The town is technically Tisbury, a name no one really uses - not even the United States Postal Service. Beetlebung is headquartered here. Our first Dry Goods retail store is here. This Web site is managed here.
Many people pass through Vineyard Haven because it is the port at which the Steamship Authority operates ferries year round. Yet Vineyard Haven is quiet, convenient, and old fashioned. The village center bustles with exciting shops and galleries and Vineyard Haven Harbor is a real working seaport. The Steamship Dock and several marinas are located here, along with Gannon & Benjamin Marine Railway, a boatyard where they design and hand-craft classic wooden vessels from scratch.
The 1883 fire incinerated all of Main Street, taking away some of the town’s architectural history. Still, the village is lovely and often feels as if it is operating in a simpler America. You can get around by walking and you’re always bumping into someone you know. Until 2010, Vineyard Haven was "dry" - but you may now purchase beer or wine, although only in a restaurant with a meal. There are many small inns, hotels, and B&B’s to accommodate people constantly coming and going; and there are even some terrific places to dine out—pizza and panini at Beetlebung Coffee House for fantastic and affordable fare.
The Vineyard Playhouse hosts year-round professional theater as well as outdoor summer Shakespeare in the Tisbury Amphitheater overlooking Lake Tashmoo. Indie and international films and live musical performances at the historic Katharine Cornell Memorial Theater are captivating, fresh, and fun.