“We call it The Vineyard.” 
Susan Branch

Martha’s Vineyard. I’ve heard so much about it through the years. Since everyone seemed to give the island rave reviews, I have always considered it to be one of those magical places I might visit some day. Well, yesterday was that day. After an all-night cruise on choppy water from Newport, Rhode Island, we woke up Tuesday morning on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. 

Our ship docked at Vineyard Haven. It was windy and raining when we went down to the dining room for breakfast, but by the time we got ourselves together to head out on a morning excursion, the rain had stopped. We boarded a local bus that took us to the town of Edgartown on the east end of the island. It was a quaint little community with New England-style homes, restaurants, coffee shops, and small boutique shops. We took a walk around town, then headed back to the bus stop.

On the ride back to the ship, we crossed the “Jaws bridge,” where some of the memorable scenes from the 1975 Jaws movie had been filmed. We also passed through the town of Oak Bluffs, a community known for its “gingerbread houses.” Dozens of small homes, which look amazingly similar to actual gingerbread houses, lined the roadway. Because we were running short on time, we opted not to stop in Oak Bluffs, but to return to the ship on time for lunch.

In the afternoon, Kathy took a bus tour of the island. I decided to stay on-board to do a little research on the island and the small communities located here. Apparently, I missed out on an excellent excursion which included visits to three lighthouses. 

By late afternoon, the temperature was 80º with 80% humidity. Yuk! I was grateful to spend the afternoon researching and writing in the air-conditioned Chesapeake Room on the ship. The venue offers stunning views of the Vineyard Haven Harbor. The room also happens to be where fresh-baked cookies are set out at 3:00 each day. (The challenge is real!)

I snapped the photo above at 6:25 this morning from the balcony of our stateroom on the American Star. What a great way to start a new day.

There’s no question that Martha’s Vineyard offers a unique blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. The architecture of the homes and buildings on the island is charming. The people we met along the way were kind and hospitable. Despite all this, my thoughts at the end of the day were reminiscent of what crosses my mind whenever I travel to other destinations: It’s all very nice, but it’s not San Francisco!