Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/835998
it's a high flying summer! Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Kennebunkport are dazzling by air. But wait until you land! FROM A BIRD'S EYE VIEW, NANTUCKET, MARTHA'S VINEYARD, AND KENNEBUNKPORT REFLECT all of the beauty (Aquinnah's dramatic cliffs!), tranquility (ACK's flawless beaches!) and intrigue (Secret Service staked out at Kennebukport's Walker's Point!) that define them as some of Boston's most coveted summer paradises. Parachute down to ground level, and you'll be even more impressed. Each terrain, with its own personality, delivers every vacationer's dream: worldclass eateries, hotels, and style. Interested? Come fly with us. MARTHA'S VINEYARD EAT: Begin the day with breakfast at Among the Flowers in Edgartown (17 Mayhew Lane, Edgartown, 508-627-3233; mvol.com/menu/amongtheflowers) with either their loaded omelets, fluffy waffles, or decadent crepes. Once you burn off those calories swimming, shoot over to Oak Bluffs for lunch at the Martha's Vineyard Chowder Company (9 Oak Bluffs Ave., Oak Bluffs, 508-696-3000; mvchowder.com), which was recently named the number one restaurant on the island by Trip Advisor. Of course, the Vineyard welcomes a laidback beer, so bring your own to Larsen's Fish Market in Menemsha (56 Basin Road, Chilmark, 508-645-2680; larsensfishmarket.com) for a late afternoon snack. End the day by taking a page out of President Obama's book and hit up State Road for dinner (688 State Road, West Tisbury, 508-693-8582; stateroadrestaurant.com). STAY: With the smell of homemade cookies wafting out its windows, Isabelle's Beach House in Oak Bluffs (83 Seaview Ave., Oak Bluffs, 508-693-3955; isabellesbeachhouse.com) offers the quintessential, romantic getaway. For the family escape, Winnetu Oceanside Resort in Edgartown (31 Dunes Road, Edgartown, 508-310-1733; winnetu.com) has easy access to South Beach, the bike path and town shuttle service. Out in Menemsha, Beach Plum Inn (50 Beach Plum Lane, Menemsha, 508-645-9454; beach pluminn.com) has thirteen rooms overlooking Vineyard Sound as well as an adjoined restaurant with food worth writing home about. SHOP: Saturdays are for the farmers' market. Since the 1970s, the Tisbury Farmers Market (The Grange Hall on State Road, West Tisbury, 508-693-4359; thewesttisburyfarmersmarket.com ) has been bringing together local purveyors in offering a true taste of island life. But if that's a bit too crunchy for your liking, skip over to Slate ( 11 North Summer St., Edgartown, 508-939-1908; slatemv.com ), a chic boutique with fine women's wares and wellness goods. Before you head to the beach, drop into the Bunch of Grapes Bookstore ( 23 Main St., Vineyard Haven, 508-693- 2291; bunchofgrapes.com ) where the likes of Bill Clinton have been known to peruse their curated shelves for a beach read. 86 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM