Have you been traveling this Summer? I know it’s a hot topic of conversation right now, and I’m not here to spark any arguments. However, I’m curious if people are still going on vacation. We recently came back from a trip to Martha’s Vineyard, and below is a Martha’s Vineyard travel Guide.
I know things are unsettling right now and travel might not be what everyone wants to do these days. However, here in the Northeast things have started to reopen and the number of COVID cases has dropped significantly. All of all of the states in the NE have done an amazing job of getting the virus under control and keeping it that way. Considering just a few months ago NY & NJ, where I live, were the epicenters of COVID – 19 and we have made great improvements.
Don’t get me wrong things are not back to normal here by ANY means, but I feel we are definitely headed in a positive direction. With homeschooling, summer camps being canceled and my hubs working from home for the last 4 months we were all in need of a change of scenery. No one in our family has any underlying conditions, and we are all comfortable wearing masks. So, a month ago we pulled the trigger on a last minute trip to Martha’s Vineyard.
If you are not traveling right now maybe this guide will give you some ideas for your next vacation.
Martha’s Vineyard Travel Guide
Getting to Martha’s Vineyard
Since Martha’s Vineyard is an island you need to take a ferry or a plane to get there. If you choose the ferry, like we did, you leave out of Woods Hole on Cape Cod, and book a trip that will either take you to Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs. You can book your ferry on the Steamship Authority website. They offer ferries to Martha Vineyard and Nantucket.
You can travel one of two ways, you walk on the boat or bring your car on. We brought our car so we could get around without renting one. I recommend booking as early as you can. We booked only a month out and we were stuck with lousy ferry times. However, you can get on the waitlist and you will most likely get a better time.
Where to Stay
We stayed at a place called Island Inn, and we booked it on Vacasa. It’s like VRBO or Airbnb. It’s all studio, 1bd or 2bd condos. We rented a 2bd/2bath condo (this is our exact condo) and it was the perfect for the four of us.
The condo was very clean and we felt very comfortable staying there. There are hand sanitizer stations located and at the entrances to the building, and all the guests we encountered were very conscious about wearing masks and social distancing. The Island Inn is located in Oak Bluffs and is about a 10 minute drive to Edgartown. This is a great location. We drove all over the island and we liked the Oak Bluffs/Edgartown area the best.
Where to Eat
Nomans
We did our best to only eat out for dinner, and some night we just ordered takeout. We ate breakfast in the condo and packed sandwiches for lunch. There is a restaurant right next to the Island Inn called Nomans. It’s not affiliated with the Island Inn, but it’s right next door…like a 2 minute walk to get there. This place was awesome! The food was great and so was their set up for eating and social distancing.
They have a huge grassy field in the back of the restaurant that usually has corn hole and other outdoor games set up. Now they are utilizing that field as there dining area. All the table are at least 12 ft apart, and because you’re outdoors it’s a win win. You can order at the counter inside or online to minimize your interaction with people. When your order is ready they send you a text and you pick it. Let’s just say we ate at Nomans a lot.
Seafood Shanty
Located right on the water in Edgartown, we had dinner at the Seafood Shanty and had mixed reviews. The location is great as it looks right out onto the harbor. However, the food was hit or miss. My hubs and I were dying for lobster rolls and unfortunately they were not good. I had some clam chowder which was very good and they also have a sushi bar and the sushi we ordered was great. It also has a kid menu. Social distancing was ok. We sat outside, but a few people weren’t wearing masks.
Lucky Hanks
This was hands down the best dinner we had all week! Lucky Hanks is located in Edgartown, but not near the water. It’s a small place and has a similar dining set up to Nomans. All their seating is outside in a grassy area right next to the restaurant with tables spread out. We actually sat out front where there is only one table, so it felt like we had the place all to ourselves. The food was AMAZING! My husband ordered the BBQ chicken and it was out of this world! It was so good we ordered take out from there the following night. Not only was the chicken good but it came with mac & cheese and sweet potato fries, the kids and I “helped” him eat most of his dinner. I had salmon which was very good and they have a nice kids menu. I appreciated the fact that they have fruit as a side instead of french fries. It was a nice healthy change from all the fries we ate a Nomans. They are also know for their breakfast menu. We didn’t eat there for breakfast but if it is half as good as their dinner menu I’m sure it’s fantastic.
