Flying Horses Carousel

The Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs is among the best-loved attractions on the Vineyard and a rare surviving example of an early American carousel. Built in the late 1870s in Coney Island and moved to Oak Bluffs in the 1880s, it is widely described as the oldest operating platform carousel in the United States and is designated a National Historic Landmark. Its horses are hand-carved and set with glass eyes and real horsehair manes and tails, and they move in a ring beneath a traditional canopy to the music of a band organ. The famous brass ring game still survives here: riders on the outer horses can reach for a metal ring from an arm as they pass, and the lucky one who snags the brass ring wins a free ride. The building is a simple wooden structure on Lake Avenue near the harbor, in the heart of the town's summer activity, and the carousel is owned and maintained by the Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust, which funds its upkeep from admissions and donations. The ride is short and inexpensive, so it works as a quick treat rather than a major outing, but the atmosphere is magical for young children and nostalgic for adults. Opening days vary by season, with daily operation in the summer and limited days in spring and fall, and it is closed in winter, so check ahead before you go. The building is small, the wait on a busy summer day can be long, and hours can change with weather. If you visit with children, plan to be there when the carousel opens, then walk over to the fudge and ice cream shops on Circuit Avenue.

Arrive close to opening time on a summer weekend and you will avoid the longest lines. Buy tickets at the booth, choose a horse on the outer ring if you want a chance at the brass ring, and note that younger children may ride with an adult. Take photos from outside the rail rather than holding up the line.

The carousel is part of a trio of classic Oak Bluffs experiences: the Campground cottages, the harbor and Circuit Avenue's snack shops. A visit fits easily into a stroll between the ferry terminal and the cottages, and it makes a good rainy-day diversion, though hours can shrink in poor weather.

It helps to know what to look for once you are inside. The horses are individually carved, and you can find differences in the expressions, the saddles and the poses, with some leaping and some standing. The organ music gives the ride a vintage feel, and the lighting inside the building makes it a favorite for photographs, though crowded days limit space. For families, the carousel is a natural reward after a morning of sightseeing, and it is within a short walk of Circuit Avenue's snack shops and the harbor park.