A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

Martha’s Vineyard & Me: A Love Affair

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I know I travel a lot, and that it often looks like all I do while on the road is vacation—bear in mind, I’m my own best marketer, producer of a well-curated highlights reel of my own life—but the majority of trips I take are typically work-related. So it was doubly nice being on pure uninterrupted vacation in Massachusetts last month: going somewhere not on an assignment or campaign, staying in a friend’s house that I neither had to review or do a site inspection of, logging off my laptop for the majority of the trip, no meetings on the docket, just girl time and the opportunity kick up my feet and relax.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

Because Angie, Alex and I did plenty of that over the course of three days. I rarely travel this way anymore; it was ideal, it was perfect.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

Which could be precisely why Martha’s Vineyard was one of my favorite vacations I’ve taken in years. Make that ever.

While I’d been fortunate enough to visit for a quick day back in 2011, I didn’t really have enough time to get a feel or context for the Vineyard prior to this trip. Alex told me I would love it, and given that we share a disposition for Zumba, diving, inversions, and pretty much anything precarious, active or downright insane, I figured she knew me well enough to suss out my destination preferences, too.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

She was absolutely spot on.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

Truth be told, a dedicated New England summer vacation had simply never occurred to me when plotting out adventures in the past. Even during the stint I lived in New York, I was jetting off every chance I could get: to California to see my long-distance beau (now husband), to Florida for summer trips with my family, to Tennessee for 500 weddings a year, to Europe for assignments whenever I could get them.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

My Vineyard vacation made me realize that, in a sense, I wasted those years living in New York by always trying to, well, get out of New York.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

For as long as I’ve traveled, I’ve been more of the bikini-on-the-beach, stay-immersed-in-the-water kind of traveler. I like cities, sure, but what I really want is warm weather, a drink in my hand, the ability to lay out for eight hours at a time (with the help of SPF 30, of course).

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

Martha’s Vineyard is not necessarily that place—OK, other than the whole drink-in-hand part of the equation (we did plenty of that).

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard
A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard
A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

While Alex tells me there are stretches in the summer when it’s warm enough to tip-toe in, other than few hours when the sun came out on the Saturday of our long weekend on the Vineyard, it was barely warm enough to remove our cardigans.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

And you know what? That was actually fine by me. After the stifling 100+ degree heat we’ve had in Tennessee all summer, the brisk Massachusetts air felt refreshing, welcoming even.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play
A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

But, more importantly, I know you’re wanting to know what all we ate and drank, right? Do I know you guys or what?

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

Alex has a much more comprehensive guide to Martha’s Vineyard on her site, but here are some of my favorites as a total newbie:

Eat + Drink

Slice of Life. This quaint cafe on Circuit Avenue was our first stop on the Vineyard after arriving on Friday afternoon. Our stomachs rumbling, Slice of Life was the perfect lunch spot with plenty of seating, quick and friendly service, and a bevy of sandwich, salad and soup options (a turkey Reuben and truffle fries for me, please).

Art Cliff Diner. This elevated diner concept is one of the island’s most popular spots. As such, we didn’t even try to go on a weekend—Alex says the lines are long and undesirable—and saved it for a Monday morning instead. It’s got all your typical diner dishes, like heavy egg combos, omelets and hashes, in addition to fancier fare like crepes, but I opted for the peanut butter, fluff and banana panini and was not regretting my decision one bit.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

State Road. This is one of her go-to spots on the island and she said she just knew we’d love it, too. And indeed we did. This farm-to-table West Tisbury joint combined a big-city restaurant experience with the charm of a bucolic setting right smack in the middle of the island.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

I had the Sunday Hash with two eggs over easy, arugula, sourdough toast and homemade preserves. I would go back to State Road for brunch again in a heartbeat, and dinner, too—it was so fresh and so good, and the service was divine.
A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

The Red Cat Kitchen. The Red Cat Kitchen was the only dinner we ate out; the other two we dined in at our gingerbread house. The restaurant describes itself as whipping up “soulful cuisine,” and the menu is peppered with surf and turf options such as pork rib chop, pan-roasted halibut and “big-ass scallops.” I had a fried chicken meal that was excellent, but truth be told, we didn’t have the best service experience. Alex had made a reservation, but when we arrived, we were seated on the porch, where it was so so hot out there, despite the 50 degrees outside, that we all about melted and were downright miserable for part of it. We waited to get moved inside, but it never happened. But if you can nab an indoor table, you’re in for a treat.

Sharky’s Cantina. Sharky’s is not where you settle in for a fancy meal, it’s where you go for margaritas the size of your head and to indulge your Mexican whims. While it’s no fine-dining and it’s a tad pricey for what it is, it’s also super fun and a must-experience for any first-timers to the Vineyard.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard
A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard
A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard

We did not have enough time—or stomach space—to try the following restaurants, which were all on the short list, as well: 20byNine, Biscuits, Atria Cellar, Porto Pizza, Smoke n’ Bones, Down Island and Back Door Donuts (the line was insane!). Other than a late night at the Lampost, we also got a bit lazy when it came to heading out for cocktails—plus, Alex came armed and ready with a full case of wine—so we didn’t make it to Port Hunter, Beetlebung or The Shanty, which were all on our initial itinerary, too.

