Details About Martha's Vineyard

Attractions

• To orient yourself historically before making your way around town, stop off at a complex of buildings and lawn exhibits that constitutes the Martha's Vineyard Historical Society.
• A rich and expansive collection of flora and serene walking trails are the attractions of the Polly Hill Arboretum. On site are azaleas, tree peonies, dogwoods, hollies, lilacs, magnolias, and more.
• The spectacular, dramatically striated walls of red clay at Aquinnah Cliffs, a National Historic Landmark and part of the Wampanoag reservation land, are the island's major tourist attraction.
• The 350-acre Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, a Massachusetts Audubon Society preserve 3 mi out of Edgartown toward Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven, has 6 mi of hiking trails traversing marshland, fields, oak woods, seashore, and waterfowl and reptile ponds. Nesting ospreys and barn owls also call the sanctuary home.
• Long Point, a 633-acre Trustees of Reservations preserve with an open area of grassland and heath, provides a lovely walk with the promise of a refreshing swim at its end.
• The Trustees of Reservations' 14-acre Mytoi preserve is a quiet, Japanese-inspired garden with a creek-fed pool, spanned by a bridge and rimmed with Japanese maples, azaleas, bamboo, and irises.
• A rather unique island undertaking, the Winery at Chicama Vineyards is the fruit of the Mathiesen family's labors. Started in 1971 with 18,000 vinifera vines, and today the winery produces nearly 100,000 bottles a year from chardonnay, cabernet, and other European grapes. Chenin blanc, merlot, and a cranberry dessert wine are among their 10 or more tasty varieties.

Shopping

Martha's Vineyard is a shopper's paradise, with a plethora of unique shops lining picturesque streets and nary a chain store or a Gap in sight (strict zoning laws make this possible). The three main towns have the largest concentrations of shops: in Vineyard Haven, most of the stores line Main Street; Edgartown's stores are clustered together within a few blocks of the dock, on Main, Summer, and Water streets; and casual clothing and gift shops crowd along Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs. At the Aquinnah Cliffs, touristy Native American crafts and souvenirs abound during the season, and cottage industries and the odd shop or gallery appear off the main roads in many locations.

Currency

The U.S. dollar (USD) is the official currency. Traveler's checks and credit cards are also widely accepted.