Summer is here and one of the biggest draws to beautiful Martha’s Vineyard for a summer vacation is the breath-taking beaches. So once you’ve arrived at your Martha’s Vineyard Bed and Breakfast, unpacked your bags, thrown on the shorts and applied the sun lotion here’s where we would recommend that you head.
Long Point Beach, Martha’s Vineyard
Long Point Beach
This is a simply stunning beach in West Tisbury. Open year-round to the public and located on the other side of a large wildlife refuge. On the one side is the sandy beach that runs between South Beach and Chilmark and boasts Atlantic waves crashing onto the white sand and on the other side a calm, fresh water lake for swimming with younger kids. There is kayaking and paddle-boarding available. In summer there is parking for 100 cars and in winter for 30 cars. If walking or biking please note that its a 1.9 mile route through the wildlife refuge to get to the beach, but well worth the journey. For wildlife enthusiasts there are birds galore and nesting ospreys. The refuge is also a great place for hiking.
State Road Beach
Stretching from Oak Bluffs to Edgartown this is a long calm cove. Free parking is available along the road but this is a very popular and accessible beach so parking fills early. This is where to head if you want the rite of passage of leaping off the infamous “Jaws” bridge. Behind the beach is Sengekontacket Lake, which is a great spot for wind-surfing.
Tashmoo Beach, Vineyard Haven
Tashmoo Town Beach
This is another public beach where the journey is worth undertaking. Access is via a 1.5 mile non-paved road off Franklin Street by the side of Mink Meadows golf course. The drive or bike ride will take you past beach houses perched perilously on the dunes. There is very limited parking at the beach. There is a lifeguard. Here you can chose between the waves in the Sound or the calmer water of Tashmoo Lake. Looking across the inlet you get a great view of “Chip-Chop”, a famous celebrity owned house here on the island. The inlet is also a great spot for fishing.
South Beach (Katama Beach)
This is another easily accessible and very popular public beach. Located in Edgartown it draws in crowds for its excellent surf and its long beach. Families tend to go to the left on the beach and the rowndier groups and college kids go to the right.
Lucy Vincent Beach, Chilmark
Lucy Vincent Beach
In season (mid-June to September) this beach is only accessible to Chilmark residents. It’s extremely scenic with rock and sandstone formations. Great for long walks and shell collecting. It has a nudist section if you feel like letting it all hang out.
Lobsterville Beach
Public beach but where parking is for resident parking only. The tip here is to leave the car and take the short hop on the bike ferry from Menemsha Harbor. Fairly calm Sound side water and beautiful dunes.
Moshup Beach
A very uncrowded public beach up in Aquinnah. A lot of surfers will hang out at this beach for its consistently good surfing conditions. It has the beautiful Aquinnah cliffs as its back-drop.
Squibnocket Beach, Chilmark
Squibnocket Beach
In summer this is a residents’ only beach for Chilmark residents. However off-season its open to all and worth visiting for its rock formations and great surf. You may even bump into local resident Bill Murray.
Owen Park Beach
The perfect spot to sit on the sand with a glass of wine and watch the ferries and yachts go in and out of Vineyard Haven. Walkable from Nobnocket Boutique Inn.
East Beach, Cape Pogue
East Beach (Cape Pogue)
Located On Chappaquiddick this is a public beach and is spectacular. It is a long deserted beach (often even in summer) with waves crashing o the miles of sandy beach. To walk to the top of Cape Pogue is to feel like you’ve reached the end of the earth. An experience for the soul.