Location: Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA
Accommodations: House, 3 Bedrooms, 1.5 Baths (Sleeps 5-6)
This 3 bedroom, custom, passive-solar saltbox was built by a shipbuilder with the same exotic wood used in the construction of ships. The open living/dining/kitchen area features an upright piano, custom teak cabinets, a large built-in cherry table and a stone chimney with a wood stove. The front faces south and opens by way of French doors to a deck built like a pier. The floors are wood and flagstone with rag rugs. The downstairs bedroom, built like a ship's cabin, opens to a second pier-style deck. It has hexagonal and leaded glass windows and a hatch door in the floor to the basement stairs. The laundry in the basement can also be accessed by the outside door around the back of the house.
The two upstairs bedrooms have openable skylights and cedar closets; one has a stained glass window as well. Both baths have custom vanities, one with inlaid wood and ''crickets'' and the tub is built into a fiber-glassed ''stall.'' Bed sizes: 1 twin, 1 twin-sized 9" thick mat, 1 double, 1 king. Baths: 1 ½ baths, outdoor shower.
AMENITIES: Washer and dryer, outdoor shower, gas grill, outdoor table and chairs, hammock, 4 bicycles, 3 beach chairs, dishwasher, gas stove and oven, microwave, blender, food processor, toaster oven, TV/VCR/DVD, cable, CD player/ipod dock/radio, piano, local telephone, fans. Short walk to bus stop and beach.
My home has the advantage of being on a narrow dirt road without the disadvantage of being too far down the road! It is in a nice quiet neighborhood with a mixture of summer and year-round residents. The yard is well shrubbed and treed for privacy and there is a hammock, an outdoor table set, a gas grill, and several canvas chairs for relaxing. In the shed are 3 bicycles and a bike rack, a badminton set and horseshoes. Around the back of the house is a hot and cold enclosed outdoor shower. Try it - you'll like it!
There are many varieties of birds that visit the yard - chickadees, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, crows, blue jays, cardinals, mourning doves, and my favorite, the Carolina wren. I have also seen a very occasional hummingbird fly past. There are also squirrels and rabbits that frequent the yard.
The closest beach is at the Sailing Camp diagonally across Barnes Road and is about a 5 - 10 minute walk. It is a large, gentle salt-water pond, which is ideal for small children and for people wanting to have a quiet day at the beach away from the crowds. In June and September, this beach is ideal because the air and water are warmer than the open waters of the Nantucket Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. The sailboats, beach roses, schools of small fish, wild fowl, and shells make this an interesting beach to walk and beach-comb.
The other end of the street leads to a path that winds its way into acres of woodlands and the site of the now defunct Webb's campground which still has out-houses and picnic tables. The adventurer in you might pack a picnic lunch and eat in the quiet and privacy of nature. In the morning and late afternoon, you may spot some deer. I once held eye contact with a doe for several minutes before it resumed its feeding activity.
My house is two miles from town and an easy 10-minute bike ride. If you'd rather, you can call a taxi or you might opt to flag down the buses that travel hourly up and down Barnes Road in either direction. To the right is Oak Bluffs center, where you can go to the beach, shop, see a movie, ride the carousel, play video games, fly a kite in the park, listen to an outdoor concert, attend an art opening, go dancing, sing karaoke, buy groceries, or dine. You can also catch a bus here to Edgartown (right facing the water) or to Vineyard Haven (left facing the water.) Those buses run every 15 minutes. You can get a bus schedule and map on any bus. Buses will stop anywhere en route if you hold up your hand. You can also pick up the bus going left on Barnes Road to the airport or to Edgartown Road, where you can hail down a bus going to Vineyard Haven (right) or Edgartown (left.)
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer: The washer is in the basement.
- Dryer: The gas dryer is in the basement.
- Off Street Parking: 2 driveways. Parking for 2 cars each driveway.
- Parking for RV/Boat/Trailer: 2 driveways. Each one is long enough to accommodate a boat with trailer or an RV.
- Wood Stove: Connected to a lovely stone chimney.
- Beds
- King Bed: Platform king is located under a skylight.
- Double Bed: Double bed is located in a bedroom with a skylight and a stained glass window.
