What do locals call Marthas Vineyard?

All photos courtesy of Spot

Excerpted from an article that ran on Spot.

Just south of Cape Cod, the iconic Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard feels like a place you need a backstage pass for. Like you could travel there on your own, find a good beach, wash down some great seafood with cold beer, and come home toting a big bag of salt-water taffy. But you’d have missed out on all those next-level, trip-making experiences that only long-time visitors and locals are privy to. You know: where to go skinny-dipping or which farmer sells homemade ice cream.

Allow us to introduce you to our Martha’s Vineyard spirit guide, photographer Jessie Webster who’s been making yearly pilgrimages to her parents’ house on the island for 27 years (and frequently documents it on her Instagram account). Below she’s put together a real-deal, locals-only guide to Martha’s Vineyard. 

WELCOME TO MARTHA’S VINEYARD

“Menemsha is an adorable fishing village in Chilmark, and a place very beloved to me because it’s where my family’s home is located. There are many perks to staying in Menemsha: you can walk to restaurants, shops, the beach, and have access to fish straight off the boat. When you’re up-island (Chilmark, Aquinnah, West Tisbury) time tends to pass at a slower pace, and the area is dry (yes, there’s no alcohol sold), which limits the development. Up-island also has miles of bucolic farmland, lush green forests, and beautiful beaches.

Down-island (Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, Vineyard Haven) has more of what most people imagine quaint New England towns to be. There you’ll find bars, restaurants, and movie theaters, and it’s much more touristy... For the purpose of this guide, though, I’ve focused mostly up-island.”

STAY

“Other than a vacation rental, the Beach Plum Inn is one of the few places to stay up-island. It’s a gorgeous property and the inn itself couldn’t be more charming. Even if you’re not staying there, they have one of the island’s best restaurants—a must in my book.”

EAT

“Mermaid Farm in Chilmark is one of my favorites on the Island. I love stopping at their roadside farm stand to pick up fresh veggies, berries, raw milk, and cheese. Make sure to try their mango lassi. In the summer you can also visit them every Wednesday and Saturday at the West Tisbury Farmers Market, along with some of the other best farms on the island.”

PLAY

“The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission has worked very hard to preserve some of the most beautiful spots on the island. Luckily you can visit any of their properties from sunrise to sundown, including Ice House Pond. It’s a freshwater pond tucked in a patch of forest near Lambert’s Cove. It is a little tricky to find, but once you do it is so peaceful and the water is much warmer than the ocean.”

From the team at Spot. See the whole story, including more spots to see, stay, and nosh, on the Spot blog.

Related Articles:

​Aquinnah

Chilmark

Edgartown

Oak Bluffs

Vineyard Haven

West Tisbury

Here's what you need to know:
The Island of Martha’s Vineyard is just 7 miles off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. On less than 100 square miles, you’ll find 6 adorable small towns, each with their own highlights and distinctive personality. ​
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Locals commonly refer to “up-Island” and “down-Island”.  Technically it’s a longitude/latitude thing, but basically when you hear “up-Island” it means the western, more rural towns of West Tisbury, Chilmark and Aquinnah.  
“Down-Island” refers to the busy port towns of Tisbury (Vineyard Haven), Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. 
​ If you look at a map, down-Island looks like it should be up-Island, but now we’re back to that longitude/latitude thing. 
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There are villages within the towns.  Sometimes this is confusing.  Like when you take a ferry to the village of Vineyard Haven, but your GPS or map tries to tell you you’re in Tisbury.  And they’re both right. 

Aquinnah, (pronounced ah-KWIN-ah and means “land under the hill”) located on the far western side of the Island, was known as Gay Head until 1997, when the Wampanoag (pronounced wam-pa-NO-og) Tribe of Aquinnah petitioned to have the name officially changed.  You’ll often hear references to the Gay Head Cliffs and lighthouse, which are both in the town of Aquinnah.

​Chilmark has a quaint, authentic fishing village called Menemsha (pronounced men-EM-sha).  A must see for all Jaws fans!

​ Edgartown includes Katama (pronounced ka-TAY-ma) and Chappaquiddick. There’s one ferry service that travels from Falmouth on Cape Cod to to Edgartown from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Oak Bluffs was originally known as Cottage City. Ferries arrive mid-May through mid-October from Woods Hole, Falmouth, Hyannis and New Bedford in Massachusetts, Quonset Point in Rhode Island and New York City and Northern New Jersey.

​Tisbury has a beautiful harbor village called Vineyard Haven.  Every day of the year ferries come and go from Wood Hole on Cape Cod to Vineyard Haven. ​

​ ​West Tisbury is the agricultural heartland of the Vineyard. It is home to both the Agricultural & Grange Halls, the historic Alley's General Store and the enchanting sculptures of the Field Gallery.