Day 13 of our East Coast USA road trip took us across the water to Martha’s Vineyard, an island we’d both heard so much about but didn’t really know what to expect. Famous for being a playground of the rich and famous, and even more famous for its starring role in Jaws, we were excited to see what the island had to offer.
We left the motel around 8:15 a.m. and took the short walk down to Falmouth Harbour to catch the 9 a.m. Island Queen ferry. Boarding was easy and we grabbed coffees from the onboard café before finding seats out on the deck. It was beautifully sunny but incredibly windy, so we were glad we’d brought jumpers. The half-hour crossing flew by and soon we were stepping off the boat into Oak Bluffs.
Arriving in Oak Bluffs
Our first impression was that the island was much bigger than we’d expected — and much busier. We wandered past rows of rental bikes and cars and into the centre of Oak Bluffs to pick up a map and get our bearings. At this point we genuinely had no idea how we were going to get around. We knew the island was associated with Jaws, we knew it had a reputation for attracting presidents and celebrities, but beyond that we were fairly clueless.
The main street was lined with tourist shops selling identical Jaws merchandise, sweet shops and ice-cream stands. We headed up towards the Martha’s Vineyard Campground, which was on Deb’s must-see list.
Martha’s Vineyard Campground
The Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association — known locally as “the Campground” — is one of the island’s most iconic attractions. Founded in the 1830s as a Methodist revival camp, it gradually evolved into a permanent summer community. Today it’s famous for its Gingerbread Cottages: hundreds of brightly painted wooden houses decorated with ornate trim, pastel colours and fairy-tale detailing. It feels like walking through a Victorian toy village, and it’s one of the most photographed spots on the island.
We spent a good half hour wandering the tiny lanes, admiring the whimsical houses and soaking up the quiet charm of the place before heading back towards the town centre in search of breakfast.
Bagels, Bad Coffee and a Transport Dilemma
Breakfast came in the form of our road-trip staple: gigantic bagels piled with cream cheese. The coffee, however, was hands-down the worst of the entire holiday — possibly the worst we’ve ever had. Still, it was warm and wet, which was all we really needed at that point.
Over breakfast we debated our transport options. Pedal bikes looked fun, but probably a fast-track to cardiac arrest. The hop-on hop-off tourist bus would have worked but didn’t appeal. That left the rows of Mini Convertibles parked by the harbour…
Hiring a Mini Convertible
Fifteen minutes later, after discovering the prices weren’t totally outrageous, we found ourselves in a seafoam green Mini EV convertible. Roof down, sun shining, ocean breeze blowing — it was the perfect way to explore the island.
Edgartown and the Jaws Bridge
Our first stop was Edgartown, by way of the famous Jaws Bridge, where several scenes from Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic were filmed. The bridge, officially known as the American Legion Memorial Bridge, features in the iconic scenes where children jump into the water — and where the shark briefly appears.
We took photos, enjoyed the sea views and then drove into the centre of Edgartown — a pretty town filled with white clapboard buildings, boutique shops and, importantly, a very good ice-cream shop. We also found the Town Hall, which doubled as Amity Town Hall in Jaws.
Long Point Beach and the Gay Head Lighthouse
From Edgartown we drove through West Tisbury and down to Long Point Beach for a peaceful stroll along the sand.
Next was Aquinnah and another Jaws filming location: the striking Gay Head Lighthouse. Perched above colourful clay cliffs, the lighthouse dates back to 1799 (the current structure is from 1856) and offers sweeping ocean views. We spent over an hour here exploring the paths and browsing the small craft shops nearby.
Menemsha and the Scenic Route Back
We continued on to Menemsha, a small, picturesque fishing village with weather-beaten boats, lobster traps and traditional shingled houses. It was quiet, calm and very photogenic. From there we slowly worked our way back to Oak Bluffs, arriving around 5 p.m. to return the car.
The Ferry Back to Falmouth
We headed to the harbour to catch the 5:30 p.m. ferry back to the mainland. Being the last ferry of the day, the queue was huge, but we managed to shuffle ourselves near the front and found seats inside — a wise decision, as the temperature had dropped and the sea breeze was biting.
We both agreed on the walk back to the motel that Martha’s Vineyard hadn’t quite lived up to the glossy reputation. Pleasant? Yes. Pretty in parts? Definitely. But it didn’t quite have the magic we expected. An English couple we chatted to felt exactly the same.
Evening in Falmouth
Nothing was planned for dinner, so after changing we walked back into town. We ended up in a sports bar where we ordered the biggest pizza in America — honestly, it was enormous. It wasn’t the best, and the pub smelled heavily of fried food, so after two slices I admitted defeat and had it boxed up.
We salvaged the evening by walking back to Añejo Mexican Bistro — our favourite from the night before — for a couple of margaritas before heading back to the motel for an early night. Tomorrow we move on to The Hamptons.
Day 12 – Boston to Falmouth: Coastal Detours, Plymouth Rock and Proper Scones
Day 14 – Falmouth to The Hamptons: Diners, Murder Houses and a Sunset Ferry to Long Island
