Drive (and park!) like you actually live there.
The island’s roads are narrow and the speed limits are real. Don’t block driveways, don’t double-park on Circuit Avenue to “just run in” and give cyclist and pedestrians all the room they need.
Walk with a little urgency
Oak Bluffs, Edgartown and Vineyard Haven are packed during peak season, especially in August. It’s easy to fall into vacation mode and take over the sidewalks, but locals and other visitors are trying to move around, too. Keep pace and stay aware of who’s behind you.
Get off the Instagram grid
Yeah, we know you want to get your beach photos and photos of the Gingerbread Cottages, but take the time to venture a little further afield. The island is bigger and more interesting than just hte highlights.
Know whose island this is, historically and today
Martha’s Vineyard has one of the nation’s oldest free Black communities and members of the Wampanoag tribal community have been there for thousands of years, long before it became anybody’s summer destination. Check out the smaller communities of Brazilians and Jamaicans who live and work on the island as well. Read up before you go and treat Martha’s Vineyard as a real community.
Leave with what you came with
If you bring something to the beach, carry it out. You’ll need to be your own cleanup crew.
Yes, “private property” really means private property
You may just have to miss the perfect photo if you can only access the view through property that belongs to someone else. Don’t cut through yards and don’t assume “nobody’s around” means it’s fine.
Keep the volume down
A lot of the neighborhoods on the Vineyard are quiet and residential. If you’re having or attending a party, be mindful of others. Feel free to party as hard as you’d like at the venues built for that, though.
