The Ultimate New England Summer Weekend: 48 Hours on Martha’s Vineyard

My Photo Feature series focuses less on words and more on images. See more here.

Earlier this month, I headed to Martha’s Vineyard for a reunion with some of my best friends from college. From tree-lined streets lined with shingled cottages – complete with white picket fences, of course – to colorful beach cruiser bicycles, waterfront seafood shacks and more, it’s a place filled with some of the most quintessential New England views and activities you’ll find anywhere.

From strolling the streets of Edgartown to swooning over Victorian cottages in Oak Bluffs, it was one of those rare and perfect summer weekends full of friendship, ice cream, lawn games, barbeque, coffee, and (in my case) a whole lot of picture taking!

Ten Quick Tips for the Ultimate MV Weekend:

Order a seafood smorgasbord from The Net Result in Vineyard Haven and enjoy a delicious meal with friends (without the long restaurant wait).

Grab an ice cream from Ben and Bill’s Chocolate Emporium in Oak Bluffs and take a walk around the town’s famous Victorian gingerbread cottages.

Enjoy some R&R on Joseph Sylvia State Beach. In the mood for a little action? Take a leap off of the American Legion Memorial Bridge, also called Big Bridge. (You might recognize it from Jaws!)

Stop by Morning Glory Farm for coffee and pastries. While you’re there, pick up some veggies and other essentials for barbecuing later.

Take a walk around Edgartown to swoon over the general loveliness of the houses and storefronts. While you’re there, pop into Edgartown Books and try to leave without buying anything!

Climb to the top level of the viewing deck by the Chappaquiddick Ferry for boat-iful panoramic views.

Watch the sunset from Menemsha Public Beach.

Grab a leisurely breakfast or brunch at State Road in West Tisbury or Artcliff Diner in Vineyard Haven.

Try some local brews at Bad Martha Brewing Company.

Get active! From renting bikes to kayaking to taking a yoga class, there are plenty of options to work up a sweat (in addition to sunbathing, of course).

Notes on Getting There and Around: Your time on Martha’s Vineyard will likely start with a ferry ride, which only adds to the festive feeling of a summer getaway. Passenger ferries are available from several destinations originating in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey and New York, while vehicle ferries are only available from Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Read more about ferry options here and here.

For transportation around the island, we mainly used cabs, as we opted not to bring one of our vehicles over with us. Leaving our car in the designated ferry passenger parking lot on Cape Cod cost us $15 per day. If you’d like to bring your car over, make your reservation well in advance – slots were already pretty much full for our weekend in August when we first chose the dates back in May.

Leave me your thoughts on Martha’s Vineyard, or your favorite beachy summertime destination, in the Comments section below!

I’m sharing this post for the Wanderful Wednesday blog link-up, hosted by Lauren of Lauren on Location, Marcella of What a Wonderful World, Isabel of The Sunny Side of This, and Van of Snow in Tromso. Follow the links to look through their sites!

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