Don't Miss the Most Charming Seaside Village on Martha's Vineyard

When you think of Martha's Vineyard you might imagine lighthouses, Vineyard Vines, lobster rolls, gray shingles, and all the typical cute and preppy Cape Cod iconography. While visitors are easily steered towards the Island's main tourist hubs, the down island towns of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Vineyard Haven, there's another side to the island outside the brick sidewalks and charming windowboxes of town. The three rural up-island towns West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah, hold pastoral charm, iconic clay cliffs, and one of my favorite island enclaves, Menemsha.

Menemsha, Chilmark, MA USA

Oh Menemsha, the sweet, quaint fishing village, coast guard station, and small hub on the Vineyard Sound with views of Cutty Hunk and the Elizabeth Islands in the distance. Menemsha is packed with old island charm and features a public beach, shopping, restaraunts, an active commercial fishing dock, fish markets, and Menemsha Pond, a saltwater pond perfect for paddle boarding, kayaking, boating, tubing, waterskiing and other waterfront activities. Across the pond is the nearest town of Aquinnah. There is also a bike ferry that connects Menemsha to Aquinnah's Lobsterville, just a 30 foot ride across the channel, for cycling enthusiasts looking to bike the island.

As you drive the winding downhill road that leads to one of my happiest and favorite places on island, there's no escaping the feeling of enchantment, as this area feels like an old photograph, captured from a different time period. It featurs a small commercial zone with retail stores like Menemsha Blues, Pandora's Box, restauraunts like The Home Port and The Galley, an eclectic mix of vintage shops and art galleries, and the fishmarkets that sling the and freshest lobster rolls and cuts of local fish for the best prices on island.

Here's how to spend a perfect day in Menemsha:

12:00pm: Show up around lunch time with beach chairs, towels, cooler, and umrella to stake your territory on the pebbled sands of one of my favorite public beaches on the island. If you're in it for the long haul (dinner and sunset) bring sweatshirts, blankets, some beer or wine (Chilmark and Menemsha are dry towns so make sure you stock up Down Island for alcoholic beverages), and maybe even a grill or a firepit if you're feeling ambitious or want to extend the party past sunet!

During the day watch the boats cruising in and out of the harbor, take a walk on the jetty, maybe the coast guard will even be doing a test drill! And jump in the water, but be careful of the rocks! You can also take a walk to check out the shops and galleries.

1:30 pm For lunch you have a few options:

• Lobster rolls, chowder, bisque, steamers, and stuffed quohags from Menemsha Fishmarket or Larsen's, depending on which one has the shorter line (they're both great and you can't go wrong! Menemsha Fishmarket is more of an old school fishmonger's vibe, while Larsen's is newly renovated with a fresh coat of paint - I like hot lobster rolls and stuffed quohogs from MF, and cold lobster rolls from Larsen's.)
• The Galley is about a 5-7 minute walk from the beach along the road, and offers both takeout and a small seating area along a small waterway featuring some of Menemsha's cutest houses with private docks and boats. Either sit down to enjoy this little corner of Menemsha, or take your lunch back to the beach. They offer standard fare like burgers, hot dogs, fried food, etc, as well as soups, salads, sandwiches, and mains. Galley is also a dinner option! Don't forget to try their ice cream and frappes - the black and white frappe was my childhood favorite. Happiness in a cone or cup!
• The Homeport restaraunt is open in the evenings, but their Backdoor is open for lunch! Takeout only with sit-down restaraunt quality.

2:00pm: After lunch catch some rays, read a book in the shade, chat with some fellow beach goers, and grab a drink from the Menemsha Texaco gas station convenince store, a long-time fixture of community in this little island stronghold. You'll find the iconic "squid row" on the dock-side of the establishment, where people sit, chat, and watch boats come to gas up, too.

Walk on the docks and check out the different boats of all sizes - from boston whalers to commercial fishing boats to sailboats to houseboats to yachts, the different vessels that post up in menemsha are part of what make it so charming.

There is also a great walking trail that leads through the grassy dunes behind the beach. You'll see the trails winding through the sands and shrubbery, that leads to a boardwalk that crosses a marsh, and then up a hill into the forest, that eventually takes you to the Beach Plum Inn and Menemsha Inn's magical farm with cows, chickens, and ducks. It sounds like a hourney but this whole walk only takes about 20 minutes from the parking lot to the farm.

5:30-7pm: Dinner options to consider...

• If you brought a grill, go buy some fresh fish from one of the fish markets and grill yourself some fuits of the sea. I'd go with the local catch, typically something like swordfish, striped bass, bluefish, tuna, bonito, false albacore, or haddock. The fish markets will always have made to order food for sides, as well as seafood spreads and crackers! Yum.
• Grab a done-for-you Lobster & Clam Bake from one of the fishmarkets. Whole lobsters available with alll the melted butter. Be sure to get some local steamers, or a dozen local ray oysters with your choice of toppings. Carry it to the beach and enjoy.
• Treat yourself to an upscale sitdown dinner at The Homeport. A beautiful location that catches sunset rays and views of Menemsha Pond serving thoughtfully curated dishes. Indoors features a dark wood boat-house feel while the outdoor patio offers expansive views and sea breezes. The Homeport is a prix fixe menu with very limited a la carte offerings. Go in prepared for a lovely evening with excellent service. They also have a great dessert menu!

End your day with one of the Island's best sunsets. Menemsha draws some of the biggest crowds of any beach for sunset, and being such a small town, parking can be limited - which is why I like to make a day out of it and show up an hour (or several hours) early!

I hope you make it to this local gem when you visit Martha's Vineyard. Enjoy 💙