Martha's Vineyard Beaches

Chilmark

Menemsha Public Beach
Menemsha Public Beach is located next to Menemsha Harbor. Its gentle surf and clear water make this beach a fantastic swimming spot for young children. Lifeguards further insure safety for swimmers. A parking lot, food, and restrooms are located in close proximity to the beach. Sunbathers and fishers flock to Menemsha Beach – the most widely recommended place on the island to view a sunset.

Edgartown

East Beach (Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge and Wasque Reservation)
This beach is located on Chappaquiddick Island. It is arguably one of the best beaches on all of Martha’s Vineyard. However, visitors need to hike, bike, four-wheel drive, or take the ferry in order to access Chappaquiddick Island. Since most people find these transportation choices too taxing, East Beach is also one of Martha’s Vineyard’s most secluded beaches. A ferry runs from Edgartown to the island regularly. The beach has rough surf and no facilities. It is an excellent venue for bird-watching.

Fuller Street Beach
Fuller Street Beach is located at the end of Fuller Street in Edgartown. It is very close to Lighthouse Beach. Arrive early, bike, or walk to this beach because parking is limited. Fuller Street Beach offers views of Chappaquiddick Island and historic captains’ homes. This beach is open to all.

Katama Beach (South Beach)
Katama Beach, located at the end of Katama Road in Edgartown, encompasses three miles of barrier beach. Even though the beach is intensely popular in the summer, parking is typically available. Katama Beach is also accessible by bike or shuttle. Lifeguards patrol this beach, and toilet facilities are accessible. Beach-goers can choose between surf on one side, and a protected salt pond on the other side. The surf at this beach is excellent.

Lighthouse Beach
Lighthouse beach is a harbor beach located at Star-buck’s Neck, off of North Water Street. It is near the center of Edgartown and Fuller Street Beach. No lifeguards or restrooms are provided at this beach. Sunbathers enjoy watching the boats pass at Lighthouse Beach. The beach is open to all.

Aquinnah

Gay Head Public Beach (Moshup Beach)
Gay Head Public Beach is one-half mile long. It costs $15 to park at the beach in the summertime. Visitors should be prepared to make the 10-minute walk from the parking lot to the beach. Restrooms are located near the parking lot. Gay Head Public Beach has a strong surf and beautiful scenery. Gay Head Cliffs, a national landmark located close to Gay Head Public Beach, is off-limits to the public due to erosion.

Lobsterville Beach
Lobsterville Beach is located along Lobsterville Road in Aquinnah. This Vineyard Sound beach is two miles long with clear, calm waters. The beach is great for families and fishing. Lobsterville Beach even has a seagull nesting area. Parking is limited, and it is prohibited on Lobsterville Road.

Oak Bluffs

Eastville Beach
Eastville Beach is a quiet beach located at the bridge between Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven on Beach Road. It is a 10-minute walk from downtown Vineyard Haven. Eastville Beach is a relatively quiet and less populated than many Martha’s Vineyard beaches. Eastville Beach also houses prime fishing spots. The beach is open to all.

Oak Bluffs Town Beach
Oak Bluffs Town beach has gentle, shallow water. Public restrooms are available at the ferry dock nearby. The beach is within walking distance of downtown Oak Bluffs. The beach starts near the Steamship Authority’s terminal and continues along parts of Beach Road before it connects with the Joseph Sylvia State Beach.

Joseph Sylvia State Beach
Joseph Sylvia State Beach is two miles long, and offers views of Cape Cod and Nantucket Sound. The beach’s surf is mild, and its water is clear. Swimming, sunbathing, and fishing are popular pastimes at Joseph Sylvia State Beach. The beach can be reached by a paved bicycle path, which runs alongside it. This beach is ideal for families with young children due to its warm waters, but no restrooms are available.

Vineyard Haven

Lake Tashmoo Town Beach
Lake Tashmoo Town Beach is located at Herring Creek Road on Lake Tashmoo. Beach-goers can choose between a lake beach and Vineyard Sound beach. Both beaches are calm. Lifeguards patrol this beach, which has limited parking. Fishing, sunbathing, and swimming are popular activities at Lake Tashmoo Town Beach.

Owen Park Beach
Owen Park Beach is a harbor beach located off of Main Street in Vineyard Haven. The beach is in close proximity to the town center. It is a peaceful beach with views of ships passing. A ferry that connects the island to the mainland sails in and out of the nearby harbor. Owen Park Beach is patrolled by lifeguards. No restrooms are available at this beach.

Tisbury Town Beach
Tisbury Town beach is also known as Owen Little Way Town Beach. It is located at the end of Owen Little Way, next to the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club. This beach has lifeguards.

West Tisbury

Long Point Wildlife Refuge
Long Point Wildlife Refuge’s beach offers outstanding surf and privacy. The Trustees of Reservations preserves the refuge, which is open all year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the summer, it costs a fee to park there. Visitors should call the Trustees at (508) 693-3678 to obtain beach passes. This beach, off of Edgartown-West Tisbury Road, is available to all.