Located only seven miles off of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard is a 10 by 20 mile island just a short ferry ride from Woods Hole, Falmouth or Hyannis. Fabulous vacation rental homes can be found throughout the Island, from modest cottages within easy driving or biking distance of town or beach, to luxurious, oceanfront homes.

It’s not unusual to hear people refer to “the magic of Martha’s Vineyard.” The Vineyard’s steady growth in popularity of Martha’s Vineyard vacation rentals stems in part from the Island’s moderate climate, rarely seeing temperatures exceeding 90°F, and its gorgeous beaches.

Today, the three “down-Island” towns of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven are where most of the “action” is: restaurants, shops, and galleries abound, and each has a thriving town center on the waterfront and its own unique character, with plenty of available summer rental homes.

Vineyard Haven boasts many beautiful, historic rental homes within easy walking distance of public beaches and Main Street, which offers wonderful shops and restaurants. It is also the primary ferry port for the Island. Like Owen Little Beach on the Harbor, saltwater Lambert’s Cove Beach provides quiet, surf-free swimming and is a local favorite.

Oak Bluffs is home to the charming, brightly-colored, Victorian “Gingerbread Houses,” often pictured in magazines and post cards. Oak Bluffs also offers the most nightlife on the Island, with lots of fun restaurants and nightclubs. With the “Flying Horses” (the oldest carousel in the US) and game arcades, it’s also a fun place for youngsters. Oak Bluffs offers a diversity of summer rentals, including stately Victorian houses overlooking Ocean Park or on the beautiful East Chop section, as well as more modest vacation homes near the Lagoon or saltwater Sengekontacket Pond. Set on a peninsula surrounded by Nantucket Sound and the Lagoon, Oak Bluffs rental homes are never far from a beach.

The upscale village of Edgartown offers block after block of charming, antique homes, many overlooking the harbor along North and South Water Streets and most with the iconic white picket fences topped with roses. Here can also be found fine restaurants, interesting shops, and lovely art galleries. If you choose a summer vacation rental right in the Village, the Lighthouse and Fuller Street Beaches are both within a fairly easy walk or bike ride and offer warm waters and little surf.

A five-minute ride on the "On Time" ferry from the Edgartown dock takes you to Chappaquiddick, an island off an island, with dirt roads and pristine beaches. Vacationers choose vacation rentals on “Chappy” for the privacy and the tranquility this 6 by 3 mile island offers.

South of Edgartown is the area known as Katama, where you’ll find the popular three-mile barrier beach called South Beach, with Atlantic Ocean surf on one side and a protected salt pond on the other. The Katama area is very popular for families looking for more contemporary style beach rentals within easy proximity of both South Beach and Edgartown Village.

If you are looking for a quiet and relaxing Martha’s Vineyard vacation rental away from the hustle and bustle of the Down-Island villages, consider a vacation rental in Up-Island’s undeveloped towns of West Tisbury, Chilmark and Aquinnah. Hidden gems of rental properties are set in the wild and natural landscape surrounded by numerous farms and nature preserves and often affording dramatic views of the Atlantic Ocean or Vineyard Sound. Properties are remote, and tranquility and nature abound. Chilmark is known for its rolling meadows and one of the island’s finest ocean-facing beaches, Lucy Vincent Beach.