MV On The Spot

There are three things that really stand out about this Edgartown Rental House.
1. Location, Location, Location. Edgartown is as sweet as it is classy and as diverse as it is elegant. The old Greek Revival houses built eons ago by whaling captains, shine brightly under cover of roses, vines and old Vineyard trees. You are a stroll away from scenic Edgartown Harbor and the Edgartown Lighthouse which marks the entrance into Katama Bay.

Restaurants are plentiful and can be either fishy (The Seafood Shanty on the harbor) or divine (L’Etoile). Shopping greets you at every turn. And, the beaches, of course, the beaches - close by and splendid you can choose from Lighthouse Beach or Fuller Street Beach right downtown or drive or ride your bike out to South Beach.

2. Family-style. This is a fantastic family house. First count the bathrooms…yes, there are FIVE. FIVE BATHROOMS. The kitchen invites hanging out while the cooking happens and there are two separate living/family rooms - could be one for the kids and one for the adults! The open floor plan of the first floor keeps everyone together…with plenty of room to spread out.

3. Up-to-Date. The furnishings, style and amenities are up-to-date and fairly new allowing this house to support your vacation perfectly, with total ease. Some people like to rough it on the Island and some people don’t - this house is for those of you don’t!

On Martha’s Vineyard, we speak our own island language…
When you arrive on the island, you’ll discover quickly that the island has been divided, more or less, into two parts: up-island and down-island.

Up-Island
When you hear someone say ‘up-island,’ they are referring to the towns of West Tisbury, Aquinnah, Chilmark and it’s small fishing harbor, Menemsha. The up-island towns are quiet, quaint and slow with each town center consisting, primarily, of town hall, the library, the post office and a few choice stores, galleries, restaurants and inns.

The houses up-island are spread out and often secluded, and the landscape features forests, rolling hills, farms and beach highlights like the cliffs in Aquinnah. When you’re up-island, you’ll spend time in your car or on your bike fetching groceries and glimpsing civilization…but, only if you want to.

Down-Island
Down-island refers to Edgartown, Vineyard Haven (Tisbury) and Oak Bluffs. These three towns are known for their bustling and unique ‘downtowns’ packed with dynamic shopping, art, food, dining and entertainment. With an abundance of summer traffic, people and cars, their is also an endless list of things to do and see.

While there are quiet beaches to be found, the main down-island beaches, State Beach in Oak Bluffs and South Beach in Edgartown/Katama, are bustling with people, beach games and surf from dawn to dusk.

And…just to make things a little more interesting, there’s a small island off the coast of Edgartown called Chappaquiddick, or ‘Chappy’, that serves as the ‘up-island’ of Edgartown. It’s small and quiet. There aren’t many cars, houses are spread out and the beaches are incredible.

As you plan your vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, your mind is, most likely, already lying on the beach - probably not shopping at the grocery store. But one of the greatest benefits of renting a house on the island is that you don’t have to dine out for all of your meals or rely on hotel restaurant hours. Your house comes equipped with a complete kitchen - so you can eat your lobsters whenever you like.

Here’s where to shop for groceries:

Down Island
Stop and Shop (Vineyard Haven and Edgartown)
Two convenient locations for this good old, standard supermarket, includes a large organic/natural section and features competitive prices.

Cronig’s Market (Vineyard Haven)
A Vineyard landmark with everything you need. Cronig’s has a great organic/natural section, supports the Island Grown Initiative (Buy Local!) and carries many local items - food and body care. Healthy Additions, found in a separate building to the left of the main store, is stocked with natural snacks, health and beauty products.

Reliable Market (Oak Bluffs)
Classic family store in its 3rd generation, known for its great meat and fantastic butcher and conveniently located in the heart of Oak Bluffs on Circuit Ave.

Katama General Store (Edgartown)
A perfect stop on the way to the beach with groceries, a deli and even catering services.

The Chappy Store (Chappaquiddick)
Right on the main road, about 2 miles from the ferry. Just the basics and sandwiches for the beach.

Up Island
Up Island Cronig’s (West Tisbury)
Smaller version of the Vineyard Haven store conveniently located in West Tisbury - perfect for up-island renters who choose to stay on the quiet side of the island. Up Island Cronig’s has everything you need.