- Twin/Single Bed: The twin bed has a twin sized 9" thick mat beneath it for extra sleeping. Beds are located in a bedroom with a hatch door in the floor to the basement, wood walls and ceiling, a hexagonal window, a leaded glass window, and a door leading to a small deck outdoors by the herb garden.
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV
- DVD
- VCR
- Video Library: Extensive DVD library of independent films, several children's videos and a Martha's Vineyard video.
- CD Player
- Music Library: a few cds are available.
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen: In addition to gas stove and full sized refrig, several small appliances are available such as food processor, blender, spice grinder, coffee grinder, crock pot.
- Cooking Utensils Provided: Includes lobster pot and several serving dishes and casseroles.
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill: Gas grille in patio.
- Deck/Patio: Narrow sitting deck and patio has privacy afforded by tall forsythia bushes. Cushions for deck are in the bottom of the bookcase.
- Communications
- Telephone: Local dialing capabilities.
- Broadband Internet: Comcast cable modem.
- WiFi (Wireless Internet): linksys.
- Other Amenities
- 3 adult and 1 child's bicycle, piano, horseshoes, badminton. A bike rack and air pump are also available in the shed.
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed: Although I love pets, many tenants have allergies, so I have made the house pet-free to accommodate as many people as possible.
- Kid Friendly: The house is on a dirt road in a small quiet neighborhood safe for children.
- Minimum Age Limit for Renters: Must be over 21 years old to sign lease.
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Golf
- Tennis
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Kayaking
- Sailing
- Boating
- Waterskiing
- Parasailing
- Jet Skiing
- Shelling
- Swimming
- Snorkeling/Diving
- Windsurfing
- Biking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Racquetball
- Basketball Court
- Antiquing
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Live Theatre
- Museums
- Horseshoes
- Miniature golf
- Horseback Riding
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
Off season .. $650/week Sept 19 - Oct 17, 2009 only (Otherwise $775)
Jul ........ $1775/week
Aug ......... $1875/week
$50 off total rental price for multiple week rentals.
$250 cleaning and security deposit.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Owner's Profile
Owner Description
Year Purchased: 1987
Martha's Vineyard has always been a special place for me. As a child traveling through the Elizabeth Islands on my father's boat on our way to Menemsha, it captivated my sense of adventure. As an adult with a demanding career, it represented an escape into a relaxing, unhurried lifestyle, far from projects and ringing telephones, a world unto itself. I always knew I would have a home here one day.
Why the Owner Chose Oak Bluffs
I saw myself in a house in a quiet area near the beach yet accessible to the activities of town life. Oak Bluffs offers a wide variety of activities such as movie theatres, dancing, dining, concerts at the Tabernacle, shopping, beaches, boat rentals and for the kids a carousel, game room, ice cream parlors, and kite-flying in Ocean Park. I pictured that house to be like the one I designed and built off island, a house with custom features such as wood floors, exposed beams, an open living plan and skylights. I was pleasantly surprised when my broker found this house - near the Sailing Camp and only 2 miles from town! Now I enjoy the best of both worlds - the quiet moments of swimming and walking the uncrowded beach along Lagoon Pond and exploring the trails through the Southern Woodlands as well as the entertainment of Circuit Avenue and the harbor!
The Unique Benefits of this House
I have a great view of the birds, squirrels and rabbits through the large picture windows and French door. At night, I like to watch the stars through the skylight over my bed. In summer, it is refreshing to shower outdoors and in spring, the yard bursts with color from the flowering quince and forsythias. In the evening, it is fun to sing around the piano!
Property Photos
- Exterior - Kid Friendly Vacation Rental House In Oak Bluffs, Two Miles From Town - a Nice Ten Minute Bike Ride, (Two Bikes Are Provided).
- Living area - Kid Friendly Vacation Rental House In Oak Bluffs, Two Miles From Town - a Nice Ten Minute Bike Ride, (Two Bikes Are Provided).
- Dining area - Kid Friendly Vacation Rental House In Oak Bluffs, Two Miles From Town - a Nice Ten Minute Bike Ride, (Two Bikes Are Provided).
- Master bedroom
- A short walk to this Lagoon Pond beach
Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #184127
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This listing was first published here in 2008.
Date last modified - October 07, 2009
