Happy Wednesday, folks!
I just got back from Martha’s Vineyard, and let me tell you: a time was had. From yacht rides to late night parties at Noman’s, MV is a place you go to kick back and let your hair down (while doing a little networking and werk on the side).
Martha’s Vineyard has long been a summer haven for Black excellence and one of the country’s most enduring destinations for African American homeownership and legacy. Beginning in the late 19th century, Black families came to the island as workers, entrepreneurs, and vacationers. As more families purchased property—especially in Oak Bluffs—the Vineyard became a rare place where generations of African Americans could own homes, build wealth, and create a lasting summer tradition that continues today.
Today, the Vineyard is home to generations of Black families, accomplished professionals, artists, and entrepreneurs who return year after year. But don’t let its reputation for “old Black money” intimidate you. One of the island’s greatest strengths is its warmth. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a lifelong summer resident, you’ll find a community that’s as welcoming as the ocean breeze. Read on for more of my thoughts and reflections on Martha’s Vineyard.
1.How to Get There
Prices to Martha’s Vineyard skyrocket in the summer, so as soon as you lock in your dates, book your travel. I waited too long to find a reasonably priced flight, so I ended up flying from Los Angeles to New York, then taking the Seastreak ferry (about $175 each way) to Oak Bluffs. Last year, I took a quick hour-and-a-half flight from New York to the Vineyard. You can also drive to MV and take a ferry, or fly directly from Boston or New York.
After spending more than five hours on the Seastreak in freezing temperatures with a few rocky waves, my advice is: if your budget allows, just take the short flight. The ferry is an experience, but it’s a long one. The biggest lesson? Martha’s Vineyard is a place you have to plan for. Book your transportation and accommodations early, and you’ll save yourself money, stress, and a whole lot of logistical headaches. Which brings me to…
2.Where to Stay
Martha’s Vineyard is a small island, and now that the word is out thanks to Tik Tok and Instagram (sorry!), everyone now knows that the Bluffs are HOT! If you’re reading this, go ahead and see about booking a hotel or AirBNB NOW for next year. I am completely serious. The closer you get to the prime summer months, the less housing you will find, and the prices get crazy…! I needed a room for one night and the only thing I could find was ONE room at $4k a night. Right. Last year I had the same predicament and booked a hotel on Cape Cod, which is a short ferry to Martha’s Vineyard. But catching a ferry can be tricky, and if you’re having a time, you won’t want to have to cut the party short to go back to your hotel across the ocean.
The other strange/weird thing is that ‘sleeping on someone’s couch’ is not as easy as you would think. It’s a family/intimate feel so just shacking up with someone you don’t know very well can be complicated. For example, I am super blessed to have a cousin who has taken the initiative to rent a home every summer (shout out to Ben Ben!). And while friends have asked me to crash on couches, it’s like my cousin, his kids, my aunt, and whole family is there. We can’t just have any person up in the house and space is limited.
That said, when I needed, I was able to find a place to stay on the island, by chance, for one night only because someone had a cancellation. But don’t take your chances. The key is to plan in advance if you want to go. Most people come for the film festival, so research the schedule at MVAAFF.com and book your tickets and hotels NEOW.
3.What to Do
There is no shortage of things to do on the Vineyard! First, you MUST do the Polar Bear Plunge! It involves going to Inkwell Beach at 7:30am, dipping yourself in the cold water, doing a bit of water aerobics, some meditation, prayer, and crying (for me), and leaving refreshed! Aside from the MVAAFF events, go see the Gingerbread Houses, have a lobster roll at Lookout Tavern, Grab a Dirty Banana at Donovan’s at Nancy’s, get brunch at Biscuits (go during the week), spend Friday Night at Noman’s…or do nothing at all. I was pretty booked with Film Festival stuff, but even when I had a free day, I ended up going from party to party and event to event with last minute invites that I said, “Why Not?” to. There is always a lot going on, so choose how much you want to be plugged in or…unplug completely!