What to Do
What to do…what to do…There is so much to keep you busy on Martha’s Vineyard. Most of our days were spent at the beach. We had great weather while we were there and it was good for social distancing. These are the beaches we spent time at.
State Beach – Edgartown
This beach is right in between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. It was about a 5 minute drive from the Island Inn. It is free to park with lots of parking available. It’s a short walk to the beach and doesn’t have big waves. My kids can’t do really big waves yet. The only downside is that it is a very rocky beach. I wore my flip flops in the water because it was so rocky. Upside lots of space to social distance.
Jaws Bridge
Located at State Beach is the Jaws Bridge. It a small bridge where they shot a scene from the movie Jaws. You can jump off the bridge even though there are signs telling you not to. My son really wanted to do this but there was ZERO social distancing happening on the bridge. Like 30-40 people, kids and adults wanting to take their turn and no one was wearing a mask. So we skipped it but promised we would do it on another trip.
South Beach – Edgartown
This is a very nice beach, free to park and not rocky at all. However, the waves were too big for my kids. On the plus side lost of space to social distance. We took a drive after we left the beach and discovered this Alpaca Farm. We were stopped at a redlight and right across the intersection was an Alpaca!
East Beach – Chappaquiddick
This was the best beach we visited on our trip. It’s located on Chappaquiddick and you need to take the Chappy Ferry to get there. Be prepared to wait in line for the ferry. It took about a half an hour each way the first day we went. We liked the beach so much we went back the next day and the ferry line was about an hour each way, which is funny because the ferry ride is about 2 minutes. You can easily see the other side.
The ferry ride cost us $25 round trip. The price depends on if you drive or walk on and if you drive how many people are in the car. You also need to buy a parking pass for the beach which is $15. You can drive your car on the beach, but the permit is $200. We opted to park and walk. The walk isn’t far and there is a wood path to follow so you don’t sink in the sand. The $15 parking pass also includes admission to the Japanese garden Mytoi which is just down the road. Its small and will only take you about 15-20 to walk through, but it’s very pretty.
Here’s a little history for you. You need to walk over the infamous bridge where Ted Kennedy drove his car into the water and killed Mary Jo Kopechne to get to the beach.
Places to See
Aquinnah
We had one overcast day so we drove to Aquinnah. There is a lighthouse there with a beautiful view of the cliffs and the ocean below. You can walk down to the beach which is about a 10 minute walk. It’s a beautiful beach and not crowded at all, I’m assuming due to the weather. It’s a nice sandy beach with small waves.
Vineyard Haven
Vineyard haven is one of two towns where you can get the ferry to and from Woods Hole. We didn’t spend a lot of time here. It’s a cute little town with restaurants and shops, and is good for souvenirs. It’s also where the original Black Dog store is located. You can shop or eat at the Tavern.
Oak Bluffs
Oak Bluffs is the other town on the island where the ferry docks. It’s a little bigger than Vineyard Haven, but has s similar vibe with restaurant and shops. It also had this cute little gingerbread neighborhood.
Edgartown
Edgartown, where you catch the Chappy Ferry, is the nicest of the three towns. It has a high end vibe with the shops to match. I finished both books early in the week, so I found this great bookshop in Edgartown called Edgartown Books. It was small but they had a great selection. I bought this book which I am halfway through and this book. All of the shops we stopped at had social distancing rules and most hand sanitizing stations right as you walked in.
All in all we had a great trip given the circumstances. I’m fairly certain the island and wasn’t as crowded as it normally is, and this worked to our advantage. There were definitely a good number of people around, but it wasn’t packed. This was our first time on Martha’s Vineyard so I have nothing to compare it too. However, I get the impression it is usually packed with people all summer long.
Thanks for reading! I hope you are having a good week. I would love to hear if any of you are traveling this summer and how your trip was. Leave a comment below.
If you are interested in more travel guides you can read my Palm Springs guide here.
Stay safe!
Photos by – Me