Hunting for Fun on Martha's Vineyard

A couple days ago, Geraldine Moriarty gave me the idea to write an article about a scavenger hunt that she made for families who are looking for someting to do on the Island. No matter if you live here year-round or are just up for a vacation, there are days when it is hard to find something to do.

Moriarty came up with the to keep kids occupied when they get bored of going to the beach. Moriarty explains that there are 59 things to see, smell, and discover on the Island.

"As a former elementary principal on the Vineyard, it was important to me that the Scavenger Hunt be educational. It is open-ended, portable and family friendly. It can be used for a day, week, month or summer in any town, on any beach or bike trail," explains Moriarty.

"It's sort of hard to explain without trying it out for yourself," says Moriarty.

So to give people a better idea of how to go about the scavenger hunt, I tried it out myself. It took about an hour for me to find 12 items on the scavenger hunt making me a "Scout" at the first level. There are five levels: Scout, Sleuth, Pathfinder, Adventurer and Trailblazer. But it's not really about getting to the highest level. The scavenger hunt is educational and also cultivates your connection to the Island.

One of the best parts about the scavenger hunt, in my opinion, is the connection that it can bring between year-long island residents and visitors. I'm from the greater Boston area in Massachusetts and even though I have spent time vacationing on the Island several years ago, I don't know a lot about the history or the culture of the Island.

One of the challenges on the scavenger hunt was to find "a house where the captain of a whaling ship may have once lived." Beside each challenge is a picture that gives a hint. Of course I had no idea where to look for the house. So I went to the DeBettencourt Mobil in Oak Bluffs, since I know the owners and employees are all islanders. Of course the attendants knew exactly where to go (but I won't give it away). They could not have been more helpful or eager to have a conversation about what I was doing. They smiled and wished me luck.

Overall, it was an educational, enjoyable, and relaxing. If you are looking for something to do whether you only have a couple hours of free time or plenty of leisurely wandering around time, the scavenger hunt is a great idea. Although it is marketed as a kids game, I had a good time and think it's great for any age group. I did it by myself, but I would recommend that you do it in a group.

The FUNHUNTERS Scavenger Hunt retails at $10 and is available at Island gift bookstores, and at the Kids' Zone at The MV Sharks baseball games. For more information visit the FUNHUNTERS Scavenger Hunt website