A Local’s Top Five Tips for Visiting Martha’s Vineyard

by Robin Harper

Having lived on Martha’s Vineyard for almost thirty years, I could give you a long, long, long laundry list of things to do, where to stay, best places to eat and more for your island summer vacation. In the interest of time, I thought I’d narrow it down to the REALLY important stuff. Here’s the skinny:

1. Cash is King

While many of the restaurants, stores and shops on the island accept credit cards, there are still many that are CASH ONLY, particularly the coffee shops, pizza places and ice cream parlors. You don’t know how many times I’ve stood in line for my iced coffee and heard the person in front of me ask “You take cards right?” only to be turned away left only with a look of complete bafflement. So if you’re hankering for a latte or taking the kids out for a cone, make sure to hit the ATM first.

2. Gas is MUY expensive out here

A gallon of gas on Martha’s Vineyard is typically around 50 cents to almost a dollar more expensive than the national average, so be prepared to spend a little more to fuel up than you do at home. The cheapest gas on the island can usually be found at Up-Island Automotive on State Road in West Tisbury (across from the Grange Hall). There are also two Shell stations that accept Stop & Shop discount cards – at Depot Market on Upper Main Street Edgartown and Tisbury Shell on Beach Road in Vineyard Haven.

3. The Bus is Boss

If you really want to save money on gas, the island’s public bus system is a great way to get around the island, particularly if you’re only visiting for a few days. The VTA runs 7 days a week and has routes to all six island towns (click here to see Map). Bus passes are the most convenient and cost-effective way to go, then you don’t have to deal with that pesky exact change business and ride pretty much anywhere you want to go all day long. One day, three day and seven day passes may be purchased on the bus, at the Steamship Authority Terminals, or from ticket sellers at the Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven stops. Visit their website for more information.

4. Where to Pee

Unless you’re at a restaurant, the majority of shops and businesses on the island will NOT let you use their restroom. For those of you with children, you understand how important it is to know where the public potties are located. Here’s where you can find them by town:

Edgartown – Edgartown Visitor’s Center on Church Street (off Main Street, right across from the Old Whaling Church)

Vineyard Haven – Steamship Authority terminal on Water Street, also in the Stop and Shop parking lot across from the Steamship Authority.

Oak Bluffs – Steamship Authority terminal on Seaview Ave, on the harbor next to Our Market (across from the Wesley Hotel) and on Kennebec Avenue (just past Offshore Ale Company, across the street)

West Tisbury – Grange Hall building (next to the Town Hall)

Menemsha – Town Beach parking lot (across from Poole’s Fish Market)

Aquinnah – Just below the parallel parking spaces at the Cliffs

5. Get in Good with the Locals 

While we may moan and groan about the traffic, parking and long lines at the grocery store checkout, overall we locals appreciate and welcome our summer visitors. But there are a few things you can do to make sure we still like you when you leave.

– When you’re crossing the street, look both ways and then walk briskly when it’s your turn to go. Summer traffic is hard enough without people sauntering as slowly as possible across the crosswalks, taking pictures or fumbling with their maps. You’re on vacation, we are not…and we need to get to the bank!

– Carry in, Carry Out! Our island is beautiful and we work very hard to keep it so. Whether you’re on the beach, walking around town or hanging out at the park, littering is so not cool.

– While there are tons of bike paths all over the island, you may find yourself on a road without them, and most of them are pretty narrow, so be careful riding! If you are in a group, make sure to ride single file and be aware of the traffic behind you. If you rent a moped be aware that you are required to ride on the far right of the road and there is not a lot of space between you and the soft sand. Be careful and make sure you can handle one before renting.