Fiddlehead Farm (West Tisbury)
Great produce, much of it organic, and tasty specialty items with a european flare like crackers, cheeses, sausages and sauces.

Alley’s General Store (West Tisbury)
Right in the heart of town, basic groceries plus all the old-fashioned general store amenities and charm including toys, games and beach fare.

West Tisbury Farmer’s Market (West Tisbury)
Not a ‘store’ in the classic sense, but offering an incredible spread of island grown produce, meats, baked goods, infamous vietnamese springrolls, medicinals and crafts every Saturday and Wednesday all summer. Don’t miss it!

The Chilmark Store (Chilmark)
Staple groceries and goods attached to an island-renowned pizzeria and deli. Pull up a rocker on the front porch and watch life at Beetlebung Corner float by.

Menemsha Market (Menemsha)
Small, quaint and full of little treasures, just like Menemsha. Goods for the beach and books for kids included. Perfect for the groceries and pie when you are all the way up-island.

Tea Lane Caterers & The Phantom Chef (Chilmark)
If you don’t feel like cooking, don’t have time to get to the market or you’re planning a party, call Chef Dee Smith, the Phantom Chef. The food is amazing and the gourmet drop-off meal service is the perfect compliment to your Vineyard vacation.

Renting a house on Martha’s Vineyard for your vacation is, of course, a fantastic idea. You’ll have a whole house to spread out in and really relax - by yourself, with a loved one or surrounded by the whole family. This pre-trip checklist will help you be prepared so that you can have a wonderful and stress-free getaway.

LINENS & TOWELS. Check your lease to see if linens and towels are provided by the homeowner or tenant. Most houses do not provide beach towels, so plan to bring your own. If packing linens is a hassle you don’t want, you can rent from Takemmy Linen Rental. They’ll deliver a bag of clean linens to the house on the day of your arrival and pick up the dirty linens on your departure day.

BABY EQUIPMENT RENTAL. Don’t feel like you have to lug it all along! Baby Bear Equipment Rental will deliver and pick up whatever you need, and their equipment is kept clean and up to date.

ARRIVAL TIME. Double check your lease for the exact time of check in and try to schedule your travel plans accordingly. Your House Info Packet will be available at the rental office at this time and then, you will be able to go to your house.

CHECK-IN DIRECTIONS. Be sure you have directions for your initial point of contact on the island for check-in (usually the Rental Office). You may have directions directly to the house but most agencies require you come to their office to pick up a check-in packet with keys and directions.

FERRY TICKETS. It is best to book your ferry reservations as soon as you have secured your island rental. Summer weekend boats sell out very quickly if you are bringing your car. Summer tickets typically become available for purchase in early February. Contact The Steamship Authority or the New England Fast Ferry (remember no cars on the fast ferry!)

GROCERIES. If you can, you may want to travel with a cooler full of food staples because rental house kitchens and fridges are usually left free of any food, including condiments.

CAR RENTAL. There are cars available for rent on the island, but this is not the Hertz lot at Logan! - supplies are limited. It is best to reserve a car at the same time you book your Martha’s Vineyard house rental. Try A-A Island Auto Rental (they have Smart Cars - great for our environment!) or Budget.

BICYCLES. With miles of bike trails and beautiful roads, biking on Martha’s Vineyard is extremely popular – Bring your own or rent bikes on the Vineyard.

BEACH GEAR. Like you need a reminder! Unless your lease states otherwise, you will need: towels, chairs, sandals, boogie boards, umbrellas, coolers, tote bags, frisbees, etc.

I’ll see you soon!

The process of securing your Martha’s Vineyard vacation rental should be fairly straightforward. Your vacation planning, just like your vacation, should not be stressful.

1. Email or call a vacation rental agent. An agency that specializes in rentals or has a rentals department will likely have the biggest and best rental inventory. During the phone call, your agent will gather all of your basic information:

• Vacation dates
• Number of people
• Number of bedrooms
• Type of house
• Ideal location
• Price range

2. The agent will then search through their listings and send you pictures (via email or mail) of several choices that best match your criteria.

3. You will choose the two or three houses you like the most and your agent should be available to answer any specific questions about the properties.

