Beaches · Martha's Vineyard
Every beach, by shore
Which side of the island the water is on decides the day you get, and who is allowed on the sand decides whether you get it at all.
The South Shore · open Atlantic
Three miles of Atlantic surf and dune, the island's main surf beach. Lifeguards in season; the undertow is real.
Clay cliffs and a sea stack, west-facing light. Chilmark resident or renter permit in summer.
Stones underfoot and the island's most consistent surf break offshore. Chilmark permit June 15 to Labor Day; the town publishes no after-5 opening, so check the sign at the gate.
The North Shore and the Sound · calmer water
Calm Sound water beside a working harbor, and the island's best-known sunset.
A boardwalk through the woods to warm, almost surfless water. Opens to everyone after 5 PM.
Up-island and Chappaquiddick
The beach below the clay cliffs, on land the Wampanoag Tribe still owns and cares for; the cliffs are off limits. Walk-ins free.
Remote sand reached by the On Time ferry. You will often have it nearly to yourself.
A
B
CA: South Beach at dusk, three miles of open Atlantic; the surf and the rip currents here are real. B: the clay bank and sea stack at Lucy Vincent. C: Sound-side water off Menemsha, flat enough to swim out into.
Know Before You Go
Which shore, and who is allowed in
South Beach, Lucy Vincent and Squibnocket take open Atlantic surf. Real waves, and real rip currents. This is not water to be casual about.
State Beach, the Inkwell and Lambert’s Cove stay calmer and warmer. This is where families end up, and where a toddler can stand.
Some of the best sand is resident-permit-only through the summer, so check before you drive up-island.
Lambert's Cove in West Tisbury opens to everyone after 5 PM. Chilmark's beaches publish no after-5 rule, so the posted sign at the gate is the one that counts.
The other half of the island’s answer: no surf, warm water, and a permit gate that lifts at five o’clock.
Keep Reading
More on the island beaches
Free download · 2026 edition
The Martha’s Vineyard Beach Guide
Every one of the island’s 20 beaches (parking, stickers, dog rules, lifeguards and safety) in a ten-page guide you can keep on your phone, with a printable cheat sheet and a phone field card inside. Checked for the 2026 season.
It lands in your inbox too, with one useful island letter now and then. Unsubscribe in one click.
What each beach actually looks like
Filmed on quiet mornings and busy afternoons, so you can judge the crowd for yourself.
West Tisbury Beach, , , Relaxing Ocean Waves
Lake Tashmoo Town Beach, Martha's Vineyard
Oak Bluffs Inkwell Beach Walking Tour
Lucy Vincent Beach Walking Tour on Martha's Vineyard
Oak Bluffs Summer Day Sunset at Lobsterville Bar and Grille and A Car Ride To Vineyard Haven
Lambert's Cove Beach West Tisbury , Martha's Vineyard