Other things I did not try: lobster ice cream. I’ll leave it at that.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

Explore

Oak Bluffs. We made our base in Alex’s mom’s house in the charming 300-home Campground of Oak Bluffs, and I loved the walkability of the entire town; there are so many places to eat and shop that we simply couldn’t squeeze them all into three days. This would be my first choice for a place to stay if given the option. Bonus: The main car ferry arrives in and departs from the heart of downtown.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play
A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

Edgartown. There’s no better way to describe Edgartown than “Instagrammable from every angle.” Following the Campground of Oak Bluffs, it is, without a doubt, the (second) cutest part of the Vineyard. And don’t even get me started with the shopping–let’s just say, I came home with two new dresses and a trio of necklaces (and nothing cost me more than $100 either, shockingly).

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play
A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

Vineyard Haven. Vineyard Haven is the next sizable town over from Oak Bluffs, and we went there to do a little retail therapy, see a movie and get our workout on at the gym. It’s definitely worth a couple hours of exploration, whether you’re staying nearby or not (there’s also another ferry option that arrives and departs from there).

Stay

Summercamp Hotel. If you aren’t fortunate enough to nab one of the six weeks a year that Kathryn rents out her gingerbread cottage, then I’d highly suggest checking out the whimsical Summercamp right in the heart of Oak Bluffs. We swung by to see some of Alex’s friends who happened to be on the Vineyard at the same time we were, and I wanted to move into this bright-and-airy themed hotel.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play
A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play
A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

Do

Due to the weather, the “do” portion of our itinerary was constantly in flux. We couldn’t really go to the beach because of the rain. We opted not to ride bikes around East Chop due to the irritable skies. It was too foggy to see the Aquinnah Cliffs. We missed our Cape Poge Lighthouse tour because they had the wrong time listed on their site.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

But the weather and change of plans didn’t matter one bit. We still had a blast.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

What we did do was a little fitness—Zumba at the Mansion House and yoga at Yoga Barn were both great fun—a Jane Austen movie complete with an emcee at the charming MV Film Center, a bit of shopping—check out Alley’s General Store in West Tisbury, Portobello Road in Edgartown and basically every boutique in Vineyard Haven—and a tad bit of eating. OK, A LOT of eating.

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play
A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

You could also check out the Not Your Sugar Mamas Chocolate Factory. While we didn’t actually take the tour, I did stock up on plenty of their raw chocolate bars to bring home with me. I’m also a bit sad I didn’t head over to Bad Martha’s Brewery, which will be the first stop I make upon my return.

Shop/eat/drink local, y’all.

As I previously mentioned, three days was nowhere near enough to really experience the Vineyard. Thus, I’m already planning our Luna family vacation up there for a full week next summer.
A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

So MV veterans, what must I absolutely put on our to-do list next time around?

A Girlfriend Getaway to Martha's Vineyard: Where to Eat, Stay, Drink and Play

COMMENTS
  • July 8, 2016
    Lisa Miller

    Somewhere around 27 years ago, my dad did a LOT of work on multi-million dollar houses on the island. I look at your pictures and wonder if he worked on any of those particular places. 🙂

    • July 8, 2016

      That’s so cool, Lisa! Now I’m curious what side of the island he worked on. For so many old houses, there was actually still a lot of construction going on when I was there just last month.

  • July 8, 2016
    Kristabella

    Ahhhh! I loved MV! We stayed in Edgartown and went to Sharky’s and then went to this awesome dive bar in Oak Bluffs, The Ritz! It had karaoke and it was packed and so much fun. I also suggest 20by9 if you like whiskey. It’s a cute little place.

  • July 8, 2016

    This makes me so happy to read! It also makes me a little sad that we accomplished so little on our to do (and to eat!) lists but hey, you are already planning a return trip so I guess I did something right 😉

    I guess when travel writers go on vacation… they really want to just, you know, vacation!

    • July 10, 2016

      Don’t be sad! It was the perfect chill weekend we ALL needed. And then I’ll just have something to look forward to on my return trip (when we overlap, duh) next summer 😉

  • July 9, 2016

    I hope this is your last post about this place for now. I’m stuck in the Netherlands this summer due to my move and even though my little country is beautiful and I’m excited to explore it some more, the houses look nothing like those in Martha’s Vineyard. I think I have a house crush!

  • July 9, 2016

    Me too. I love the houses absolutely. Am always on the look out for structures with a twist or a surprising palette and this one is so pretty. I wonder if there is anything at all to munch on though for a veggie like me 🙂

  • July 10, 2016

    Your trip looked so fun but can we just stop a minute and talk about your photography?! It’s BEAUTIFUL! Tell me your secrets! 🙂

    Alaina | http://www.pumpsandpineapples.com

  • July 11, 2016

    This sounds like EXACTLY the kind of vacation I would like!

    xox

  • July 11, 2016

    Your photos are great! I’m in the NYC metro area and always see flight deals for Martha’s Vineyard. I’m running out of excuses not to get up there. Like when you were living around here I’m always looking to go farther when there’s destinations nearby worth the visit.

    • May 5, 2017
      Lindsay

      Also in the NYC area with a MV cottage – you ever want to rent, let me know! 🙂

  • July 11, 2016

    Martha’s Vineyard looks absolutely stunning! I’m sold!

  • July 15, 2016

    Nothing beats a girlfriend getaway – a fun destination is just icing on the cake!

  • July 17, 2016

    I’ve never really had any desire to visit MV, at least in the summer when it seems like there are a million people. I am more like the beach-in-the-middle-of-the-winter kind of girl. I would totally love to stay in that adorable house in February!

  • July 28, 2016

    Impressive information with such nice photos. Thanks for share such amazing post. Sydney air ticket

  • October 5, 2016

    Great post, this is perfect vacation of there. This is excellent blog posts.

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