Thompson Travelers

As a California girl, I’ve never really known what Martha’s Vineyard is…is it a vineyard, a resort, a beach? All I knew was that many famous people go there for vacation…the Bushes, The Kennedy’s, and all notable celebrities who live on the east coast.

Martha’s Vineyard is actually an island off the coastline of Cape Cod. It’s the third largest island on the east coast. At 70 miles long, and 20 miles wide, there are six cities on the island, reachable only by plane or boat.

With a full time population of 16,000, and a summertime population jumping to 130,000, it’s definitely a summer resort destination for the wealthy. During much of the winter, almost everything related to tourism closes down until Spring, including the ferries that go to and from the island.

Coming by ferry, we could see the summer cottages along the shoreline. These were second homes for the very wealthy. Holy mackerel, these houses are big, all with stunning water views!

The streets are so clean and pristine that it seems like a movie set.

You can see how those Cape Codder white houses with the black shutters would just fit right in with the color scheme of the town.

One just has to look at the size of these houses to understand that this is certainly a summer playground for the rich and famous…and the inquiring tourist curious about this beautiful place. I’m sure in the summertime, when the sun is shining on everything, this would be an amazing place to be.

There was no shortage of amazing seafood here. Many oceanfront restaurants offered lots of choices with amazing views of the water.

This restaurant advertised having the best lobster roll on the island, so we gave them a try, and believe me…they did not disappoint!

We strolled to Old Woods, another town on the island, where we found a collection of over 300 houses which were the cabins for a former Methodist retreat camp. Walking down the street, you felt like you’ve stepped into a fairy tale neighborhood of whimsically painted homes with intricate, delicate details. Like blocks of gingerbread doll houses, this candy land path certainly gave you a giant dose of cuteness, thinking that the neighborhood must house an entire cast of munchkins. How adorable are these houses?!

These cabins came from humble beginnings. Constructed in late 1800s, these were built to house people who came to pray and devote themselves to a religious life year round. They were spaced close together to build a strong sense of community between the people. Eventually, these homes became known as Cottage City.

It is no longer a religious retreat, but the fairy tale charm has been maintained by the owners who now live here. Most of them are only occupied during the summer months, and if you look, you can probably rent one for a summer vacation. They have been retrofit with indoor plumbing and electricity, but we aware, most are only three rooms big. In a couple of weeks, it will snow here, and the ferries to the island will close down for the season.

I’m sure that after looking at all this cuteness, you’re either singing “We are off to see the wizard,” or “It’s a Small World.” Either one would be appropriate.