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Step 1
Moshup Beach is a real find! Located below the Aquinnah Cliffs, it is one of the Martha's Vineyard's best kept secrets.
This may not be a secret long because the Travel Channel named it the "Best Walking Beach" and even said that it was #6 overall in the United States. Walking on that beach is peaceful and you will feel totally refreshed after you have been there. It is like having a private beach, a real getaway.
There is soft, white sand underfoot. Look up at the stunning, colorful cliffs above. Listen to the ospreys and swallows flying high above the cliffs. You should probably also know that one-half of the beach is a nude beach. That is beyond the bigger boulders. Moshup Beach is such a well-kept secret, though, that you may see no one at all there. -
Step 2
Martha's Vineyard is great for Quahogging. Quahogging is clamming for these clams that make the best chowder imaginable. Quahogging is a relaxing activity in the shallow "ponds" of the island. You can talk to residents and long-time visitors to get the best recipes. There is nothing better than coming off the beach and having a cup or bowl of chowder that you made yourself.
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Step 3
Menemsha, a small fishing village in at the western end of Martha's Vineyard is another one of my favorite spots on the island. Check out Larsen's Seafood and see about getting yourself some cooked lobsters and fresh-shucked oysters or oysters on the half shell. Take these to the beach and you have got it made.
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Step 4
You can ride a bike just about everywhere on the Island. Cycling is an accepted mode of travel and you will be amazed at how free you will feel cycling to most places you want to go. Stay on the paved bike paths in season. You can rent bikes at Wheel Happy in Edgartown or at several other shops in Vineyard Haven near the ferry terminal.
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Step 5
Chicama Vineyards is a good place to go for a vineyard tour and wine tasting. Chicama is in West Tisbury. The names they chose for their wines are irresistible. The red wines are named Oceanus, Summer Island Red, and Merlot.
In addition to their white wine Chenin Blanc, they have white wines named Cranberry Satin, Viognier, and Hurricane Chardonnay. The Mathieson family has operated the Chicama Vineyards for three generations and they will help you select your wine to pair with a particular meal at home, for a special occasion, or perhaps to take to the beach to enjoy while you watch the sun set. -
Step 6
Be sure to take in the charm of Oak Bluffs, a distinctive area of Martha's Vineyard.
There is nothing is finer than a cold beer at the Lookout Tavern. Just beyond the porch is a great view of the ships and yachts going by. That is one of the best ways to relax and let the wonders of the island soothe your spirit.
Dinner time? I like the Coop de Ville at the Dockside Market Place in Oak Bluffs . You can get a traditional New England clambake menu, lobster rolls, steamers, fish and chips, fried clams and steamed native lobster. Haven't had a lobster roll? Your trip isn't complete without one. -
Step 7
Also in Oak Bluffs, look into the Offshore Ale Company for seafood gumbo, local oysters, or grilled steaks and burgers. Sometimes, all we wanted was a pizza, so we'd get their brick oven pizza.
There can be a lot of tourists in season in Oak Bluffs. Cars, pedestrians, cyclists. It gets crazy with all those people looking at the gingerbread-trimmed houses and going in and out of shops. One of my highlights there is the antique carousel. It is the oldest operating carousel in the country and it is registered as a National Historical Landmark. Kids and adults love that carousel. You can even go for the brass ring.
Comments
soanyway said
on 3/22/2009 What great tips and adventures! I would like to see pictures too! I have recomn'd you
acole said
on 8/1/2008 Good. Thanks!