Aquinnah Cliffs Overlook — Attraction in Aquinnah

The Aquinnah cliffs overlook required about a 20+ minute drive out from Vineyard Haven. The trip out was very scenic. Much of that side of the island is forested and kept very wild. Old stone walls bordered sometimes both sides of the road added to the charm. We saw lots of turkeys and our bus almost hit one that consequently decided to cross and take its chances with the unsuspecting runner on the other side of the road! The overlook itself required a short uphill walk, but the view is incredible. There is a restaurant at the top which smelled delicious and boasted a large deck with picnic tables overlooking the ocean at which to enjoy your meal. Unfortunately they had closed by the time we decided to eat, so I can’t vouch for the food, but some fellow travelers said they enjoyed it. There was a scenic downhill walk to the beach with a parking lot halfway down for easier access. They had nice clean bathrooms near the beach and porta potties for when the bathroom closed in the evening. Don’t forget to tip the nice lady who meticulously cleaned between each guest! It was a great beach at which to play, walk, and relax, and well worth the trip out. One special thing about this beach is the incredible sound the tumbling rocks make as each wave washes onto shore! It was a sound I’ve never heard before! ( there were plenty of nice sandy spots as well if you don’t enjoy the rocks)! Just don’t rely on the bus schedules for getting back from the overlook. The buses tended to be very unreliable for us (probably due to lack of help like so many other businesses) and they canceled the 6 and 7:00 pickup times with no warning and left 16+ people stranded at the cliffs till the last bus —at 8:15 (if that one even showed up)with nothing open but a small convenience store. It was run by a very sweet lady and turned out to be a life-saver for us and our 4 very hungry kids. We and our impromptu new “friends” had to collectively order an Uber and a 12 passenger van to get us all back to our ferry on time. It worked out fine for everyone involved—thanks to my awesome husband and one cell phone that got reception from way up on the hill, but I definitely recommend bringing your own car to this amazing spot—or at least having a back up plan if you are relying on public...

Beach day! Over 4th July weekend. Beautiful skies and weather. There is paid parking where one walks down to the beach. Farther down the road is a drop off spot closer to beach so that you can take your carts, umbrellas and other large beach equipment. So drop off first and then return to parking lot. Without the parking lot it is hard to find parking. The attendant was very kind and helpful.

The beach was not overcrowded. Sand clean but lots of rocks and shells in some spots making it a little difficult to walk. Water was clean and just blue green beautiful. For me, it felt like peace and calm even though people were around.

The walk....be forewarned...on part of the beach you will find nude sunbathing. Somehow there is an imaginary line where regular bathing and nude bathing begin and end. I mention this for those who have kids. One can avoid this area. Like I said there seemed to be an imaginary line so nudes kept off the main area.

Besides the water, looking at the formations due to water and weathering is "required ". They are so pretty. Some reminded me of the formations in Sedona.

When you are finished on the beach you must check out the stores owned and operated by the Wamponag tribe. Very nice items at reasonable prices. There are trails and a lighthouse to explore too.

Really fun and informative day here!...

Arrived mid afternoon after a very rainy morning. To get here by bus from Vineyard Haven requires two buses and is a bit lengthy, but the buses are timed well so we didn’t have to wait too long for the transfer and we had some very nice conversations with locals and tourists alike on the journey. Note that the #5 bus that goes to Aquinnah only comes once per hour, so you either are staying for 1 or 2 hours. Due to the foggy weather, we could barely see the cliffs and couldn’t see the lighthouse at all from the Overlook upon our arrival. And, only one of the little shops as well as the snack stand were open – the cultural center was also closed. We greatly enjoyed an hour+ walk to and on the beach (access to the beach is through a field from beside the cultural center and is the only beach access that we could find). The cliffs should definitely be seen from the water level, not just from the overlook. We were fortunate that by the time we returned from our beach walk, the fog had lifted and we had a better view from the overlook. We also walked to the lighthouse, which unfortunately was also closed due to...