IT might have been the start of 'fall' when I visited Martha's Vineyard but the picturesque little island seems to provide the perfect summer getaway all year round.

The island is located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts and is best known for being an affluent summer colony.

Jackie Onassis made it trendy when she bought a house in the island's Aquinnah in 1981, and since then everyone who is anyone vacations there. From Reese Witherspoon to Bill Murray, the island is a haven for Hollywood types. Many have even bought properties including Meg Ryan and the Vineyard is also the favourite vacation spot of former US president Barack Obama. His daughter Sasha even worked at the local seafood restaurant for her summer job.

With the rich and famous constantly heading to Martha's Vineyard, I was already enchanted by what it had to offer.

But first I had to get there. I visited Martha's Vineyard as a day-tripper and arrived via the Seastreak ferry which takes around an hour from New Bedford.

I, however, decided to take advantaged of what else the state of Massachusetts had to over and I spent the day before my trip in New Bedford which is a city famed for its whaling history. I visited the New Bedford Whaling Museum, which through its collections and exhibitions, tells the story of the international whaling industry.

For fans of the novel Moby Dick, the museum is a must see. The museum even hosts an annual marathon reading of Moby Dick in a bid to monopolize on the business of whaling which once made the city a bustling port.

The tourist attraction is also packed with many tributes to the book and its author Herman Melville. And if you loved the book, you will enjoy the story behind it being brought to life.

In contrast, a ferry ride away, Martha's Vineyard also has a sea creature attraction which is slightly more frightening in the form of Jaws. The 1974 Steven Spielberg movie was filmed on the island.

For anyone visiting the island, it has become a rite of passage to jump off the Jaws bridge which is the dividing line between the Vineyard's Edgartown and Oaks Bluffs.

As you approach the bridge, there is usually a gang of tourists ready to jump off. The bridge has also became an attraction for wedding parties with the bride and groom jumping into the water in their full regalia.

Another big draw for tourists visiting the Vineyard is the homes which are simply stunning. Each area has a certain style for their houses but my favourite was the gingerbread houses in Oaks Bluff. They are all brightly coloured and give the place a real character. Exploring each of the houses and looking at their uniqueness was one of the best things I did on the island. Many of the houses also have themes such as Wizard of Oz and you can tell their residents are proud of the work that has gone into them.

With all my imaginary house hunting, I quickly became thirsty during my visit to the island and in my logic, that calls for ice-cream.

I visited the island's Ben & Bills chocolate which has every flavour of ice cream you can think of - even oyster. The ice cream was a real treat and it appears to be an island favourite as Martha's Vineyard is packed with similar dessert shops.

I didn't have as much time as I would have liked to explore the Vineyard but I quickly got a snapshot of why it is loved by tourists.

The island is charming and laid back, and the hot weather against a beautiful backdrop provides the sort of summer day us Scots can only dream about in the midst of winter.

Falmouth was my final stop after leaving Martha's Vineyard. This small town felt like I was being transported into an episode of Murder She Wrote with its New England charm.

It's the type of place where everyone knows everyone, and a tourist instantly stands out.

But we received a lovely welcome when we arrived at our hotel for the night, the Shoreway Acres Inn. The hotel is just beautiful and reminds me of Kellerman's resort which featured in the movie Dirty Dancing.

The hotel is situated at the backdrop of the beautiful town and I had one of the best nights at the local pub Liam Mcguire's which is one the Main Street. It was karaoke night and the place was bustling with locals eager to impress with their vocals.

This part of Massachuttes is gorgeous because you are surrounded by the ocean and unlike few places in the States, most of the areas I visited had not be capitalised or ruined by commercial businesses you see everywhere else.

They had their own character and most of the main shopping street had traditional stores, which was a nice sight to see in this day and age.

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For more information on visiting the USA, VisitTheUSA.co.uk.