24 Hours in Edgartown, The Real 'Amity'

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me) it's always ourselves we find in the sea......

Alec Waugh once said that you can fall in love at first sight with a place as with a person. I strongly connect with his words.

I fall in love with oceans, mountain ranges, skylines, sunrises, sunsets, new foods, and new adventures. There are a few places that I have never moved on from. And Edgartown, I will NEVER move on from you. I simply adored it. Every single thing about it. It will always be in the back of my mind and I yearn for more time here one day.

(Getting to the island from Boston is a breeze. Traveling on the island is a breeze too. Find out everything you need to know about that here. )

Edgartown is one of New England's most elegant communities. And it's my favorite area of Martha's Vineyard. I adore the Greek revival homes and Main Street is a picture book setting with it's harbor and water front. To view and appreciate this town fully, you must stroll all of it's streets. North Water Street has a row of captains' houses not equaled anywhere. Observe the fanlights and widow's walks by day and walk down the streets after the lamps are lit.

It was also so amazing to recognize areas where my favorite child hood film was shot. Yes, I watched Jaws every weekend. I watched it so much that I memorized all of the lines. I still watch it actually. And this would also be responsible for my shark book collection and shark teeth collection when I was growing up. I am still fascinated with sharks and one of my bucket list items is to swim with them and photograph them. So being in "Amity" was seriously blowing my mind. Lin said I looked like a child on Christmas morning. I was totally geeking out. I absolutely love this quick read from travel writer, Richard Waters about his Jaws tour on the island. You will relive your childhood. And possibly want to rent Jaws on Netflix right NOW and plan your very own Martha's Vineyard adventure. (The Edgartown movie theatre also still plays Jaws on Sundays)

Visiting the Vineyard is truly more than a destination, it's a feeling dears.

Here are my Edgartown recommendations!

Stay at The Christopher. I love the boutique vibe of this charming 15 room Lark Hotel property. The Christopher blends the casual chic of the French Caribbean with the New England charm of The Vineyard. You can gather with friends in the designer guest lounge adorned with beautiful things and Kate Spade travel books or enjoy a drink in the secluded back courtyard. With a BYOB evening mixer bar and flickering fire pit, this special space livens things up on spring, summer and fall nights. The morning breakfast offered will be a great start to your day too. The staff is incredibly accommodating and have a vast knowledge of the island. They will lend you an i-pad too upon check in loaded with all of their recommendations. The room (#4) was amazing. The linens were perfection. And the apple tv is a nice touch. We watched Jaws! (Their prices were also the best that I found on the island. The island can be expensive, especially depending on the time of year that you visit)

If The Christopher is booked try the other Lark Hotel Property called The Sydney. It's in central Edgartown which is a great location. The HobKnob Inn also looks amazing in a classic 19th-century Gothic Revival building and is just one mile from the Edgartown Lighthouse. And don't forget to look into The Charlotte Inn. It's a 4 minute walk from the port for the ferry to Falmouth. And I adored this Edwardian-themed Inn with it's beautiful English style garden. With an almost 450.00 a night quote though, it just was not in our budget this go around. But I loved admiring it from the street.

EAT:

The Atlantic: Indoor and outdoor options and I love the yacht vibe and the harbor views. The wine list was fabulous and the mussels were the best I have ever had in my life.

Seafood Shanty: This is another charming water front restaurant. We did not eat here but had a cocktail!

Henry's in The Harbor View Hotel: Adore this elegant Edgartown gastro pub. The Cobb salad is amazing and they have a great cheeseburger. And do not skip the warm chocolate chip cookies and milk! Such a best kept secret. (Plus I have the sweetest dog named Henry)

Behind the Bookstore: Delicious delicious coffee and pastries. The cheddar and chive biscuits were to die for! I love the patio area and everything about this gem. If I lived on the island, I would start everyday here.

Rosewater Market & Takeaway: Such a lovely year round market and take away establishment. They source and serve the best food possible and that's something I really appreciate. I enjoyed the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich and Lin loved his BLT.

There were so many wonderful places we read about and heard about from the locals on the island but we were only there for 24 hours and tried to cover as much eating ground as possible. Plus I would love to try many of the places in Oak Bluffs that The Obama's frequent so I plan on coming back to this island before I die. It just speaks to my soul. Check out the Obama's family faves here! Locals love them and have even named cocktails and meals after them. The locals have so many stories about this family. The island is their favorite place to unwind and get away from it all and I can see why.

See:

The Edgartown Lighthouse: It was such a magical walk to the lighthouse hand in hand with my sweet handsome fox. I felt like we were in a movie really. It is magical. Just magical. I love the peacefulness out here and could curl up all day with a picnic, prosecco, and book.

Walk around the lighthouse beach and collect shells. Take in the breathtaking views of The Atlantic, Chappaquiddick or back towards the Harborview Hotel. This was such a romantic part of our vacation. Being here with him was so special.

Jaws Bridge: Do discover this. Called the American Legion Memorial Bridge, as well as "Big Bridge", by locals, it’s part of Seaview Avenue, which connects Edgartown with the town of Oak Bluffs. The bridge also divides the Atlantic Ocean from Sengekontacket Pond. Despite its nickname, the bridge is a small one, just a few car-lengths in total, and it has been refurbished in recent years. The stone quay Roy Scheider ran during the Jaws attack at the bridge is still there and runs perpendicular to the bridge. The beach on the ocean side, called Joseph Sylvia State Beach, was where the rest of the scene was filmed.

Although it’s not there anymore, for the past three and a half decades a second great Jaws site rotted on the shore of a pond on the opposite side of the island from Edgartown. The Orca 2, the stunt boat that stood in for the original Orca during the sinking scenes at the end of the movie, was left derelict on the shore of Menemsha Pond in Menemsha. The owner of the property eventually had the wreckage dismantled and completely removed.

Many people even jump from the bridge into the water!