Martha's Vineyard Jaws Tour: Walk the Real Amity Island with a Local Guide
Take a guided Jaws tour of Martha's Vineyard with local guide Mike Currid. Walk the real Amity Island in Edgartown and book the "Amity" Walking Tour.
Rain on Martha's Vineyard is not a crisis — it's an invitation. With a world-class museum, a legendary bookstore, an art-house cinema, craft breweries, bowling, escape rooms, and enough boutique shopping to fill a nor'easter — a wet day rivals any sunny one. Summer averages 5–9 rainy days per month, but showers are short-lived. Here's where to go.
Table of contents [Show]
- Martha's Vineyard Museum — A Full Afternoon
- Bunch of Grapes Bookstore
- MV Film Center — Art-House Cinema
- Featherstone Center for the Arts
- Martha's Vineyard Playhouse
- Three Towns, Three Shopping Personalities
- Breweries and Bars
- Indoor Activities for Kids
- Rainy Day Eating & Drinking
- Spa on a Gray Day
- Practical Rainy Day Tips
Martha's Vineyard Museum — A Full Afternoon
The island's premier cultural institution at 151 Lagoon Pond Road, Vineyard Haven. Restored 1895 Marine Hospital on a 4-acre campus. The showpiece: a first-order Fresnel lens — 1,008 hand-ground prisms spanning two stories, served Gay Head Lighthouse 1856–1952. Permanent exhibition "One Island, Many Stories" covers Wampanoag heritage, whaling era, African American history. Kids love the climb-in boat and sea captain's cabin in Hands-On History.
Current exhibitions include "Jaws at 50" (20,000+ visitors, award-winning) and "Let's Go to Circuit Avenue!" (bilingual, family-friendly).
Hours: Tue–Sun 10 AM–5 PM (summer), 10 AM–4 PM (off-season). Admission: $21 adults, $18 seniors, $7 children 7–17, free under 6. Free with library pass from Oak Bluffs or West Tisbury Library (2 adults + 4 children). 10-minute walk from VH ferry. First Light Café in the Pavilion — no admission needed.
Bunch of Grapes Bookstore
23 Main Street, Vineyard Haven. Since 1964. Won Publishers Weekly Bookseller of the Year 2003 — "best bookstore in America." Two floors, meticulously curated. Resident cat Bookmark. Author events year-round. 5-minute walk from SSA ferry. Hours: Mon–Sat 10 AM–5:30 PM, Sun 11 AM–5 PM (summer extends to 6 PM, Fri to 8 PM).
MV Film Center — Art-House Cinema
79 Beach Road, Vineyard Haven (Tisbury Marketplace). 180-seat digital cinema showing independent, international, and documentary films — not multiplex fare. Plus Met Opera Live in HD, National Theatre Live, Bolshoi Ballet. Admission $15 (members $12). Annual MV International Film Festival Sep 8–13, 2026. MovieMaker ranks it among 50 festivals worth the entry fee. 5-minute walk from VH ferry.
Featherstone Center for the Arts
30 Featherstone Lane, Oak Bluffs. Year-round nonprofit on 6 acres. Drop-in Art Nights — 2-hour workshops in ceramics, jewelry, fiber arts. Open Knitting Studio Wednesdays $10. Three free galleries open daily noon–4 PM. Children's classes from age 3. The Potter's Bowl (September, $35) and Holiday Gift Show (100+ artists) are signature events.
Martha's Vineyard Playhouse
24 Church Street, Vineyard Haven. Intimate 112–150 seat theater in an 1833 meetinghouse. Actors' Equity shows in summer. Monday Night at the Movies — classic films at 6 PM, $5 cash. Poetry readings, concerts, art exhibitions year-round. Tickets: mvplayhouse.org or (508) 696-6300.
Three Towns, Three Shopping Personalities
Vineyard Haven — Year-Round Hub
Brickman's (since 1913, 3 floors — "the place if you forgot a rain jacket"). LeRoux at Home (3 floors kitchen/tableware). Rainy Day gift shop. CB Stark Jewelers (40+ years, MV charms). Louisa Gould Gallery. ACT TWO second-hand store.
