Things to do
Experience the Vineyard in an unforgettable adventure. The variety of enticing beaches, preserved sand dune landscapes, and spectacular sunsets are attractions in themselves, but Chappaquiddick offers many other adventures for those interested in exploring.
Beaches & Surf
Chappaquiddick is only about three miles long, so beaches on all sides are accessible within a few minutes. Our Rental Cottage is about a mile from the spectacular beaches of Wasque Point, Norton Point Beach, and Leland Beach and the Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge from Dyke Bridge. These beaches are perfect for shelling and beachcombing.
Explore the lists of all beaches on Martha’s Vineyard. Read more about the ecology of the island. Oversand permits are required for beach driving.
Surfing can be good at different times of the year, there are more spots on Martha’s Vineyard than on Chappaquiddick.
Swimming is always enjoyable and its safety and enjoyability depends on the weather.
Arts & Culture
Arts & Entertainment Stories in the Vineyard Gazette.
Self-guided arts tours of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
MVY Chamber Events Calendar.
Flying Horses Carousel located in Oak Bluffs. A family attraction for over 130 years, especially for rainy day fun. Built in 1876, it is America’s Oldest Carousel and a National Historic Landmark. 508.693.9481
Massachusetts Cultural Coast: A resource for historic events and attractions with specific listings for Martha’s Vineyard.
Aquinnah Cultural Center of the Wamapanoag Tribe of Gay Head. Learn about the Legends of Moshup as you enjoy the splendor of the National Historic Landmark at the Aquinnah Cliffs, Lighthouse and Moshup Beach.
Fishing & Shellfishing
Enjoy the renowned surfcast fishing along Chappy’s beaches. Share or read fishing stories from the Vineyard Gazette. The annual Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby runs in September and October. Eligible fish are Striped Bass, Bluefish, Bonito and False Albacore (Little Tunny).
There are many bait and tackle shops on Martha’s Vineyard to get all your fishing supplies.
Enjoy fishing charter boats such as North Shore Charters and Flashy Lady Charters both out of Menemsha.
For information about scalloping, clamming and all other shellfish questions, visit the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group’s website. For over twenty years this group has sought to preserve and expand the Island’s traditional shellfisheries. To get a shellfishing license, contact the town hall of the town you wish to shellfish in. To be legal to harvest, hard clams or quahogs must be at least 1 inch thick (from valve to valve).
Tours
Guided and self-guided natural history tours are provided by the Trustees of Reservations at these properties:
Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge: Travel by over-sand vehicle across the remote sands of Chappaquiddick to Cape Poge Lighthouse and beyond. Learn about barrier beach ecology, wildlife, and property history. 516 acres.
Mytoi Gardens: Explore an intimate Japanese-style garden offering natural serenity and meditative tranquility. This preserve contains a small pond and island with a bridge. Footpaths lead the walker through native and non-native flowers, trees and shrubs. 14 acres.
Norton Point Beach: A half mile of oversand-vehicle trails and 4.5 miles of walking trails and sandy roads in the upland area. 265 acres.
Wasque: The Natural History Tour by over-sand vehicle includes Wasque rip and part of Poucha Pond before going across the remote sands of Chappaquiddick to Cape Poge Lighthouse. Learn about the rare shorebirds and hawks like the piping plover, least tern, and northern harrier. Photograph egrets, herons, or the American oystercatcher. Discover unusual beach wildflowers. 200 acres.
Outdoor Adventures
Canoe/Kayak: Canoe and kayak rentals and tours are available from the Trustees of Reservations at the Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge.
Biking: Biking is one of the best ways to see the Island. With over 50 miles of bicycle paths on the Vineyard, along main streets, around the State Forest, or along the water. Bring your own or rent bikes from one of the many bicycle shops like the Edgartown Bike Rentals.
Birding: Read bird reports and stories from the Vineyard Gazette. Read more about the ecology of Chappaquiddick and the many bird populations.
Hiking: The Cross-Chappaquiddick Trail system, maintained by Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank, offers a six mile long trail system which opens your eyes to the variety of ecosystems on the island. Free and open to the public, the only thing to worry about are the hazards of ticks and poison ivy. From Wasque Point overlooking the Atlantic Ocean to a gentle grassy hill at Hickory Cove with an equally panoramic vista, the “Cross-Chappy Trail” takes about two and one half hours to walk one-way. The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank also hosts an annual Land Bank Cross-Island Hike on “the big island.”
Tennis: There are a variety of public and private tennis courts on Martha’s Vineyard. There are public town courts in Edgartown on Robinson Road; in Oak Bluffs on Niantic Ave at the Island Inn, and Beach Rd; in Vineyard Haven on Church St; and in West Tisbury on Old County Rd. Reservations are recommended and on-site sign-up may be available. The Vineyard Youth Tennis is a charitable organization that provides instructions to ages 4 – 18.
