The 6 Best Martha’s Vineyard Towns to Stay In

These are the best towns on Martha’s Vineyard that make perfect places to stay during your trip to the island! Martha’s Vineyard is a premier vacation spot in New England, especially in the summer, and thousands of people from all over the world visit to enjoy its beautiful beaches and delicious food.

Although the island is not large, it has a few quaint towns with everything you need for your trip, including accommodations, stores, restaurants, and nearby attractions. Whether you want to stay in the largest town with lively nightlife or a small town on the quiet side of the island, you will find the perfect accommodation.

This guide has everything you need to know about the best towns on Martha’s Vineyard to stay in during your trip!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, my blog may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

Best Towns on Martha’s Vineyard

Vineyard Haven (Tisbury)

Vineyard Haven is one of the best towns on Martha’s Vineyard to stay in because it is near a ferry terminal and has many restaurants and stores. Steamship Authority is the only ferry that operates year-round to Martha’s Vineyard and connects Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven. The ferry drops you off downtown, where you can easily walk to the stores, restaurants, and accommodations. If you have a car, getting off this ferry is easy, and the roads are easy to follow once you are downtown.

Vineyard Haven has everything you need for a trip, including accommodation options for many budgets, iconic restaurants, cute coffee shops, and stores. It even has one of the famous Black Dog Taverns right downtown by the water! Vineyard Haven is also a short drive from many beautiful beaches and lighthouses on Martha’s Vineyard. It is one of my favorite towns to stay in, and I think you will quickly fall in love with the quaint town!

Places to Stay in Vineyard Haven:

Best Restaurants in Vineyard Haven

how to get to martha's vineyard

Oak Bluffs

Oak Bluffs is another of the best towns on Martha’s Vineyard because it is near many ferry terminals that operate seasonally in the summer. It has many ferries coming into the terminal from Woods Hole, Falmouth, Hyannis, and New Bedford, so if you are traveling from any place other than Woods Hole, Oak Bluffs might be the best place to stay.

Oak Bluffs is a beautiful quaint town with delicious food, beautiful beaches, and lighthouses to explore! You can enjoy a stroll in Ocean Park, swim at Inkwell Beach or Joseph Sylvia State Beach, or walk downtown and explore the cute shops. You will quickly fall in love with Oak Bluffs if you stay there!

Places to Stay in Oak Bluffs:

Best Restaurants in Oak Bluffs

Edgartown

Edgartown is the largest town on Martha’s Vineyard and one of the most popular places to stay on the island. If you are looking for the most lively town with nightlife activities, Edgartown is perfect! Besides having fun nightlife, delicious food, and cute shops, it has fun activities for the entire family and beautiful lighthouses and beaches to explore.

You can enjoy walking around the Mytoi Japanese Garden, hiking in the Mass Audubon's Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, or exploring museums. If you are looking for beaches to relax on, I recommend visiting Katama Beach or Edgartown Beach.

There are also two nearby lighthouses you can explore! Edgartown Harbor Light is a quick drive from downtown and is a great place to visit year-round and walk the beach. Although you can see the lighthouse from the parking area, I highly recommend taking a short walk to the base of it. During the summer, you can explore the inside of the lighthouse.

You can also visit Cape Poge Lighthouse in the 500-acre Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge. Although it requires a 3.5-mile one-way hike, it is beautiful, wandering along the shoreline in the Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge, where you can see wildlife and enjoy ocean views. Edgartown will become one of your favorite towns on Martha’s Vineyard!

Places to Stay in Edgartown:

Best Restaurants in Edgartown

the best lighthouses on martha's vineyard

Aquinnah

Aquinnah is the most western town on Martha’s Vineyard and is home to one of the most beautiful lighthouses and beaches on the island! It is a small and quiet town with few accommodations or restaurants, but you can easily visit a surrounding town to get anything you need that you cannot find in Aquinnah.

Acquinnah is home to Gay Light and Aquinnah Cliffs, one of my favorite areas on Martha’s Vineyard! Gay Head Light was the first lighthouse built on Martha’s Vineyard and is one of the most popular lighthouses because of its iconic neighbor, Aquinnah Cliffs.

Aquinnah Cliffs are one of the most photographed areas on the island because they have a rainbow of clay, making them multi-colored and stand out against the turquoise ocean water. And Gay Head Light sits on the cliffs, and it is stunning! You will quickly fall in love with Aquinnah and everything it offers!

Places to stay in Aquinnah:

Best Restaurants in Aquinnah

Chilmark

Chilmark is another small and lesser-visited town on Martha’s Vineyard, but it is a great place to stay if you want to stay at the quiet end of the island. Although Chilmark is small, it has a few great accommodations, restaurants, and stores.

It also has some of the best hiking trails on the island, including Menemsha Hills, Great Rock Bight Preserve, and Great Sand Bank Overlook. If you want to enjoy some beach time, you can visit Squibnocket Beach, Menemsha Beach, or Lucy Vincent Beach.

Chilmark is also a quick drive to Aquinnah Cliffs and Gay Head Light! Chilmark is the perfect place to stay if you want a quiet getaway on Martha’s Vineyard!

Places to Stay in Chilmark:

Best Restaurants in Chilmark

best things to do on martha's vineyard in winter

West Tisbury

West Tisbury is in the middle of Martha’s Vineyard and is much quieter than its neighboring towns of Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, and Edgartown. The town stretches from the north shore to the south shore, and it is full of beautiful farms and preserves. Although it is close to the lively side of Martha’s Vineyard, it is pretty quiet, making it a great place to stay without being too far from everything.

And the best part about West Tisbury? It does not lack things to do! You can enjoy exploring the 60-acre Polly Hill Arboretum, hiking through Long Point Wildlife Refuge or Cedar Tree Neck Sanctuary, or relaxing on Lambert's Cove Beach or Long Point Beach.

West Tisbury is also a quick drive to either side of the island, allowing you to easily visit Gay Head Light, Aquinnah Cliffs, and Edgartown Lighthouse. If you stay in West Tisbury, you will quickly see why it is one of the best towns on Martha’s Vineyard!

Places to Stay in West Tisbury:

Best Restaurants in West Tisbury

State Road Restaurant

If you are taking a trip to Martha’s Vineyard, this guide is the perfect place to start planning! It has everything you need to know about the best towns on Martha’s Vineyard.