Bristol Beach

A narrow strip of sand on Vineyard Sound that connects to Surf Drive Beach. Less crowded than its famous neighbor and a great spot for a long beach walk with Vineyard views.

Bristol Beach is the quiet eastern continuation of Surf Drive Beach — a narrow strand of Vineyard Sound sand that stretches from the Surf Drive parking lot toward the salt-pond inlet at Trunk River. The lot is residents-only and holds maybe a dozen cars, so the crowd is whoever made the walk over from Surf Drive or pedaled in on the Shining Sea Bikeway, which runs just behind the dune line. The water is the same warm sound-side water as Surf Drive but the swimming is slightly less defined here, with no lifeguards and a more rugged feel. What you come for is the view — Martha's Vineyard lies six miles south across the sound, and on clear days you can pick out the Vineyard Haven harbor, the West Chop lighthouse, and the bluffs of Aquinnah far to the west. At sunset the light catches the sound and turns the Vineyard outline into a long blue shadow.