Martha's Vineyard

So we leave for our family vacation this coming Sunday for Martha's Vineyard! My first vacation since the honeymoon... so it's very much needed. As you probably know, Martha's Vineyard is a quaint, beautiful island off the coast of Massachusetts. Ryan's family owns one of the little gingerbread houses in the Oak Bluffs area, right in the center of town. How lucky are we?

Ryan spent many of his childhood vacations here, and he's been wanting to take me up there ever since we started dating-- after all, it's the quintessential "New England." And I love anything New England. : ) So I'm banking on a full lovely week of the following: fishing, eating lobster, clamming, walking, kayaking, drinking wine, visiting little shops and bakeries, and most importantly, relaxing. Most vacations seem to be so jam packed with activities in order to take full advantage of your days off from work that it's hard to fully experience the place you visit; however, the environment of Martha's Vineyard caters to the old-fashioned summer vacation... enjoying the outdoors, spending time with your family, and appreciating the little things in life.

Here's just a few of the little stops I'd like to make on our trip (those within walking distance are my favorite!):

Mad Martha's Ice Cream
Vineyard Haven, MA







Flying Horses Carousel
Oak Bluffs, MA
The nation's oldest operating carousel. If you catch the brass ring, you get a free ride! (Know the Dispatch song "Flying Horses"? Yep, this is it!)



The Black Dog Tavern and Bakery
Vineyard Haven, MA
Opened in 1973. Self-explanatory!








Murdick's Fudge
Edgartown, MA
Murdick's Fudge has been making fudge and brittle with the same recipes since 1887.