4.What to Eat
I am no MV expert, however I had a few favorites….! So every morning, I’d get my steps on, and treated myself with a toasted bagel and coffee from Mocha Mott’s. I was probably canceling out my walk with the breakfast combo, BUT I can say that Mocha Mott’s had the best bagel I’ve had in my life….! I tried a lot of coffee combos, but my favorite was the Large Iced Chai Latte with Brown Sugar Syrup. I tried to quit Mocha Mott’s, Lord Knows I did. I even thought about going somewhere else for coffee, but I failed. Mocha Mott’s has been named the best coffee shop in MV for consecutive years, so you can’t go wrong!
Bonus: my phone had no service ‘in town,’ but Mocha Mott’s has free wifi. Winning! So I’d take a break from the internet for the walk, then plug in briefly to see what was new in MM’s while eating my bagel, then sip my coffee headed back home. I loved my little routine!
I had the best lobster roll at Lookout Tavern, enjoyed the shrimp tacos (both fried and grilled) at Nancy’s, and loved the ambiance at the Pelican Club in Edgartown. I had a great steak and lobster dinner at Atria, and have heard great things about Red Cat, Black Joy Kitchen, Burgers at Fat Ronnies, Atlantic, Rosewater, and Faraway. I’ll most likely be back next summer, so I’ll definitely make it a point to try some of the latter next time.
5. How to Get Around
Getting an Uber in Martha’s Vineyard is a unique type of frustration that you should be prepared for. Wait times can average 30 minutes, prices are elevated ($50-$100 to go 2 miles), cars will say they are coming then CANCEL, and if you have T Mobile (ahem, ME), you will have no service to get an Uber in some remote places…! The people who have the best luck getting around have a car, but then you have to find a place to park (my cousin circled Nancy’s for 90 minutes before finding a place to park). I heard there is a bus you can take, and I walked quite a bit. You can also bike ride if that is your thing…! If ride share is your preferred mode of transportation, I noticed quicker pick ups and lower prices on Lyft. But just have patience, and know that most things run on island time, so even if you’re running late, you’re always on time.
6. Misc, Etc
Bring your school and sorority/fraternity spirit! On my daily walks, I saw all kinds of college tees and sorority/fraternity paraphernalia. This is a place you can show your pride.
This is a friendly place! On my walks, everyone would say hello when passing by. It reminded me of that Southern Hospitality I experience walking around Stone Mountain in Georgia. Everyone I encountered was kind, and a woman I passed by even took these pictures of me stretching and took the time to send them to me via WhatsApp.
Bring Flats. I played myself wearing heels to everything! I wear heels to march (y’all thought I was playing), and I pretty much wore heels to every event I attended.
Most events are outside, which means those heels will be sinking into the grass. Most women opt for flats or wedges, which is something I’ll have to get used to. No promises, though.
Martha’s Vineyard is very safe. You can leave your doors open comfortably, and I even stowed my suitcases in a shed at the Island Inn on the day I had to leave, and no one touched them. It definitely gives small town, ‘you’re safe here’ feel, which I appreciated.
Bring a warm blanket and a snack if you take the SeaStreak. Also, charge up your phone and your external battery because you will be sitting in the same place, sometimes not by an outlet, for 5+ hours! Download videos on Youtube (if that’s your thing) because the wifi sucks. And the line for snacks is too long to wait. I tried.
Take a Yacht Ride. Every summer, one of my favorite excursions is a yacht ride. This year, we used Captain Jack’s Charter Fishing and it was the BOMB!
One last note: the Vineyard gets much busier on the weekends, so if you want to try a spot like Biscuits (where the line is always down the block) or any other popular restaurant, go during the week if you can. You’ll spend a lot less time waiting to be seated.
All in All, MV is a magical place! And though I am a newbie, you can instantly feel like part of the fabric of the community in the matter of a few summers. Who knows, maybe I’ll become a regular…
Love & Light,
I got very lucky finding local talent to take my images: Ryan Omelia/Marilyn Roos/Getty/Mariel and Katherine Tyler/Donnie Sees
