Steal My Vacation: Julee Wilson

"We have a home in Oak Bluffs but there are hotels on the island that people I know really love. We stayed at the Oak Bluffs Inn when we got married. It’s pink and blue and beautiful — very old Victorian architecture, very quaint."

"Other hotels on the island are Lambert's Cove, which is off the beaten path, away from the hustle and bustle."

"Winnetu Ocean Resort is a resort by the water — it’s quintessential New England and has crazy views of the water. "

"To get to the island, people take the ferry across the sound. There’s a snack bar, and people usually sit at the top and enjoy the ride. It’s around 45 minutes, and it’s just beautiful."

"I always love my first meal to be a lobster roll from Nancy’s. It’s probably the most famous restaurant in Oak Bluffs and is rumored to be President Obama’s favorite on the island."

"There’s this bar next to the Nancy's pickup window called Donovan’s Reef. Donovan is this Jamaican guy who comes up every season, and he’s a town favorite. People wait in line for an hour to get a dirty banana. It’s this banana and chocolate and rum situation that everybody loves."

"In the afternoon, we usually go to Inkwell. It’s a classic beach, and a lot of Black families and friends tend to be there. It’s a good socializing beach for when you want to see old folks and blanket-hop. A lot of beautiful Black boy-and-girl joy is going on."

"I get up early and meet up with a girlfriend whose family has owned a home on the island forever. We usually get coffee at Mocha Mott’s. It’s no-frills. I get an iced latte, but they have a lot of great pastries."

"Sometimes we go to Biscuits, which is Black owned and across the street from Nancy’s. It’s one of those places where people will wait outside. Biscuits has amazing breakfast sandwiches, so I’ll get a bacon, egg, and cheese on a biscuit."

"Another spot on the island where people will wait in line to eat at."

"Another popular dining spot - ArtCliff Diner in Vineyard Haven, which is apparently Gayle King’s favorite restaurant."

"For lunch, I order sandwiches from Tony’s, a small market where you can buy groceries. They also have a deli stand inside, where you can get sandwiches and chicken fingers and fries."

"We love State Beach. State Beach is more sandy and less harsh on your feet. It’s also a lot more spread out; it goes on for miles. There are markers along State Road, so whoever gets there first will text and tell everyone which marker to go to. State Beach is also famous for Jaws Bridge. Everyone jumps off it."

"We order food from a place called Lookout Tavern that has great seafood and sushi."

"We also love Giordano’s, which is known for its pizza and its fried clams."

"By the third day, we have to get groceries because it’s more affordable and we like grilling at the house. So we’ll go to our favorite local fish market, the Net Result, which is in Vineyard Haven and near Stop and Shop. We’ll buy jumbo shrimp there and salmon and soft-shell crab. It’s really great because the fish is so fresh, and everyone is so nice."

"We sit on the beach every day during the day — the only difference is what beach we’re going to. Sometimes we’ll go to South Beach in Edgartown. People like going there because the waves tend to be bigger and more aggressive. We don’t usually go because we have children, so it’s not as fun."

"Aquinnah is where the famous clay cliffs that everyone photographs are. It’s just breathtakingly beautiful. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to go up there, and it’s all winding country roads. There’s not one stoplight."

"We go to Moshup Beach. It’s on the ocean side of the island, so the waves are big, the sand is like dust, and the water is stunning. It’s my favorite place to take pictures."

"There’s also a beach there called Lobsterville, where you can go clamming. But there’s a catch: There are a lot of regulations around who can clam. They don’t want just anyone there affecting the ecosystem; you have to have a license, and they don’t give out many a year. If you’re renting a house in Aquinnah for a long time, you can go to the city office and get one for $50."

"If you can't get a permit, there are services you can hire to take you fishing, like Black Dog Tall Ships or Book-A-Boat, who can take you."

"We start going out with friends toward the end of the week, typically on Thursday or Friday. We like to do drinks at Nancy’s because it’s by the water. Offshore Ale Company is also great. It has craft beer and burgers and lobster rolls."

"If we’re not going out as adults, we’ll go to Circuit Avenue with the kids and go get ice cream at Carousel, which is my favorite place. They have carousel horses inside — our son, Orion, likes to sit on them."

"It’s a regular bakery during the day, where you can buy coffee and donuts and muffins. But at night, they sell doughnuts out the back door, and it turns into a scene. They’re known for their doughnuts and their apple fritters. You can get maple-bacon donuts, honey glazed (my favorite), old-fashioned, chocolate frosted, one with sprinkles. It’s like Krispy Kreme but homemade."

"On Fridays at 3 p.m., Grace Church in Vineyard Haven sells the best lobster rolls. They’re big and succulent, and there’s no filling — no celery and shit. Just a little bit of mayo and seasoning."

"We also like to go to Edgartown Diner, which is Black owned. It’s really divey with great diner food. Dapper Dan goes there with his wife."

"On Wednesday and Saturday mornings, there’s the West Tisbury Farmers Market (1067 State Rd.), which starts for the season on June 12. It opens at 9 a.m. There’s the Martha’s Vineyard Sea Salt company — I always buy salt from them to bring back to New York. I pick up smoked bluefish from Martha’s Vineyard Smokehouse. It’s a spread you can put on crackers, and it’s so good I can’t get enough of it. If you like sweet stuff, there’s Enchanted Chocolates and Pie Chicks — I love their apple-cherry. I also love Milkweed Farm; it has great produce. Beetlebung Farm is also there. That’s Amy Schumer’s husband’s family farm."

"The Agricultural Fair happens in West Tisbury from August 19 to 22, and it’s fun. There are rides and all of that, but there are also livestock and pig races. The kids can go into the barn and touch the sheep and feed the chickens."

"We also like to go to Menemsha, where you can see a really beautiful sunset on the beach. Everyone tends to go before the sun goes down."

"There’s a seafood shack called Larsen’s Fish Market, and you can get fried clams, shrimp, and fish. You can go to the beach and watch the sunset — it’s really stunning."

"Atria is stunning indoors and outdoors. It has a swing hanging from a tree branch outside on the front lawn. There’s also a firepit you can sit around while you wait for your table. It’s cozy but also fancy. Don’t wear flip-flops. Put on your nice dress."

"We usually do souvenirs and shopping on the last full day. Everyone who goes to the Vineyard gets a Black Dog T-shirt and sweatshirt. What people don’t know is that there’s a Black Dog outlet store in Oak Bluffs. We go there because we’re not buying retail-price Black Dog."

"I also like to go to C’est La Vie, a Black-owned shop. It’s great because they have all the Vineyard T-shirts, but they’re the only ones on the island licensed to carry Black sorority and fraternity paraphernalia. So if you want an AKA Oak Bluffs T-shirt or sweatshirt, it’s there."

"There’s also a Black-owned art gallery called Cousen Rose Gallery. It has a lot of great local art from Black artists, plus souvenirs and children’s books about the island."