A still straight channel of water running through low coastal scrub at Katama

Herring Creek · the channel

Katama is mostly sky and low scrub, cut by channels like this one: dead straight, dead still, and holding the whole evening on its surface.

Plate 01

Katama is the open end of Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. Flat plains, a long Atlantic beach, a grass airfield and not much else, which is the point.

This guide was produced using original photography and on-island field research documented by MV Vacation.

History

The name Katama comes from the Wampanoag word meaning "crab-fishing place." Historically, Katama developed as a seaside resort area in the late 1800s and served as the terminus of the Martha's Vineyard Railroad, which once ran from Oak Bluffs to South Beach.

During World War II, the Katama plains were used as a military training site due to their wide, open terrain. Today Katama is still mostly open: grassland, scrub, fences and sky.

Finding Katama

The Essentials

The essentials in Katama

06 STOPS

THE BEACH South Beach

The island's main Atlantic beach: miles of surf, soft sand and a wide shoreline. The undertow is real.

BARRIER BEACH Norton Point Beach

A two-mile barrier beach that normally links Katama to Chappaquiddick; a breach that opened on January 1, 2026 has cut it, so Chappy is reached by ferry only for now. Managed by the Town of Edgartown since 2023, it offers seasonal over-sand vehicle access (OSV), good birdwatching, and a lot of empty beach. OSV permits and tide awareness are required.

WORKING FARM The FARM Institute

A working farm operated by The Trustees, offering educational programs, barnyard experiences, farm tours, seasonal events, and a farm stand with local products. Good with children.

THE AIRFIELD Katama Airfield (Katama Airpark)

One of the oldest continuously operating grass airfields in the United States. Visitors can watch classic aircraft take off and land or book scenic biplane rides over Katama Bay, South Beach, and Edgartown.

WHERE TO STAY Winnetu Oceanside Resort

The resort at Katama, with direct access to South Beach. Offers dining, tennis, yoga, kids' programs, pools, water taxi access to Edgartown (seasonal), and shuttle service to downtown.

PROVISIONS Katama General Store

The store for sandwiches, coffee, baked goods, picnic supplies, beach snacks, and Vineyard-made products. Stock up here before South Beach or Norton Point.

Straight road across the Katama plains at sunset with light snow along the edges — Katama Road · a winter sunsetPlate 01

Katama Road at sunset with a dusting of snow on the shoulders: the straight run across the plains to the beach, empty in winter.

Katama General Store chalkboard menu with 2026 prices — Katama · the general storePhoto by MV Vacation

The board in summer 2026: egg sandwich $7.95, smash burger $9.95, pulled pork $14.95, lobster roll $29.95, and a $10 smoothie. Order ahead from the beach, pick up at the window.

The Atlantic shoreline at South Beach in Katama

The road across the Katama plains with a split-rail fence

The plains · three studies Plate 02

A: the open Atlantic side of South Beach; B: the general store that supplies the whole plain; C: the road across the plains, split-rail fence and sky the whole way.

Know Before You Go

Know before you go

SEASON

Late spring and early fall offer warm weather, fewer crowds, and calm beach days.

BY BIKE

The bike path from Edgartown to South Beach is flat, easy, and good for families.

NORTON POINT

If planning to drive on Norton Point, check tides, surf conditions, and permit requirements with the Town of Edgartown, which has managed Norton Point since 2023.

PACK

Katama is remote. Bring sunscreen, water, and beach gear. There are limited facilities directly on South Beach.

PICNICS

South Beach dunes, Katama Bay overlooks, and the FARM Institute grounds are the picnic spots.

The road ending at the South Beach parking lot at Katama — RIGHT FORK · TOWARD EDGARTOWNPlate 02

Right Fork, on the road between Katama and Edgartown

Questions

Questions about Katama

What is the best time to visit Katama?

Late spring through early fall is ideal for beach weather, biking, and exploring the coastal plains.

Are there accommodations in Katama?

Yes. The Winnetu Oceanside Resort is the resort at Katama, offering oceanside access, restaurants, pools, fitness programs, shuttle service, and activities for all ages.

What activities are available in Katama?

Visitors can enjoy swimming, sunbathing, beach walks, biking, over-sand driving at Norton Point, farm programs at the FARM Institute, and scenic flights from the Katama Airfield.

Is South Beach good for families?

South Beach has strong surf on the Atlantic side and requires caution, but families often enjoy the calmer waters of South Beach's right fork or nearby bayside areas.

Snow-covered path between wooden sand fences leading to South Beach at dawn — Right Fork · winter dawnPlate 03

The Right Fork path to South Beach in winter: snow between the sand fences, the dune ahead and first light on the Atlantic.

The Record

Fun Facts about Katama

Katama Airfield is one of the oldest continuously active grass airfields in the United States.

The name "Katama" translates to "crab-fishing place" in the Wampanoag language.

South Beach is known for powerful surf, attracting body surfers and wave photographers.

The Martha's Vineyard Railroad once carried visitors directly from Oak Bluffs to Katama in the late 1800s.

Katama's open plains are a rare coastal grassland ecosystem, with plants and birds that are scarce elsewhere.

Low sun over the wet sand and surf at South Beach in Katama

South Beach · the last of the light Plate 04

Three miles of Atlantic beach with nothing behind it but grass, which is why the sunsets here go on so long.

Katama on Film

From Our Lens Grass, surf and a very long horizon. 20 photographs · View the Katama gallery

More photos: our Katama gallery.

All photos on this page were taken by MV Vacation during on-island filming and field research. Funded, in part, by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism.