History buffs, nature lovers, seafood aficionados — for all of them, as well as travelers who just enjoy iconic American vacation destinations, Martha’s Vineyard is an ideal choice for groups.
This small island and onetime whaling hub is located 7 miles off the Massachusetts coast, and while there aren’t any vineyards on Martha’s Vineyard, there is plenty of fine wine to be found in the island’s award-winning restaurants. Before it was called Martha’s Vineyard, the Wampanoag Native American Tribe called the island Noepe, meaning “land between the streams,” until British explorer Bartholomew Gosnold rebranded it in 1602 for his daughter and the wild grapes that tangled along the island’s 125 miles of coast.
From the early 1700s to the mid-1850s, whaling provided the economic engine for Martha’s Vineyard, as it did for much of coastal New England. But in the modern era, it was a great white shark that put the island on the map, when the 1975 film “Jaws” electrified audiences and made some beach-bound tourists terrified to enter the water.
Erica Ashton, executive director for the island’s chamber of commerce, has been walking the island’s beaches since childhood.
“I’ve been coming here from the time I was 6, and there was just something that always pulled me back,” she said. “We actually have six towns, and the island is a beautiful place that people come back to year after year. I think it’s one of those places where if people come once, they get that magical spell, and they’re like, ‘This is where I need to come.’ There are obviously stunning beaches and a vibrant local culture. But this is a place where you can smell the salt air and feel the sand between your toes, and you can really kind of just exhale and relax.”
Tours allow groups to get a general overview of the island before striking out on their own or to dive deep into a particular interest, like walking tours of Edgartown’s historic architecture — including the grand Old Whaling Church — or filming locations from Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster “Jaws.” Whales are seldom seen in the surrounding waters, but a sailboat charter or kayak excursion is a great way to experience the sea, and three of the island’s five lighthouses are easily accessible and open to the public.
“Up-Island”
Groups can also tour the “up-island” villages of West Tisbury, Chilmark, Menemsha and Aquinnah on the island’s western shore.
“Menemsha really feels like you’ve stepped back in time,” Ashton said. “There are working fish boats that line the harbor, and people are bringing in their daily catches and unloading them at the docks. You can walk down to the beach and enjoy these spectacular sunsets — probably some of the best on the East Coast. It’s tradition to applaud, and catching a sunset is a way to truly capture the spirit of Martha’s Vineyard.”
The island’s identity as a seasonal resort started in 1835, when Methodists established the nation’s first summer religious camp there, pitching nine tents on a half-acre parcel. Now a National Historic Landmark, the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association eventually grew to 34 acres, and the pedestrian-friendly site boasts an 1879 cast iron tabernacle and more than 300 ornate candy-colored “gingerbread” cottages that supplanted the original canvas tents.
Accessible only by ferry, boat or plane, the island attracts a see-and-be-seen crowd that includes former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama and Hollywood headliners like Bill Murray, Reese Witherspoon, Spike Lee and Michael J. Fox. But visitors with less-than-Leo-DiCaprio name recognition who don’t use “summer” as a verb won’t feel out of place in the Vineyard’s low-key boutiques, galleries and eateries, where sandals, shorts and relaxed weekend wear are the order of the day. Groups won’t find malls, big restaurant and hotel chains, or traffic lights — although Leo might be queueing up for chowder at The Wharf Pub, fried clams at The Quarterdeck or apple fritter ice cream at Mad Martha’s.
Iconic Experiences
Seafood is a New England staple, and no visit is complete without experiencing a classic clambake. Options range from cook-your-own to casual buffets and white-linen affairs, leaving happy guests stuffed with local lobsters, clams, mussels, corn, potatoes and sausages. Groups of up to 20 can board Cottage City Oyster’s 31-foot tour boat, Leeward, and embark on an educational visit to the oyster farms, where shuckers will prepare a floating raw bar of fresh-from-the-sea bivalves accompanied by cocktail sauce, hot sauces and lemons. Water is included, but groups are welcome to bring their favorite drinks, like locally brewed craft beers from Offshore Ale Company or Bad Martha Farmer’s Brewery. While four of the island’s six towns are “dry,” most establishments encourage guests to bring their own alcoholic beverages.
For a small island, the Vineyard boasts abundant opportunities for appreciating nature, with 30% of the land designated for conservation. Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary has nearly 200 acres and miles of trails winding through salt marsh, ponds, meadows and shoreline. Birders will find more than 300 species of birds, including herons, egrets, osprey, warblers, woodpeckers, peregrine falcons and hawks. Harbor and gray seals haul up on beaches and sandbars. For the safety of visitors and wildlife alike, groups should admire the seals from at least 50 yards away and never approach pups.
Artists have long been attracted to Martha’s Vineyard, and painters, photographers, potters, glassblowers and more create and display their wares in the island’s many art centers, galleries and studios. The calendar is packed with festivals and performances throughout the year, including three film festivals, a book series with internationally renowned authors, and festivities centered around jazz, dance, kites, fireworks and Native American crafts. During July and August, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse stages weekly Shakespeare performances at the Tisbury Amphitheatre.
Summer is peak season, but groups visiting in cooler months will find a welcoming (and less-crowded) enclave with plenty of activities and adventures.
“When you come here, you can really slow down, and you can connect,” Ashton said. “To me, that’s something that’s truly authentic about this place. Martha’s Vineyard is a very special place. And when people come, they seem to always want to come back.”