4. Once you’ve made your decision, the agent will confirm the rental with the owner and create a lease for you to sign.

5. You will send the signed lease and the required deposit back to the agent and your house will be ready for you when you arrive on the Vineyard.

Have a great vacation!

Baby Bear Equipment Rentals is making sure that your vacation on Martha’s Vineyard is stress-free and under-burdened and that your vacation rental is fully stocked. Offering a complete line of top baby equipment for eating, traveling, fun on the beach, sleeping, playing and staying safe, they’ve got you covered. They carry high chairs, baby gates, baby monitors, playpens, cribs, bassinets, swings, tents, rocking chairs, crib sheets, bumpers and more.

All equipment is certified by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and guaranteed to be in clean, complete and perfect working condition. Baby Bear takes rental reservations by phone, fax or online and they are open all year. They work to accommodate your travel plans whether you have a late or early arrival by delivering items before you arrive for free.

I recommend Baby Bear to all of my rental clients. Check out their website, www.mvbabyrent.com, to view their product catalog and call them at 877-342-2229 for pricing information and to coordinate your family’s needs perfectly with your Martha’s Vineyard summer rental plans.

Nestled in Chilmark, this gem is a perfect family retreat. Here are my top 3 highlights:

1. Luxury. From top to bottom. From the construction to the woodwork to the appliances to the furniture to the Jacuzzi in the Master Bedroom…The whole house is beautiful and full of understated, yet high-end, charm.

2. Get Outside. With a spacious backyard, rolling meadows, stone walls, walking trails and tennis court access, how can you not? Also, two of the most cherished beaches on the island are close by, Lucy Vincent and Squibnocket.

3. The Kitchen. It begs for island dinners that take all day to make and moments to devour or take minutes to make and hours to linger over. The warmth of the custom cabinetry and the overall coziness of the room almost guarantees that whatever you create will taste incredible - lobster, corn on the cob and strawberry rhubarb pie anyone?

1. Location. What do you like to do? Do you love the bustle of downtown, do you want to shop, do you want total privacy, will you spend every day on the beach? Your answers determine the best place on the island for you to rent your vacation house. You may choose a colorful cottage in the heart of Oak Bluffs or a secluded waterfront beach property on Chilmark’s south shore.

2. Size. Your Martha’s Vineyard rental must accommodate your crew. Whether it’s a big family get-together or an intimate get-away, you’ll need to decide how many bedrooms, which types of beds (single, bunk, king) and how many bathrooms will keep you comfortable. Typically, home owners allow 1-2 people (children included) per bedroom.

3. Price. What are you hoping to spend on your Martha’s Vineyard vacation rental? Price influences the size, style, amenities and location of rental houses on the island.

4. Timing. Is everything. You can book well in advance (over a year to be safe!) to insure your dream rental, or hold off until the last minute and possibly secure a great house for an incredible deal. Many repeat tenants take the same house year after year, and they put their deposit down for the next year at the end of their current stay. So if this is your first time renting, the end of September is most likely when owners will know their availability for the following season.

5. Good Agent. You aren’t on the island, but your vacation rental agent should be - so s/he is critical to your securing the best rental house. Make sure you’re getting the attention you deserve which means that your agent is listening to you and filling your needs, not just trying to make a sale. Or are you working directly with the owner? If so, make sure they are giving you an accurate representation of their property by asking for pictures and references.

Today is just one of those perfect Vineyard days. The sky is bright blue and doesn’t hold even one cloud. The trees are in full leaf, and the grass is vibrantly green. It’s 73 degrees, and there is no humidity. The breeze is light and the perfect amount of cool. The water is just warm enough to wade in. It’s Friday afternoon and everyone is outside playing and stoking the barbecue.

Summer folk and renters are making their way to the island little by little. The stores and restaurants are stocked for the season, and there is a touch of excitement in the air. Tomorrow we’ll visit the West Tisbury Farmers’ Market for the first time and pick up some flowers, garlic scapes and, of course, a fresh spring roll. And, then we’ll head to the beach…or just see where the day takes us.

June on the Vineyard is similar to having a full tank of gas…and we can’t wait to see where it takes us this year…