MARTHA’S VINEYARD, MASS.

If you’re headed to Martha’s Vineyard, plan to stay or stop in Edgartown, a secluded enclave on the eastern end of the island that’s south of Cape Cod. Whether you’re sailing along the Edgartown harbor, bike-riding down Main St. past the Old Whaling Church or climbing up the spiral stairs of the Edgartown Lighthouse, you’ll be happy you did. Bask on public beaches like Norton Point or catch bluefish and bass at Cape Poge on Chappaquiddick Island (also part of Edgartown). It’s a five-hour drive to the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard, but there’s a quicker way to get there, given below.

What’s New:

Blade (flyblade.com), which bills itself as “the first digitally driven short-distance aviation company,” has launched 90-minute trips to Martha’s Vineyard. Travelers charter a chopper via the app, and then a helicopter will scoop up those flying out of New York City from one of two area locations (E. 34th St. or W. 30th St.) and drop them off at Westchester Airport. Next, guests will board a Pilatus-PC12 plane that takes off upon your arrival and leaves you at Martha’s Vineyard Airport. The whole Blade trip costs $650 per person and includes a cocktail or glass of rosé.

Don’t miss:

Set sail along the Edgartown harbor on the Magic Carpet, a classic wooden yawl built in 1959 that offers private and public sails for twohour or full-day rides (sailmagiccarpet.com). Once you hit land, check out the Edgartown Lighthouse (mvmuseum.org), a towering treasure built in 1828 and fully restored in 2008 with a spiral staircase that boasts aerial views of the island at the top. Dine at the Port Hunter (www.theporthunter.com), a raw bar and restaurant featuring delights like the Brussel & Beet salad or smoked bluefish cakes. Channel your inner kid at Murdick’s Fudge (murdicks.com), a sweet shop that’s been selling treats like chocolate, peanut brittle and caramel corn since 1887. Watch chocolatiers melt and mix fudge on-site. If you ask nicely, you may get a free sample.

Stay:

The Kelley House Hotel (kelley-house.com; $369 per night), in the heart of Edgartown, is a twominute walk from the waterfront and a ferry ride from the tip of Chappaquiddick. The historic hotel, built in 1742, provided lodging for many of the cast and crew during the filming of “Jaws” (1975).