Martha's Vineyard Blog

Why so many international students and seasonal workers staff Martha's Vineyard every summer: the J-1 Summer Work Travel rules, the H-2B program, where the workers come from, the 650 students of 2025, the housing squeeze behind it, the island's year-round Brazilian community, and what it means for your trip and your tips.

Renting a car, Jeep or moped on Martha's Vineyard: whether you need one at all, the airport and in-town agencies, what Jeeps and compacts cost by season, the 2026 Oak Bluffs moped rules (one rider, driver's license, fewer machines), the three moped shops and their conditions, beach-driving permits, Mokes and e-bikes.

Mytoi, the Japanese garden on Chappaquiddick: how to get there on the Chappy ferry, the 15-car lot, hours and admission by season, the pond and bridge, birch walk and camellia dell, the story of Hugh Jones, Mary Wakeman and the rebuild after Hurricane Bob, rules, accessibility and when to go.

Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Edgartown: the four easy trails and what each passes, the ospreys, the butterfly garden, hours and admission, Mass Audubon's kayak tours and prices, accessibility, the Wampanoag and Smith-farm history, and when to go.

Martha's Vineyard for wheelchair users and anyone with limited mobility: the accessible ferries and how to board, the free accessible VTA bus and paratransit, the six beaches rated most accessible by the island's 2025 survey, where the beach and floating wheelchairs are and who to call, accessible trails, attractions, hotels and what is still missing.

The words you will hear on Martha's Vineyard and what they mean: up-island and down-island, on-island and off, going to America, the boats, wash-ashore versus native, Five Corners, the Triangle, the Blinker, Chappy, OB, the Campground, the Derby, the Fair, island cars and the Vineyard shuffle, with pronunciations.

Every supermarket and market on Martha's Vineyard with posted hours: Stop and Shop, Cronig's, Reliable Market, Alley's, the meat and fish markets, the Falmouth Stop and Shop before the ferry, Instacart and pre-stocking delivery, and an honest word on island prices.

The rules visitors break on Martha's Vineyard, sorted into state law, town bylaw and plain custom: speed limits and one-way streets, bike lights and sidewalks, beach regulations and fines, dog rules by town, noise hours, boat sewage, shellfish permits, and the manners that mark a guest from a tourist.

Uber and Lyft work down-island on Martha's Vineyard in daylight; up-island in Chilmark, Menemsha and Aquinnah they are scarce, nearly impossible late at night and expensive, and there are stretches with no cell service. The ten taxi companies with phone numbers, published zone fares, the free bus and its last runs, and how to plan the ride home.

Is Martha's Vineyard a dry island? Town by town: Chilmark is fully dry and BYOB, West Tisbury and Aquinnah pour beer and wine with meals, Vineyard Haven serves full liquor but has no liquor store, and only Oak Bluffs and Edgartown have package stores. Corkage, beach rules, the ferry and the state laws, checked September 2026.

Every farm stand and visitable farm on Martha's Vineyard, checked with the farms in September 2026: Morning Glory, Beetlebung, North Tabor, Mermaid Farm's 24-hour dairy shed, Native Earth, Allen Farm, Island Alpaca, the FARM Institute and the West Tisbury Farmers Market, with hours, honor-system rules and the fall pumpkin dates.

Flying to Martha's Vineyard in 2026: which airlines serve MVY and from where (Cape Air year-round; JetBlue, Delta and American in season; Tradewind from private terminals), what parking costs, and how to get from the terminal to any town by free bus, taxi or rental car.