Martha’s Vineyard at a Glance

If you imagine a trip to Martha’s Vineyard, what do you see? A cocktail party on a sailboat? A sunset at a beautiful public beach? It is true that you might find these things here, but there’s a lot more to it than that! What could a Vineyard Havens family expect to find when they journey over together by ferry from the mainland?

Many are surprised to learn that Martha’s Vineyard is 22 miles across and divided into six distinct towns. Island locals refer to these towns colloquially in two groups: “Up Island” and “Down Island.”  These were originally nautical terms, to indicate wind direction and topography. “Up Island” refers to the three western, hilly towns and “Down Island” indicates the three eastern, flatter towns.