Best summer activities on Martha's Vineyard: beaches, hiking, sailing, biking, fishing, kayaking, and island events. Your guide to an island summer.
Martha's Vineyard is at its best in summer: beaches open, harbors full, every town running at full speed. The island has enough going on to fill a week without repeating yourself. Here are the summer activities worth planning around.
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Summer starts at the beach. This is the town beach in Vineyard Haven, with the harbor moorings beyond it.
The beaches are the main event, and they differ more than first-timers expect. Pick by what you want to do.
South Beach, also known as Katama Beach, is a three-mile stretch facing the open Atlantic. Expect:
Tip: Arrive early to secure parking, especially during peak season.
State Beach, stretching between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, is the family pick. You get:
Menemsha Beach is the fishing-village option. Here you can:
A dinghy putters through Oak Bluffs Harbor on a summer afternoon, with the mooring field packed rail to rail.
When the sun is high, duck into the towns: the gingerbread cottages and Flying Horses in Oak Bluffs, the shops and harbor in Edgartown.
Each of Martha's Vineyard's six towns has a different feel. The stops worth your time in each:
Edgartown's downtown draws the biggest crowds, and earns them. Worth a stop:
Oak Bluffs is the loudest and most colorful of the towns. While you're there:
Vineyard Haven, also known as Tisbury, is the island's working port town. Highlights include:
Aquinnah, home to the Wampanoag Tribe, is worth the long drive up-island. See:
Chilmark, all rolling hills and farmland, is home to:
West Tisbury is the island's farm town. Don't skip:
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Handlebars at the end of a ride, where the trail drops you at a quiet stretch of shoreline.
Sailboats on their moorings in Vineyard Haven Harbor. Sailing lessons run out of the harbors, kayaks go on the ponds, and bike paths link nearly every town.
There's plenty to do once you're off the sand.
Biking is one of the best ways to explore the island. Popular routes include:
Tip: Many rental shops offer e-bikes for those who want a little extra help on the hills.
The island has hiking trails for all skill levels. Some favorites:
You're surrounded by water. Use it:
A few indoor stops are worth planning around, especially on a cloudy day.
The Martha's Vineyard Museum in Vineyard Haven covers the island's history. Exhibits include:
Learn about the Wampanoag Tribe's history and culture at the Aquinnah Cultural Center. The center offers:
Galleries are scattered across the island. A few to visit:
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