Gingerbread Houses

Most Martha’s Vineyard tours by land include a stop at the Old Bluffs Campground to admire the whimsical Gingerbread Houses and visit the Cottage Museum, where visitors can see how these former camp cottages would have been furnished in the 1800s. Although you can glimpse a handful of cottages from the main road, they’re best seen on foot or by bike, as many are located along a pedestrian-only road. For a more in-depth tour of the site, the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association (MVCMA) offers walking tours in July and August.

• No cars are allowed inside Old Bluffs Campground, so plan to walk or bike along the quiet lanes.

• Photography is allowed from the paths but do not approach these private homes.

• Kids love to check out these fairytale-like houses, and no traffic means they can roam free amongst the lanes.

• The Campground has a small museum and gift shop, but there are no restaurants or other businesses inside its confines.

• While entering the area for free, there is an admission cost for the museum.

• The site’s paths and lanes are relatively level and paved, so are easy to navigate with a wheelchair or stroller.

The Gingerbread Houses are located inside the historic Old Bluffs Campground in Old Bluffs on the northern part of Martha’s Vineyard. Ferries run from Cape Cod and Nantucket to Old Bluffs, or you can reach the town by Vineyard Transit Authority bus, taxi or rideshare, rental car, or bike from other island towns. Cars are not allowed inside the campground, so you need to park in town and walk if exploring by rental car.

The Gingerbread Houses are particularly vibrant to see during sunny days from spring through fall. The most spectacular night of the year to visit is the Grand Illumination—generally in August—when the cottages and surrounding campground are decorated with hundreds of paper lanterns, a tradition that dates back to 1869.

The Old Bluffs Campground is one of the most picturesque—and pictured—spots on Martha’s Vineyard. This historic Methodist camp is still an active place of worship, though today the Gingerbread Houses are popular summer rentals for visitors of all faiths. These 312 cottages are set around the central Tabernacle, a wrought-iron, open-sided gathering place for religious services and cultural events built in the early 20th century. The Cottage Museum is at the entrance, with exhibits about the site’s history, plus rooms decorated with period furnishings to reflect how the homes looked more than a century ago.