During the summer of 1993 and 1994 when President Clinton vacationed on the Vineyard his presence brought traffic jams and media attention, unusual for this laid-back island. Celebrities have been coming here for years, but sighting them is not a usual pastime. The 23 mile-long island, near the shoulder of Cape Cod, is a stretch of ponds, forests, sandy beaches and small communities with carefully preserved homes, country inns, restaurants and B and B establishments. There are no special spots where the gliterati gather for the communities are scattered, small and often secluded. One senses that a strong Preservation Society is monitoring the island's development.
Nothing disturbs the original New England setting.
Edgartown , the largest resort town, dating from 1642, with its rows of stately white Greek revival homes built by whaling captains, looks like a prosperous seaport village. It boomed during the 19th-century whaling days and became a yachting center during the 20th century. West Tisbury has all the characteristics of a typical tiny New England Village white church, picket fences, general store, post office, old mill and working farms. Without a map and an occasional sign, you might drive by the other very quiet hamlets Gay Head , Chillmark and Menemsha, all down island, and hardly know that they were ther e. Attractions Fishing, golf, tennis, sailing and sightseeing in museums and historic homes . Pent Lane, a short stroll from the storybook streets to the town's center.