Martha's Vineyard is situated across Vineyard Sound from Cape Cod! It is nearly 20 miles (32 kilometers) long and 2-10 miles (3-16 kilometers) wide.  Martha's Vineyard was first described by Bartholomew Gosnold in 1602 and was named for its wild grapevines!  Martha's Vineyard was purchased by Tomas Mayhew in 1641 and was considered part of New York (the state) before being ceded to Massachusetts in 1692.  It was once a whaling center and fishing hot spot, but today it is more focused on tourism (which is why it is a popular summer resort)!