I’ve been pretty busy at work lately, so haven’t had much of a chance to post, but I wanted to put a few pictures up from my family’s recent trip to Martha’s Vineyard. Living in New England, Martha’s Vineyard is just a short drive away, so we decided to spend Columbus Day weekend there. We rented a house, and the rain held out until the last afternoon, so although we were there for a short time it turned out to be a really relaxing vacation!
I’ve never stayed overnight at MV so I was looking forward to it. We decided to stay in a house near Oak Bluffs, which is probably my favorite town on the island. Our house was about a mile away from town, so after doing that walk once, we decided to rent bikes.
Martha’s Vineyard has some great biking trails that run along the ocean, and that day was 70 and sunny – perfect.
My mother is obsessed with lighthouses, so the first thing we did was bike to Edgartown, about 5 miles away from Oak Bluffs. My parents took the bus. Lighthouses are very pretty, although all the New England ones pretty much look the same.
Biking in MV felt much harder this time. I’m not sure it’s because of the high fall winds, or because I’m out of shape. Probably the latter…anyway………after spending a few hours in Edgartown and eating some ice cream, we biked back to Oak Bluffs, ate dinner, and then called it a day. The next day we returned our bikes and upgraded to a Jeep – baller!
With four wheels, we could get around the whole island, so of course, our first stop was another lighthouse (WHY).
We then drove to the other side of the island to do some hiking in the Menemsha Hills Reservation. It was a short hike with a really nice view, plus we got to climb to the highest point on the island (artificially made with a pile of rocks!)
We then went to get some seafood from Larsen’s and Menemsha Fish Market – great stuff!
We spent the afternoon touring Chappaquidick, where Ted Kennedy famously drove off a bridge (his companion drowned). Controversy! My parents for some really wanted to see the bridge. As you can see, I needed some rest from a heavy day of driving.
We ended the day with some great eating experiences. First, we went to Red Cat, which was an excellent restaurant in Oak Bluffs (forgot the camera though, sorry!). Then we waited in line at “Backdoor donuts”, where they essentially sell fresh donuts and apple fritters from 730 PM – 1 AM every night. They were QUITE good.
Before we knew it, it was time to go back to the mainland. Martha’s Vineyard obliged with one final beautiful morning as we boarded the ferry to go back to reality.
Sometimes, it’s unfeasible to really get away. I couldn’t use points to pay for any of this trip, but it was a great little break from the hecticness of work, and a perfect start to fall. The best part was Martha’s wasn’t as crowded as when we usually go, which illustrates an important point: if you don’t mind it, going in shoulder season can get you some great deals and some great experiences. Can’t wait to go back!
Glad to know you had a good time with your family. Quite a few pictures you show appear familiar. In our last trip to MV we might go to the same places as you did this time. We didn’t bike or drive. We either walked or took the bus.