There’s a stretch of State Road, just before downtown Vineyard Haven, where for a brief moment the ocean seems to float above the rooftops and the clouds. 

Not far away, a semi-secret path runs between a pond and a lake. On summer evenings, I launch my kayak there and paddle toward Vineyard Sound. 

There’s a fancy coffee shop in Edgartown where a globe-trotting barista pulls a world-class espresso, and a hole-in-the-wall takeout place in Oak Bluffs that makes the best brownie I’ve ever had.

There’s a plumber who reliably answers my calls, an electrician who’s helped me out of more than one jam, a gas station that turns out surprisingly good pizza, and a farm stand that sells unbelievable tomatoes and croissants.

There’s an up-Island field thick with highbush blueberries, and a down-Island stream filled with watercress. 

There’s a slip of an Oak Bluffs beach where my graying dog likes to toss discarded horseshoe crab shells in the air. 

And there’s a great, grand lawn in Edgartown, bright with buttercups each spring, where my daughter learned to walk. For the rest of my days, I will cherish the sight of her there, teetering and tottering and finding her footing amongst all the green and gold.

What I mean to say is this: there are a million reasons to love this little Island, and every year I discover a million more.

That feeling animates the Best of the Vineyard awards, our annual celebration of the people, places, businesses, shops, services, and everyday institutions and experiences that readers cherish. I hope these pages inspire you to revisit old favorites, discover new ones, and spend a little more time appreciating this abundant Island that we’re lucky enough to call home.