Martha's Vineyard is an island roughly 11 kilometres off the southern coast of Cape Cod, accessible by ferry from Woods Hole. About 25 kilometres long and 16 kilometres wide, it has been one of New England's most popular summer destinations for over a century, drawing both old-money families and more recent celebrity residents — Barack Obama, the Clintons, and various Hollywood figures have all spent summers here.
The island divides into distinct parts. The Up-Island western end is rural and scenic, with the fishing town of Menemsha, wild beaches at Aquinnah (formerly Gay Head) with its famous coloured clay cliffs, and quiet back roads through stone walls and meadows. The Down-Island eastern end holds the three main towns: Vineyard Haven, the ferry terminus and year-round hub; Oak Bluffs, with its Victorian gingerbread cottages, a carousel from 1876, and a livelier, younger crowd; and Edgartown, the most refined, with Federal-period whaling captains' houses and a smart yacht harbour.
The island is most alive from Memorial Day through Labour Day; outside summer it is much quieter, with many businesses closed. Getting around without a car is possible using the seasonal bus system, but a bicycle or rental car expands your options considerably.