Discover 6 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Oak Bluffs (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Flying Horses Carousel, East Chop Light, and Union Chapel. Also, be sure to include The Arcade in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Oak Bluffs (Massachusetts).
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Flying Horses Carousel
Amusement park ride in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. The Flying Horses Carousel is the oldest operating platform carousel in America. Located in the historic resort community of Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, on Martha's Vineyard, the carousel was apparently first located in New York City before being moved to the island in the 1880s.
The carousel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. The carousel is one of only a handful of carousels that still have brass rings for a rider to attempt to grab as the carousel rotates.[1]
Address: 33 Lake Avenue, 02557 Oak Bluffs
East Chop Light
Lighthouse in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. East Chop Light is a historic lighthouse standing on a bluff overlooking Vineyard Haven Harbor and Vineyard Sound, located along East Chop Drive in the town of Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. It is one of five lighthouses located on the island of Martha's Vineyard.[2]
Address: 229 E Chop Dr, 02568 Oak Bluffs
Union Chapel
Church building in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Union Chapel is an historic octagon-shaped church building in Oak Bluffs, on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The church was built in 1870 as a non-sectarian worship space in an area dominated by the Methodist summer camp meeting known as Wesleyan Grove. Acquired in 2002 by the nonprofit Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust, the building continues to be used for nonsectarian religious services, and also serves as a community center and performing arts space.[3]
Address: 55 Narragansett Avenue, Oak Bluffs
The Arcade
Building in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. The Arcade is an historic building at 31 Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. Built in the early 1870s, it is one of the best preserved buildings on Circuit Ave, and is further locally significant as housing the offices of the Oak Bluffs Land and Wharf Company, which was responsible for much of the early development of the town of Oak Bluffs. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.[4]
Wesleyan Grove
Wesleyan Grove is a 34-acre National Historic Landmark District in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts on the island of Martha's Vineyard. Also known as the Martha's Vineyard Campmeeting Association or the Campgrounds, it was the first summer religious camp established in the United States. It is famous for its approximately 300 colourful cottages in a style now described as Carpenter Gothic.[5]
Dr. Harrison A. Tucker Cottage
The Dr. Harrison A. Tucker Cottage is a historic summer cottage at 61 Ocean Avenue in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. The cottage took shape in the 1870s as a combination of several smaller structures that were joined by an addition. Doctor Tucker was a resident of Cottage City, as Oak Bluffs was then known, and invited Ulysses S. Grant during his time there. Tucker was also a leading figure in the Oak Bluffs Land and Wharf Company, which spearheaded development of the town outside the Methodist meeting camp known as Wesleyan Grove. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990, for its association with Dr. Tucker, and as one of the most elaborate Victorian houses in the town.[6]