Squibnocket Beach

The Vineyard's best surf break, backed by stunning scenery. Resident-only access keeps it uncrowded. The rocky shoreline and big waves make this a surfer's paradise — not a gentle swim spot.

Squibnocket — locals call it 'Squibby' — is the Vineyard's premier surf break, a south-facing curve of rocky sand at the island's southwestern corner where Atlantic swells wrap in from deep water and reel down a series of sandbars and rock reefs. The rocks at low tide can be ankle-eating, and there is no shoreline lifeguard, so this beach favors confident swimmers and surfers over families. Access is strictly limited: only Chilmark residents and renters with a town beach pass can enter during the resident-only season (mid-June through mid-Sept). The parking area sits on Squibnocket Pond, with a boardwalk path crossing dune to the beach. Off-season, the beach opens to everyone and is one of the great wild walking beaches on the island, especially in September and October when north Atlantic swells fire and the crowds disappear. The Wampanoag tribal lands lie just to the west; please respect posted boundaries.