The Edgartown lighthouse, a cast iron structure built in 1881, was moved to its present location on the Vineyard from nearby Ipswich, Mass., in 1939

By Diane Vadino

Each of the Vineyard’s villages has a distinct character and its own devoted fans, but it’s tough not to put Edgartown at the head of any list. The town’s chief attraction are the Greek Revival mansions built by whaling captains in the 19th century when the town was a wealthy whaling port. The stately homes line North Water Street, relics from an era when fortunes were made from the sea and the behemoths who swam in it. On South Water Street, you'll find the one-time home of Capt. Valentine Pease, a whaling captain who once counted "Moby Dick" author Herman Melville among his shipmates.

Other sights include the 1843 Old Whaling Church, now a popular wedding venue, and the Edgartown Lighthouse, a squat structure closed to the public but set on picturesque grounds open to visitors. And of course there are beaches galore. The closest to Edgartown is Lighthouse Beach.