Summer Escapes: Martha's Vineyard
It’s time to take a break, pack your gear, and get going. Escape to our outdoor adventurelands, all a tank of gas (or less) away.
SIX FOR THE ROAD
Check out the other destinations in our summer getaway guide:
• Bristol, Rhode Island
•
Check out the other destinations in our summer getaway guide:
• Bristol, Rhode Island
•
Typically, island time means beach time. But if you’re looking for more than a wink in the sun, the gentle hills, oak forests, and wild cliffs of Martha’s Vineyard make the island—just an hour-and-a-half drive and 35-minute ferry ride away from Boston—a perfect backdrop for many air, sea, and land adventures.
Start your trip with an introductory overview: The Vineyard is home to one of the country’s last remaining grass airfields, where the brave can board a vintage propeller biplane run by Classic Aviators (508-627-7677, www.biplanemv.com). The flights take two passengers skyward for an aerial roller-coaster ride of up to an hour. Those with guts of steel can request a few loops, dives, and rolls.
Next, give the island a once-over on two wheels. For a workout that outdoes your weekly spin class, rent a bike from R. W. Cutler Edgartown Bike Rentals (800-627-2763, www.marthasvineyardbikerentals.com) and try the Katama–Aquinnah ride, a full-day, 21-plus-mile, sometimes hilly trailway that takes you from the southeastern to the southwestern part of the Vineyard. Cruise past Katama’s pastoral working farms and into the leafy Manuel F. Correllus State Forest. Stop for a tuna salad wrap or roast beef on rye at West Tisbury’s Garcia’s Bakery and Deli (1041 State Rd., 508-693-8401), behind Alley’s General Store (508-693-0088), before heading “up-island” to Chilmark. Then tackle the last 4-mile segment: a strenuous uphill climb that rewards the persistent with a clear view of the Aquinnah lighthouse. (Note to thrill-seekers: A short ride and then walk down Moshup Trail will land you on the island’s only public nude beach.) Too tired to pedal back? The Vineyard Regional Transit Authority (www.vineyardtransit.com) picks up weary travelers in Aquinnah every hour.
Just outside Edgartown—the island’s oldest town—the stately Winnetu Oceanside Resort’s new Island Wellness and Adventure Center debuted last month (978-443-1733, www.winnetu.com). The 53-suite hotel offers yoga and Pilates classes, personal trainers, massage treatment rooms, and daily hiking, biking, and swimming for kids. Visit front-office manager and fifth-generation islander Brianna Valenti for maps of her favorite, little-known hiking routes, many of which run through 4,000 acres of land protected by the nonprofit group Trustees of Reservations (508-693-7662, www.thetrustees.org). For a leisurely look at flora and fauna, Valenti recommends the Long Point Wildlife Refuge, a 2-mile walk past Tisbury Great Pond, Long Cove Pond, and the island’s best secluded beach, Long Point Wildlife Refuge. Valenti also loves the more strenuous 8-mile roundtrip hike that starts at North Road in Chilmark and leads to the Vineyard Haven water tower.
To fully appreciate the coastline, charter a sailboat. Sail Ena captain Lynne Fraker teaches novices to sail on her 34-foot, six-passenger wooden sloop (508-627-0848, www.sailena.com). A day on board can include a trip over to Naushon, one of the islets that make up the Elizabeth Islands. There, Fraker anchors in Tarpaulin Cove, where passengers disembark for a beachside picnic—grab clam chowder or a few fish tacos from Art Cliff Diner (39 Beach Rd., 508-693-1224) in Vineyard Haven before setting out—and a stroll to the island’s lighthouse. Captain Bob Colacray takes up to 49 people on his 60-foot catamaran, Mad Max (508-627-7500, www.madmaxmarina.com). His two-hour sails depart from Edgartown twice daily and head toward Chappaquiddick or Oak Bluffs for afternoon or twilight trips.
On your last day, fuel up with breakfast at the Winnetu’s Lure (508-627-3663). Chef Ed Gannon’s whole-grain pancakes topped with dried fruit compote are divine, but grab a yogurt and homemade granola for breakfast to go if you’re in a hurry. Afterwards, hit South Beach, just steps from the resort, for a postpancake nap, or bike over to Oak Bluffs—a 9-mile ride—to shop Circuit Avenue. Pick up engraved garden stones at Sanctuary (508-693-9600, www.shopsanctuary.com), preppy polos at B Tru clothing (508-693-5222, www.btruclothing.com), and a classic mozzarella, cheddar, and tomato panini at the Slice of Life café-bakery (508-693-3838). At dusk, set sail on the Arabella (508-645-3511, www.outermostinn.com), captained by veteran seaman Hugh Taylor. His laidback late-day cruises leave from Menemsha and make their way through Quick’s Hole as you sit back, relax, and watch the sun set. —Erin Byers
WHERE TO STAY: Winnetu Oceanside Resort, 978-443-1733, www.winnetu.com, doubles from $290; Mansion House Inn, 800-332-4112, www.mvmansionhouse.com, doubles from $279.
