OT: Martha's Vineyard

[pjmsj21]

My wife and I have four nights to spend seeing Martha's Vineyard in early June. Being west coasters, we have already spent some time on Nantucket and a day on Block Island and would like to experience MV. Ideally we would like to not bring a car and rent a cottage with kitchen and rent some bikes as our main form of transportation.

Thus we are looking for suggestions as which area/town we should select as our base and any other suggestions for experiencing what the island has to offer.

[kmla320]

My wife rents a house in Edgartown in July for a week but we bring a car.The wife and daughters go to the beach.I ride the bike for 3 to 5 hrs a day. We take the ferry from Wood's Hole to either Oak's Bluff or Vineyard Haven. Edgartown Bikes does rentals,not sure what type( road or hybrid).Lot's of bike paths on the Island.No big hills to speak of.South Beach is easy to get to on the bikes but is near Edgartown.Best bet I think is to look at a map of the Island,then take a cab to the rental to get set up then go to the bike rental shop on the bus which goes around the entire Island.
With baskets on the bikes going to the grocery store shouldn,t be a problem.
I think Edgartown would be your best bet.Restaurants,beach,Groceries,movies
coffee with wi-fi,library all a close.60 miles will get you around the Island on a bike.State and North road ( east west) and South road(also east west) are
probably the busiest roads on the Island but are still safe for biking.

[feds127]

The ferries arrive in Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven. You can also catch a taxi or bus to Edgartown fairly easily if that's where you choose to stay. A b&b/hotel/rental in Edgartown will cost significantly more than in the other two towns. You can rent bikes in any of these three towns. The island is pretty small so getting around isn't all that difficult.

[godfrey1112000]

I have been going to MVY since 1999

I too would suggest Edgartown for the first trip,

I have been staying in West Tisbury for the last 6 years, the beach at Lambert's Cove is the best on the Island.

Depending on your budget and time frame renting a car at the Airport you arrive my be about the same, one load up and one unload each way,

the ferry R/T is under $200 if you do not come in over a F/S or Sun the ferry should be no problem with a car,

coming from the WC I do recommend you leave on the first flight out, I can tell you a story about last flights out of the Pac timezone that will curl your hair and miss a ferry.

If you are not bringing your own bike Edgartown Cycling is the best rental for road bikes, last year was an impressive fleet of Felt's and Scotts
Pricey but it is only money bring your helmet, shoes and pedals and your in business

Now for riding the Island, I have gone approximately 80+ miles a day without crossing over, the sun in eary to mid june comes up at 545-530am so you can get your work in by 10-1030 and be on the beach by 1115am

Things you should do:
1. Sun set at Gay Head
2. Dinner at the Net Result
3. Lobster Roll Dinner at the Methodist Church in Vineyard Haven
4. A day at Lambert's Cove Beach, might cost you a $10 day pass
5. A night out in edgartown
6. Several 4-5 star dining places but, I cook my own Swordfish every night

PM me and we can chat more but MVY is the place

[quansoo]

I've been going to the Vineyard since 1975.

Of the three down Island towns, Edgartown would also be my choice as a base. (Down Island is the eastern end of the Vineyard. Because the prevailing wind is generally SW, the eastern end is down wind. Down Island is closest to the mainland, where the ferries come in, and where the three biggest towns are). The Hob Nob Inn in Edgartown has a room or two with a kitchen, as does the cheaper place across the street, the name of which escapes me at the moment.

I'm an up Island guy. It's quiet, but that's one of the things I love about the Vineyard. Riding is better too - much less traffic. It's also dry - no alcohol - so you have to buy in Edgartown or Oak Bluffs if you're heading up Island either to stay or for dinner and would like refreshments. For a number of years we rented a place three miles down a dirt road in West Tisbury, on Tisbury Great Pond. It was idyllic, and very "old Vineyard." But it was a pain to get out of there to ride. Our new place is further up Island.

The Vineyard is much bigger than Nantucket, and way bigger than Block. Having a car might be worthwhile.

For breakfast: either the Dog (yeah, the Black Dog, of the ubiquitous t-shirts - I remember the place from years ago, before it was a theme park, but the food is still good) or the Art-Cliff Diner, both in Vineyard Haven. There is a great coffee place in Edgartown, Espresso Love, right behind Dukes County Courthouse on upper Main Street.

Lots of lunch places. Sandwiches at Back Alley's in West Tisbury. Sandwiches or pizza at the Chilmark Store. (Which is also a great place for an early morning coffee on the porch). Or ride up to Menemsha and get chowder at Larsen's Fish Market.

Dinner: Alchemy in Edgartown, Sweet Life in Oak Bluffs, take-out at the Home Port in Menemsha (bring the wine), Chilmark Tavern (if it opens this year; and bring the wine), or if you're feeling flush, the Outermost Inn in Aquinnah. The last is quite pricey, but it's also quite good (bring the wine).

For a place to rent, you might want to look at the local paper, the Vineyard Gazette, online. See mvgazette.com.

Don't know much about renting bikes. Cycleworks on State Road in Vineyard Haven has been there for more than thirty years and the owner John is a very nice guy who knows lots about bikes and lots about riding on the Vineyard.

Hope you enjoy it. But don't tell anybody.

[pjmsj21]

You guys are great.....any additional ideas are very welcomes as well. My wife gives me grief on occassion about reading this forum at least daily and I tell her it's really more than just bikes. Thanks!

Pat Mc