Oak Bluffs Marthas Vineyard

Cruise vessels cannot dock at Oak Bluffs, so passengers are brought ashore by tender.

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Martha's Vineyard lies 8 miles off Massachusetts's Cape Cod peninsula. Formerly a whaling centre, it is now a favourite summer retreat for many celebrities.

Martha's Vineyard became a holiday destination gradually. Teddy Kennedy's misfortunes on Chappaquiddick Island in 1969 first placed it on the map. The filming of Jaws in 1975 and, more significantly, regular visits from the Clintons during the 1990s drew crowds to this tiny, 20-mile-long island, with numbers continuing to increase. Visitors value its natural beauty, excellent restaurants and hotels and, above all, the residents' gracious, relaxed manner.

Many of the Vineyard's distinguished or wealthy residents live Up-Island, where thick trees and greenery conceal multimillion-dollar estates from the road. Requests for directions to celebrity homes receive blank looks because Up-Island residents protect their privacy. Instead, stop for coffee at Alley's in West Tisbury, a general shop opened in 1858 that sells everything from agricultural tools to CDs. Locals spend time in the porch's rocking chairs, and an unexpected visitor might appear.

Up-Island's rolling hills, ponds, pasture and dry-stone walls give its scenery a resemblance to the Cotswolds.

Gay Head has dramatic multi-coloured cliffs created by mineral deposits and an old brick lighthouse. Nearby Aquinnah is home to the island's remaining 500 or so Wampanoag Indians, whose presence here spans 10,000 years.

The compact settlement of Menemsha and neighbouring Dutcher's Dock are ramshackle, old-fashioned fishing ports. Menemsha has one of this part of the island's few public beaches; the others become a summer preserve for “residents or renters”, from which outsiders are strictly barred.

Down-Island is friendlier to tourists but inevitably busier. An island population of 15,000 can expand to between 100,000 and 200,000 during July. Vineyard Haven is a principal arrival point, with bicycle and car hire at the harbour and a retail district on the town's edge. Like every island town except two—Edgartown and Oak Bluffs—Vineyard Haven is dry, although restaurant customers may bring their own beer or wine.

The Town of Oak Bluffs is a resort on Martha's Vineyard's north-east shore in Massachusetts. Incorporated as Cottage City in 1880, it took its current name in 1907 because growth in the year-round population and the resort's changing character required recognition that it was no longer simply “Cottage City”.

Today's active town centre includes exciting restaurants, welcoming inns, shops, galleries, specialist food outlets, cinemas and venues for live entertainment and dancing.

Oak Bluffs contains many nationally recognised historic landmarks. At the foot of Circuit Ave, the Flying Horses Carousel is the country's oldest operating platform carousel and one of two known examples built by Charles W.F. Dare in 1876. The Flying Horses arrived at Martha's Vineyard in 1884, and Vineyarders and visitors have enjoyed the treasured ride for more than a century.

For 6$ per day, VTA buses can take passengers anywhere on the island.

Make time for an enjoyable lobster meal.

Oak Bluffs uses the official U.S. currency, the United States dollar (symbol: $), and ATMs are everywhere.

Visa, MasterCard and other major credit cards are accepted widely, including for purchases worth only a few dollars. In certain cases, a card may be the sole payment method. Overseas visitors should remember that goods and services always appear cheaper than their actual cost because gratuities and taxes are rarely included.

Most states levy sales tax between 2.9% and nearly 10% of the retail price, with 4-6% typical. Posted prices almost never include this tax, except for gasoline and, in most states, alcoholic drinks consumed on-premises; it is instead calculated and added when payment is made.

Tipping is common and expected in America. Americans often debate the correct amount and precisely who should receive one, but the generally accepted standard rates are:

• At Full-service restaurants, leave 15-20%. This is Often the wait(ress)'s only income. Leave cash or add the tip to the credit card slip. Few restaurants impose an automatic service charge; when one does, any extra is up to you. Check your bill!
• For Taxi drivers, hairdressers and other personal services: 10-15%.
• For Bartenders: $1 for an inexpensive drink or 15% of the total.
• For Bellhops: $1-2 per bag, with a $3-5 minimum regardless.
• For a Hotel doorman: $1 per bag if they help, and $1 for calling a cab.
• For Tour guides, the amount depends on tour length, group size and overall quality. Allow $5-10 per person for half day tours or less, and $10-20 per person for longer tours.
• For Private car & limousine drivers: 15-20%.
• For Housekeeping in hotels: $1-2 each day on a long stay or a $5 minimum for a very short visit; this is optional.
• For Food delivery, including pizza: $2-5, potentially more for an especially large order.

The U.S. has no federal-level official language, although English is overwhelmingly the language of everyday life. Several states designate English as their official state language. Spanish also has official status in New Mexico, where it is widely spoken; French is official in Louisiana and Hawaiian in Hawaii. Neither approaches English in usage, and their official recognition is primarily historical.

For an Emergency, call 911.

In large metropolitan areas such as New York and Los Angeles, many supermarkets and chemists routinely trade 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Department stores, shopping centres and most other large retailers typically open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, often with shorter Sunday hours—generally 11 a.m. or noon until 5 or 6 p.m. Shops tend to remain open on holidays, except the most important occasions such as Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, when they are generally closed.