Start your trip with an introductory overview: The Vineyard is home to one of the country’s last remaining grass airfields, where the brave can board a vintage propeller biplane run by Classic Aviators (508-627-7677, www.biplanemv.com). The flights take two passengers skyward for an aerial roller-coaster ride of up to an hour. Those with guts of steel can request a few loops, dives, and rolls.
Next, give the island a once-over on two wheels. For a workout that outdoes your weekly spin class, rent a bike from R. W. Cutler Edgartown Bike Rentals (800-627-2763, www.marthasvineyardbikerentals.com) and try the Katama–Aquinnah ride, a full-day, 21-plus-mile, sometimes hilly trailway that takes you from the southeastern to the southwestern part of the Vineyard. Cruise past Katama’s pastoral working farms and into the leafy Manuel F. Correllus State Forest. Stop for a tuna salad wrap or roast beef on rye at West Tisbury’s Garcia’s Bakery and Deli (1041 State Rd., 508-693-8401), behind Alley’s General Store (508-693-0088), before heading “up-island” to Chilmark. Then tackle the last 4-mile segment: a strenuous uphill climb that rewards the persistent with a clear view of the Aquinnah lighthouse. (Note to thrill-seekers: A short ride and then walk down Moshup Trail will land you on the island’s only public nude beach.) Too tired to pedal back? The Vineyard Regional Transit Authority (www.vineyardtransit.com) picks up weary travelers in Aquinnah every hour.
Just outside Edgartown—the island’s oldest town—the stately Winnetu Oceanside Resort’s new Island Wellness and Adventure Center debuted last month (978-443-1733, www.winnetu.com). The 53-suite hotel offers yoga and Pilates classes, personal trainers, massage treatment rooms, and daily hiking, biking, and swimming for kids. Visit front-office manager and fifth-generation islander Brianna Valenti for maps of her favorite, little-known hiking routes, many of which run through 4,000 acres of land protected by the nonprofit group Trustees of Reservations (508-693-7662, www.thetrustees.org). For a leisurely look at flora and fauna, Valenti recommends the Long Point Wildlife Refuge, a 2-mile walk past Tisbury Great Pond, Long Cove Pond, and the island’s best secluded beach, Long Point Wildlife Refuge. Valenti also loves the more strenuous 8-mile roundtrip hike that starts at North Road in Chilmark and leads to the Vineyard Haven water tower.
To fully appreciate the coastline, charter a sailboat. Sail Ena captain Lynne Fraker teaches novices to sail on her 34-foot, six-passenger wooden sloop (508-627-0848, www.sailena.com). A day on board can include a trip over to Naushon, one of the islets that make up the Elizabeth Islands. There, Fraker anchors in Tarpaulin Cove, where passengers disembark for a beachside picnic—grab clam chowder or a few fish tacos from Art Cliff Diner (39 Beach Rd., 508-693-1224) in Vineyard Haven before setting out—and a stroll to the island’s lighthouse. Captain Bob Colacray takes up to 49 people on his 60-foot catamaran, Mad Max (508-627-7500, www.madmaxmarina.com). His two-hour sails depart from Edgartown twice daily and head toward Chappaquiddick or Oak Bluffs for afternoon or twilight trips.
On your last day, fuel up with breakfast at the Winnetu’s Lure (508-627-3663). Chef Ed Gannon’s whole-grain pancakes topped with dried fruit compote are divine, but grab a yogurt and homemade granola for breakfast to go if you’re in a hurry. Afterwards, hit South Beach, just steps from the resort, for a postpancake nap, or bike over to Oak Bluffs—a 9-mile ride—to shop Circuit Avenue. Pick up engraved garden stones at Sanctuary (508-693-9600, www.shopsanctuary.com), preppy polos at B Tru clothing (508-693-5222, www.btruclothing.com), and a classic mozzarella, cheddar, and tomato panini at the Slice of Life café-bakery (508-693-3838). At dusk, set sail on the Arabella (508-645-3511, www.outermostinn.com), captained by veteran seaman Hugh Taylor. His laidback late-day cruises leave from Menemsha and make their way through Quick’s Hole as you sit back, relax, and watch the sun set. —Erin Byers
WHERE TO STAY: Winnetu Oceanside Resort, 978-443-1733, www.winnetu.com, doubles from $290; Mansion House Inn, 800-332-4112, www.mvmansionhouse.com, doubles from $279.
Originally published in Boston magazine, June 2006
