Founded in 1971, Chicama Vineyards is the perfect place to sample local wine. RELATED LINKS Return to City Guide: Martha's Vineyard

If your Martha's Vineyard vacation plans include cold beer at the beach, celebratory cocktails at sunset or wine with dinner, bear in mind that sales of all adult beverages — by the bottle or by the drink — are prohibited throughout much of the island. Liquor licenses are issued to restaurants and package stores in Edgartown and Oak Bluffs, but elsewhere you'll need to bring your own provisions.

Schlep what you can from discount purveyors on the mainland, or buy what you need from the liquor stores and markets in Edgartown and Oak Bluffs, where prices tend to reflect the generally high cost of retail goods on the island. Happily, most restaurants and inns in the "dry" areas willingly accommodate their customers' BYOB needs by providing refrigeration, ice, mixers, corkscrews and glassware as needed.

Although Martha's Vineyard originally got its name from the native New World grapes that once grew in abundance here, the island does have one commercial winery that is producing red and white wines from several varieties of imported vinifera grapes. Chicama Vineyards (www.chicamavineyards.com) in the rural heart of the island offers tours and tasting, as well as on-site sales of locally produced wines.