Items | Martha’s Vineyard: Iconic Cottages and Lighthouses
Martha’s Vineyard: Iconic Cottages and Lighthouses
Vineyard Haven
Important Information
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Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
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Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
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Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
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Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
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If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
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This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
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Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
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Welcome to Martha's Vineyard, the storied island off Cape Cod that has captivated visitors for generations with its windswept beaches and fiercely independent spirit. This self-guided tour takes you across the island's six unique towns, each with its own character. Begin in bustling Vineyard Haven, where ferries have delivered travelers since the whaling era, then explore Oak Bluffs and its fantastical Victorian gingerbread cottages painted in every color. Drive to elegant Edgartown, where sea captains' houses line streets unchanged since the 1800s. Journey west to witness the dramatic clay cliffs of Aquinnah, sacred to the Wampanoag people who have called this island home for over ten thous...
Highlights
8 hours
Offered in English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
8 hours
Offered in English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Self-guided driving and walking tour (app)
Digital Map
Enjoy audio guide access for more than 40 sites across Martha's Vineyard
Private transportation
Meeting Points
Departure
The Steamship Authority Vineyard Haven Terminal
The Steamship Authority ferry terminal in Vineyard Haven is the main meeting point for visitors to Martha's Vineyard. The terminal is steps from Vineyard Haven's Main Street shops and restaurants.
GPS Coordinates: 41.4535, -70.6036
Return
Martha’s Vineyard: Iconic Cottages and Lighthouses
Vineyard Haven
About
Welcome to Martha's Vineyard, the storied island off Cape Cod that has captivated visitors for generations with its windswept beaches and fiercely independent spirit. This self-guided tour takes you across the island's six unique towns, each with its own character. Begin in bustling Vineyard Haven, where ferries have delivered travelers since the whaling era, then explore Oak Bluffs and its fantastical Victorian gingerbread cottages painted in every color. Drive to elegant Edgartown, where sea captains' houses line streets unchanged since the 1800s. Journey west to witness the dramatic clay cliffs of Aquinnah, sacred to the Wampanoag people who have called this island home for over ten thous...
Highlights
8 hours
Offered in English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
8 hours
Offered in English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Self-guided driving and walking tour (app)
Digital Map
Enjoy audio guide access for more than 40 sites across Martha's Vineyard
Private transportation
Meeting Points
Departure
The Steamship Authority Vineyard Haven Terminal
The Steamship Authority ferry terminal in Vineyard Haven is the main meeting point for visitors to Martha's Vineyard. The terminal is steps from Vineyard Haven's Main Street shops and restaurants.
GPS Coordinates: 41.4535, -70.6036
Return
Itinerary
1
Main Street
Begin your tour on the main street of this working harbor town, where independent bookshops, art galleries, and the historic Capawock Theater give the village an unpretentious, year-round character. Unlike other island towns, Vineyard Haven was a dry town until 2019, reflecting its practical seafaring roots.
1 hour
2
Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association
Walk through the Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association grounds to see over 300 brightly painted Victorian cottages arranged in concentric circles around the Tabernacle. Built in the 1860s and 1870s as summer revival tents evolved into permanent structures, these tiny ornate houses are one of the most remarkable architectural collections in America.
30 minutes
3
Flying Horses Carousel
Ride the oldest operating platform carousel in America, built in 1876 and designated a National Historic Landmark. Located in Oak Bluffs near the harbor, the hand-carved wooden horses have real horsehair manes and glass eyes. Riders try to grab the brass ring for a free ride — a tradition spanning nearly 150 years.
4
East Chop Lighthouse
Drive to the bluffs of East Chop in Oak Bluffs to see this cast-iron lighthouse built in 1878. Perched high on Telegraph Hill, it offers sweeping views of Vineyard Sound, Nantucket Sound, and Cape Cod in the distance. The surrounding neighborhood of grand Victorian summer homes reflects the island's Gilded Age heritage.
1 hour
5
Edgartown
Explore the most elegant town on the island, where fortunes made from the 19th-century whaling industry built the stately white Federal and Greek Revival homes lining Water Street and North Water Street. The harbor is filled with sailboats, and the Edgartown lighthouse stands at the end of a sandy walkway.
1 hour
6
Edgartown Lighthouse
Walk out along the harbor beach to this iconic white lighthouse that has guided ships into Edgartown Harbor since 1828. The current structure dates to 1939 and was moved to its present location in 2007. Climb to the top for panoramic views of the harbor, Chappaquiddick Island, and the outer beach.
7
Chappaquiddick Island
Take the tiny On Time ferry across the narrow channel to Chappaquiddick, a quiet island off the island. Visit Mytoi, a serene Japanese-style garden maintained by the Trustees of Reservations, set in a pine and oak forest with a koi pond and arched bridge. The island also offers access to pristine barrier beaches.
30 minutes
8
Katama Beach (South Beach)
Drive south from Edgartown to this three-mile stretch of Atlantic-facing barrier beach, the island's most popular surf beach. The waves here are stronger than the calmer north-shore beaches, making it a favorite for bodyboarders. The left side faces the protected Katama Bay, offering calm water for families.
1 hour
9
West Tisbury Farmer's Market
Stop in the rural heart of the island at West Tisbury, where the famous Wednesday and Saturday farmers market draws crowds to the historic Grange Hall. Across the road, the Field Gallery's whimsical white dancing sculptures by Thomas Maley have become one of the island's most beloved and photographed sights.
1 hour
10
Menemsha
Visit this tiny fishing village in Chilmark that feels frozen in time, with weathered shingle shacks, lobster traps stacked on the docks, and fishing boats bobbing in the protected harbor. Menemsha is famous for its spectacular sunsets and fresh seafood — grab a lobster roll from Larsen's Fish Market and watch the sun sink into Vineyard Sound.