Circuit Avenue, Oak Bluffs — Funky & Eclectic
The Lazy Frog (games, puzzles, Vineyard-Opoly). Craftworks (handmade American crafts). Glimpse of Tibet. Stefanie Wolf Designs (recycled jewelry). Summer hours until 9 PM+.
Main Street, Edgartown — Upscale
Portobello Road ("guaranteed to charm and bemuse"). Edgartown Books + Behind the Bookstore café (lavender lattes). Eisenhauer Gallery. Murdick's Fudge. Granary Gallery in West Tisbury — island's oldest/largest, iconic red barn. MV Glassworks — watch glassblowing live, indoors.
Offshore Ale (OB) — island's only brewpub, year-round. Brick-oven pizza, peanut shells on floor, bowling lane in back. Bad Martha Farmer's Brewery (Edgartown) — beers brewed with wild grape leaves, barn taproom, pizza, dog/kid friendly. "Prettiest place to drink in New England" (Boston Herald). The Ritz Café (OB, since 1944) — "last real bar on MV," live music most nights, year-round.
Cocktails: Alchemy (Edgartown, best cocktails every year since 2014). The Newes from America (1742 Colonial pub, fireplace, fish & chips). Port Hunter (Edgartown, raw bar + dance floor).
Indoor Activities for Kids
- Flying Horses Carousel (OB) — oldest in America (1876), fully enclosed, rain-proof. Brass ring tradition. Daily 10 AM–10 PM summer. ~$3.50–5/ride. National Historic Landmark
- Ryan Family Amusements (OB) — 75+ arcade games, VR, racing sims. Unlimited Play $25.95/90 min
- The Barn Bowl & Bistro (OB) — 10 bowling lanes, bumpers for kids, restaurant + bar. $60/hr peak, $30/hr off-peak (6 bowlers, shoes included). Year-round
- Pirate's Puzzle (Edgartown) — escape rooms: "The Jaws Experience" + "Vineyard Mystery." 45 min, up to 5 players, ages 8+
- MV Museum Hands-On History — climb-in boat, dress-up stations
- Libraries — Edgartown loans Nintendo Switches and instruments (!)
Rainy Day Eating & Drinking
Back Door Donuts (OB) — operates rain or shine. #5 national bakery (USA Today). Front bakery 7 AM, legendary back door from 7 PM Thu–Sat. Apple fritters: 60,000/year. Bring an umbrella for the line.
Coffee: Espresso Love (Edgartown, year-round, Spanish Lattes). Catboat Coffee (VH, La Columbe, year-round). First Light Café (MV Museum, no admission needed). Mocha Mott's VH permanently closed Jan 2026 — OB location still open seasonally.
Cozy dining:Black Dog Tavern (fireplace, harbor views, iconic chowder). Newes from America (Colonial pub, fireplace). Détente (dark, intimate wine bar). The Barn (bowling + comfort food).
Spa on a Gray Day
Mansion House Spa (9 Main St, VH) — open to non-guests, walk-ins welcome. Massage, facials, body wraps. Day passes for 75-foot indoor mineral spring pool, whirlpool, sauna, steam room. Tue–Sat 9 AM–6 PM, Sun 10 AM–5 PM.
Practical Rainy Day Tips
- Ferries run in rain — cancelled only for sustained high winds (25–30+ mph). Check steamshipauthority.com/traveling_today
- VTA bus runs normally in all weather — currently free. Skip the wet parking searches
- Forgot an umbrella? Brickman's (VH), Rainy Day (VH), Alley's (WT), Granite Five & Ten (Edgartown)
- Summer showers are usually under 1 hour — wait it out with coffee and it often clears
For budget tips, family guide, and getting around without a car.
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⛴️ Island Tip of the Day — Ferry
The Island Queen from Falmouth to Oak Bluffs is just $20 one-way (35 min). Reservations are now required — book at islandqueen.com. Passengers only, no cars.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is provided for general guidance only and was accurate at the time of writing. Beach conditions, hours, prices, lifeguard schedules, ferry fares, and business operations change frequently and without notice. Ocean swimming carries inherent risks including rip currents, undertow, and cold water shock. Always verify current conditions with official local sources before your visit. MV Vacation assumes no responsibility for any loss, injury, or inconvenience resulting from the use of this information. Swim only where lifeguards are on duty, supervise children at all times near water, and follow all posted safety signs.
