Page 62 - The Hunt - Summer 2021

TRAVELER
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You will see celebrities, but Vineyard folks don’t stare, point or ask to take selfies. It’s cool to notice while not noticing.
A ferry in transit.
Nantucket, by contrast, is more Hamptons-esque. In the view of many Vineyard residents, it could be the subject of longtime summer resident Carly Simon’s hit, “You’re So Vain.” As a part-time Vineyarder whose family has rented or owned a house on the island since 1980, I’d be forced to share that view.
For a first-time visitor to the Vineyard, a few quick observations are
a must. The two towns on the two chops, Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs, are considered Down Island, the region with the most residents and most year-around shops, restaurants and commerce. Up Island is dominated by Edgartown, a beautiful roses-and-picket-fence town that’s home to the Mytoi Japanese Garden. Despite being the Dukes County seat, it’s dead in winter, though you will see mansion-like houses and modern yachts.
Other Up Island towns include: West Tisbury, the center of what farming still exists on the island; the lovely yet gnarly fishing port of Menemsha; the artistic and slightly wild Chilmark; and, across a short isthmus, the rolling hills of Aquinnah, property of the Wampanoags, Native Americans who’ve lived there for centuries. At the end of the road lies the Vineyard’s most outstanding landmark: the Gay Head cliffs.
The first thing any overnight visitor should do is circumnavigate the island for orientation, being sure not to miss the quietude of North Road. Go all the way to Gay Head, then have lunch at one of the many restaurants in Edgartown, Oak Bluffs or Vineyard Haven. It’s a bit of a headache finding close-in parking at any of the three, but the walk will do you good.
In the afternoon, hit the sand. State Beach between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown is a protected inlet with no big waves—perfect for families and
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Gay Head Lighthouse.
60 THE HUNT MAGAZINE summer 2021