampanoag are still here. They are an Algonquian-speaking people, related by language to many nations across the Northeast. The name "Wampanoag" means "People of the First Light."
A plaque set into a boulder on the stone wall at the Cliffs overlook, the first place the town tells its own story.
If you're exploring the western side of the island, Menemsha Beach is the other sunset spot near Aquinnah.
The Cultural Center
Aquinnah (meaning "land under the hill") is still home to the Wampanoag community. The Aquinnah Cultural Center features historical exhibits, artifacts, and cultural programs.
The half hour after sunset, when the clay keeps its color and the crowd on the overlook goes quiet.
Finding Aquinnah
The Essentials
The essentials in Aquinnah
03 STOPSNative-owned shops and scenic overlook points.
Both are seasonal, so check hours before you drive up-island. Out of season, plan to eat in Chilmark or West Tisbury, or bring a picnic.
Seasonal tours, and the view from the top.
The last bend of State Road with Gay Head Light ahead: the end of the island, twenty miles from the ferry.
For real-time views of the island, visit our Island Live Webcams.
The Beaches
Beaches in Aquinnah
03 BEACHESThe town's famous public beach beneath the cliffs: paid lot in season, walk-ins free.
Permit or walk-on pass required in summer, Aquinnah owners and renters only; passes sold at the town office Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 9 to noon, card only. Lot full? Permit holders park free at the Municipal Lot.
Calm Sound-side water; parking along Lobsterville Road is prohibited, so most people arrive by bike or on the Menemsha bike ferry.
Off-season light on the long beach under the cliffs.
Know Before You Go
Know before you go
This is Wampanoag tribal land: climbing the cliffs or taking any clay is prohibited, and the Tribe enforces it.
VTA Route 3 (fare-free through June 30, 2027) from the Vineyard Haven ferry (hourly at :07 on the summer timetable) to West Tisbury, then Route 5 from the Grange Hall stop to the Gay Head Lighthouse, about 55 minutes all in. On the summer timetable (through October 3, 2026) the last bus back from the cliffs leaves at 10:05 PM on Fridays and Saturdays; the printed 11:05 PM is canceled for 2026. From October 4 the VTA runs its fall timetable, so check vineyardtransit.com or call 508-693-9440 for the last bus before you head out. Step-by-step from each town in How to Get There by Bus.
Aquinnah is accessible by car, by VTA Route 5 with a change at West Tisbury, and by bike via State Road through Chilmark. That same transfer links Aquinnah with Vineyard Haven and Edgartown.
Looking out through the lantern-room glass at the top of Gay Head Light: the cliffs, the Sound and the Elizabeth Islands. The climb is $6, ages 13 and up.
Getting to Aquinnah
For practical tips, see our Martha's Vineyard FAQ.
The lighthouse at sunset, moved 129 feet inland in 2015 to outrun the eroding cliff.
Questions
Aquinnah questions, answered
Can I climb the cliffs or take some clay home?
No. The cliffs are a National Natural Landmark on Wampanoag tribal land. Climbing them or removing clay is prohibited and the Tribe enforces it. Look from the overlook at the Circle or from Moshup Beach below.
Which beach can I use in Aquinnah?
Moshup Beach, below the cliffs: the beach is free to walk onto and the Land Bank lot charges by the day in season. Philbin Beach is for Aquinnah residents and renters with a permit. Lobsterville, on the calm Sound side, has no roadside parking, so most people arrive by bike or on the Menemsha bike ferry. Details on the Moshup Beach page.
How do I get to Aquinnah by bus?
VTA Route 3 from the Vineyard Haven ferry to West Tisbury, then Route 5 from the Grange Hall stop to the Gay Head Lighthouse, about 55 minutes all in and fare-free through June 30, 2027. Step-by-step in How to Get There by Bus.
Can I go up Gay Head Light?
In season, on a tour. The brick tower was moved 129 feet inland in 2015 to save it from the eroding edge, and the view from the top runs across the cliffs to the Elizabeth Islands. Tour season and details are on the lighthouses page.
Why was Gay Head renamed Aquinnah?
The town voted to take back its Wampanoag name, meaning "land under the hill", in 1997. The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) is one of two federally recognized tribes in Massachusetts and still lives here; the Aquinnah Cultural Center at the Circle tells the story.
The Record
Aquinnah, in brief
December light on the tower, seen through the wind-shaped trees on the moor: Aquinnah in the season it belongs to itself.
Aquinnah on Film
From Our Lens The cliffs in every light. 35 photographs · View the Aquinnah gallery
+31 Keep Reading
Keep reading
Four free downloads · 2026 The Beach Guide, the Fall Guide, Where to Stay and What It Really Costs Every beach decoded, the fall season date by date, every town and price band for sleeping over, and the honest budget guide: four PDFs, free with the island letter. No spam, one click to leave. See a sample first More of Aquinnah on film
The cliffs, the lighthouse and the road out to them.
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Aquinnah Martha's Vineyard -
Oak Bluffs Summer Day Sunset at Lobsterville Bar and Grille and A Car Ride To Vineyard Haven -
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Wampanoag Sneak Up Dance Aquinnah -
Gay Head Lighthouse at Aquinnah, Martha’s Vineyard