Destination: Martha’s Vineyard
Story by Tom Dresser
Your guests will be coming to the Vineyard with hopes of enjoying more on
the Island than simply your big day with you. Yes, it’s true. But that’s partly
why Martha’s Vineyard is perfect for a destination wedding. Here are some
suggestions for activities outside the main event.
FOR A GROUP OUTING:
You can do the conventional golf match and spa day, but
here’s a way for guests to bond over the beauty of the sea. Falmouth Ferry has
operated between Falmouth and Edgartown for more than a dozen years, and you can
charter one of their boats, the Pied Piper or the Sandpiper, for a two-hour
lighthouse tour, harbor cruise, or voyage to the Elizabeth Islands. The Pied
Piper accommodates up to 125 passengers and boasts a full bar, as well as
capacity for a catered meal and a disc jockey. (Cruises run between May and
October, and board at the observation deck at Memorial Wharf in Edgartown
Harbor. 508-548-9400. www.falmouthferry.com.)
To Play On: After disembarking
from the charter at the Edgartown pier, go up on the observation deck to check
out your surroundings, including the On Time chugging across to Chappaquiddick,
the lighthouse, and impressive private homes on the shoreline. Then meander
through the Old Sculpin Gallery, or shop and snack along the harbor.
FOR FAMILIES: Want to see a 55-pound snapping turtle, a rhino iguana, a green anaconda? At Gus Ben David’s World of Reptiles and Birds Park in Edgartown, an African bullfrog sits like a handful of Jell-O in a terrarium. A fifteen-year-old reticulated python weighs in at 240 pounds. Explore this wildlife panorama under the gentle guidance of Gus, who takes special pride in the educational aspect of his menagerie. “My thing is to help children and give them something to believe in.” His philosophy is based on coexistence with birds and reptiles. (5 Twentieth Street South off Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, Edgartown. 508-627-8530. www.reptilesandbirds.com. Admission: $5.)
To Play On: Not far from the World of Reptiles is a Massachusetts Audubon Society sanctuary. The Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary is a haven for birds within the scents and sights of the sea. Felix Neck fits snugly within the ecological wonders of the Vineyard as a special retreat in the midst of the bustle of the Island. (Felix Neck Drive off Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, Edgartown. 508-627-4850. www.massaudubon.org. Admission: $4.)
FOR HISTORY BUFFS: In Oak Bluffs, the Cottage Museum, at the vehicle entrance to the Camp Ground, will undergo a renovation in the spring of 2007, “restoring the building to bring it back to 1898,” according to manager Earl Jecoy. The clapboards will be pulled down to reveal the vertical planking, the museum will be painted its original colors, and rooms will display only nineteenth-century artifacts. (80 Trinity Park, Oak Bluffs. 508-693-0525. www.mvcma.org. Admission: $2.)
To Play On: Amble through the Camp Ground to appreciate the charm of this community of three hundred colorful gingerbread cottages, and venture onto Circuit Avenue Ð shopping central in O.B.
FOR CRAFT LOVERS: At Beadniks in Vineyard Haven, you’ll find more than 10,000 beads on-site and a staff to help with cords and clasps. “This is an activity-based destination,” says salesperson Amy Roesler. “It’s all about having fun and making something you’ll be proud of.” (14 Church Street, Vineyard Haven. 508-693-7650. www.beadniks.com.)
To Play On: It’s fun to browse the shops of Main Street, and a short walk up the hill leads to Owen Park for a view of boat traffic in the harbor.
FOR RAINY DAYS: In West Tisbury, a big glass window in an old barn greets the visitor at Martha’s Vineyard Glassworks. A museum-quality gift shop awaits, warmed by the 2,000-degree heat from propane furnaces where glass is stressed in order to mold and shape it. A torch is used for spot heating, and then the piece goes into an annealing furnace to reduce the stress. Libby Johnson, who works in the showroom, says, “People get infatuated with it. They come to know the artist, watch him blow the piece, and want to buy it. This is a place for both men and women. The women shop, while the men ask technical questions.” (683 State Road, West Tisbury. 508-693-6026. www.mvglassworks.com.)
To Play On: Down the road is Yes, We Have No Bananas, a shop with unusual offerings that range from stained glass to artsy posters, and Tree House Studios, with a mishmash of art and antiques.
FOR SUNNY DAYS: Down Lambert’s Cove Road in West Tisbury, try a Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank walk. “One of the best sites is Blackwater Pond,” says Maureen McManus Hill of the Land Bank. “It’s great for a group ramble through the woods – lots of hills, so it’s good exercise.” Entering from Duarte’s Pond (a fishing haven by summer and a skating magnet in winter), the walk is a brisk half-hour jaunt, and includes boardwalks, a bridge, and two viewing sites overlooking the pond. (Parking is available at Duarte’s Pond. 508-693-6026. www.mvlandbank.com.)
To Play On: Two more Land Bank sites are nearby and are accessible by well-marked trails: Wompesket Preserve offers a wet meadow with varied bird life in a secluded setting; Rip-ley’s Field Preserve sits atop an esker, a ridge formed by a stream that ran beneath a glacier. These sites are probably less than ten minutes from Blackwater. (There is parking at Ripley’s Field.)
FOR JOCKS: North of the airport on Barnes Road, a group tees off. You’ll see no irons, woods, or balls here, though. This is disc golf, in which Frisbees spin around trees and drop into baskets. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, which is headquartered in Georgia, Riverhead Field has “tight wooded areas balanced with long open fairways. Dual tees.” (Barnes Road, Oak Bluffs. Admission: free; bring your own discs.)
To Play On: Surrounding Riverhead Field, the State Forest spreads out across the sandplain grassland. A twelve-mile bicycle loop around the airport is a great trek. If hunger pangs impinge your venture, the airport’s Plane View Restaurant serves a hearty meal. (139 Airport Road, West Tisbury. 508-693-1886.)