Jaws Fan Nick's Whistle-Stop Tour Of Amity Island In The Winter

Long-time Jaws fan Nick Joy and his wife Justine visited Amity Island’s real-life location Martha’s Vineyard this winter and discovered that you can still visit all the key movie locations... even with just a few hours on the island.

Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts is the sort of place where you could lose yourself for days. The beautiful houses, the beaches, the quayside - so how crazy would it be to attempt a round-island tour in half a day in November? The answer is ‘pretty crazy’, but if was your only opportunity, you’d take it. Here’s what happened, some tips for would-be travellers, and a few cool photos.

As part of our week-long stay in Boston we allocated a day to visit Martha’s Vineyard. As it got closer to departure, it was clear that this wouldn’t be the best time of year for such a trip. Organised coach trips from Boston stop late October, as do guided tours of Edgartown, meaning that we’d have to do everything ourselves. Challenge accepted - the upside to all of this being that the island would be empty of tourists, and even in November you can get a balmy enough day to walk round in your T-shirt.

Getting to Martha’s Vineyard from Boston

Departing from Boston’s South Station, the Peter Pan bus takes you to Woods Hole, Falmouth, where you can catch the Steamship Authority ferry to Vineyard Haven. If you get stuck waiting for the ferry at Woods Hole, it’s a beautiful New England location to wander round to kill some time. The ferry itself was a smooth crossing and if the weather’s good there’s a great view from the upper deck. Once we arrived, it was a five minute walk to the Alamo car rental office where we’d pre-booked a Jeep for the day, and then we were off to our first location.

Leg 1: Vineyard Haven to Brody residence (265 East Chop Drive): 5 minutes

Our trip was a clockwise tour of the island, starting and finishing at Vineyard Haven. First stop, the Brody residence, which can be photographed from the road (we just pulled over). It’s a private property, so we didn’t linger or trespass - the poor owners have probably endured nearly 45 years of fans doing this. While it’s unmistakable, it (like any house) has changed a lot over time through remodelling.

Leg 2: Brody residence to main beach (Joseph Sylvia State Beach) 10 minutes

It’s a short drive to THAT BRIDGE (American Legion Memorial Bridge) which you’ll recognise immediately. There was plenty of on-road parking before the bridge and if you look carefully you’ll spot a boardwalk that takes you to the beach. It feels a lot smaller than you’d imagine (that’s the magic of movies) and you can find the spot to practice your contrazoom technique on Brody’s face. Then walk along the beach to the bridge that the shark goes under into the movie’s lagoon (Sengekontacket Pond). The bridge has clearly been improved over the years, but you get a thrill standing in front of it, shouting ‘Sh-sh-shark!’ Apparently this is a popular spot for people to jump into the water in warmer weather, though signs forbid it.

Leg 3: Main beach to Amity town (Edgartown) 5 minutes

Back into the Jeep and before you know it you’re in downtown Amity – the island’s capital, Edgartown. Again, plenty of free on-street parking, and we pulled up near to the town hall. This is the point where everywhere you go feels like you’re in the movie.

Amity Town hall - We started at the Town Hall (70 Main Street) and spoke to a charming receptionist who let us go into the main chamber and see where Quint first scraped that blackboard. The room has changed a lot but you can still tell it’s the same. The curved table and brown clock are still the originals seen in the movie.

Amity Bank - Go inside the Rockland Trust Bank (2 S Water Street) and ask if you can see the original Amity Bank sign they’ve saved from the movie. The cashiers are very friendly - they say they get this all year round.

The Wharf restaurant - (3 Main Street) Not a movie location, but the manager is Jeffrey Voorhees, AKA Alex Kintner, who posed for photos and signed my napkin. They also serve excellent clam chowder! There’s a selection of Jaws-related memorabilia at the back.

Amity Hardware - (South Water Street and Main Street) Now more of a general store but maybe you can still get enough supplies to make some ‘Beach Closed’ warning signs.

Amity Police Department - (South Water Street and Davis Lane) Follow Brody’s steps past the white picket fence and turn onto South Water Street to go past...

Keisel’s Bicycle Rental and Amity Gazette - (2 South Water Street) No karate kicking the fence please!

Amity Harbor - (Main Street) What can I say - it’s where Mrs Kintner slapped Brody, where the tiger shark was hauled up, where we first met Hooper. Spend as much time as you can, reliving those magic moments.

The Chappy ferry - (53 Dock Street) Watch the ferry take the short trip across to Chappaquiddick Island, or if you have the time, take the ferry yourself and pretend you are Brody talking the Mayor.

Leg 4: Amity town to Chrissie’s Beach (South Beach) 8 minutes

Back to the Jeep and it’s a short trip to the beach where Chrissie ran into the sea to her doom and where her remains were subsequently discovered. The road literally finishes at the beach but there’s room for a few cars to park up. Walk through the dunes and resist the temptation to pose your arm as a disembodied limb in the seaweed.

Leg 5: Chrissie’s beach to Quint’s Shack (Menemsha) 30 minutes

It’s now a longer drive West to Quint’s Shack in Menemsha Harbor. This is a lovely fishing village and you can park up on the front. Quint’s shack was a temporary structure removed after the film was completed but you can still get the point of view from the bay window at Menemsha Galley (515 N Road, Chilmark) which provides a great look at the boats.

Leg 6: Quint’s Shack to ferry (Vineyard Haven) 30 Minutes

With little time left, we took the north road back East to Vineyard Haven. If we’d had an extra half hour we’d have squeezed in the lighthouse at Aquinnahs (location of the billboard) but we’ll save that for next time.

Conclusion

And so, as we dropped off the car and took the last ferry back to the mainland, we reflected on seeing an awful lot in a short period of time. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Do we wish we’d had more time? Definitely. And now we’ve been charmed by this stunning location, we’ll be back for more. Visiting Martha’s Vineyard does not disappoint - it’s like Disneyland for Jaws fans, and makes you love the film even more.

Tips for making a Jaws day trip out of season

1. You probably won’t see everything. Manage your expectations.

2. A lot of the shops will be closed for the season.

3. Enjoy the quiet - lots of room to park.

4. Make a note of where to visit next time.

5. Book your return bus tickets from Boston in advance (just in case).

6. If you want a longer day on the island, hire a car in Boston so you can catch an earlier ferry over and a later ferry back again.

7. Remember, you’re on Amity Island!

Thanks Nick for taking us on a great tour of Amity!

Words and photos by Nick Joy

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