Among day-dreaming parents, islands have long been the subject of two conflicting fantasies--the "island getaway," where we pack up the family and escape to a remote salt-air paradise, and the "desert isle," where we find ourselves marooned far from the conveniences and comforts of home.

Here at FAMILYFUN, we figured there had to be vacation islands that offer both the seclusion of paradise and the comforts of civilization. Places where we'd feel magically cut off from the rest of the world--but we'd have no problem locating good hotels, restaurants and rainy-day diversions.

Fortunately, finding ideal family destinations is not uncharted territory, and we were able to come up with a collection of islands worthy of your family vacation. May you be marooned on one--such as Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts--soon.

HEAD TO OAK BLUFFS

With its beachfront homes, historic inns and sparkling sailing waters, the island of Martha's Vineyard is a magnet for vacationers rich and famous. But you don't have to be President Clinton, Walter Cronkite or Carly Simon to enjoy the summer pleasures of New England's largest island. The secret is staying in affordable Oak Bluffs. In 10 years of summer vacations here, my kids have yet to tire of the town's low-cost amusements: riding on the historic carousel, cycling to the beach, prowling the eclectic shops and snacking on clam rolls along the waterfront, to name just a few.

The fun of visiting Martha's Vineyard begins with the ferry ride over to the island. We spend the 7-mile, 45-minute crossing from Cape Cod out on deck, watching seagulls circle overhead, letting the cool sea breezes whip our jackets and warming up with hot chocolate from the galley. The ferries of the Steamship Authority (508-477-8600) carry cars, but be sure to reserve a space well in advance. Visitors who leave their cars behind can get around by shuttle bus, taxi, tour bus, moped, rental car or--our favorite way of exploring--rented bicycle.

While European settlement of Martha's Vineyard dates back to the 17th century (an early seafarer named it after his baby daughter and the island's abundance of wild grapes), Oak Bluffs itself is a relative newcomer. Founded as a Methodist religious camp in 1835, the town evolved into the island's first summer resort. Canvas camp tents gave way to a permanent cluster of brightly painted Victorian gingerbread cottages. Families return to vacation in these cottages year after year, and on Wednesday evenings, many gather in the open-air, centrally located Tabernacle for old-fashioned community sings. If you happen to be in Oak Bluffs on a certain Wednesday evening in mid-August (the exact date is not announced until a few days before), don't miss the visual feast known as Illumination Night. The cottages are adorned with glowing Japanese lanterns that transform the town into an enchanted fairyland.

Although Oak Bluffs may not have the historic pedigree of other towns and villages on Martha's Vineyard--nearby Edgartown, for instance, was a major 19th-century whaling port--it never developed their rarefied elegance, either. Oak Bluffs' attractions tend to be active, informal and decidedly geared toward summer (from June to August, the town's population of just under 3,000 swells almost tenfold). Two of the island's three movie theaters, both of its video arcades and its most famous entertainment, the Flying Horses Carousel, are all in Oak Bluffs. Kids probably won't care that the carousel--built in 1876, with hand-carved horses sporting real horse hair--is the oldest still-operating carousel in the country and a National Historic Landmark. But most children love to try to grab the elusive brass ring that will win them a free ride.

Perhaps the quintessential Martha's Vineyard experience is bicycling past windswept dunes, salt marshes and pine woods. Our favorite bike route runs about 6 miles from Oak Bluffs to Edgartown, slicing between Joseph Sylvia State Beach and pretty Sengekontacket Pond. As you ride along this mostly flat, paved trail, watch for marsh birds, kayakers, lemonade stands and local kids wading in the pond and fishing from the low bridges that cross over its edges. We like to wear our swimsuits and pack beach towels, then pull up at a nice spot on the sand and have a swim. This may not be the time to tell the kids that the movie JAWS was filmed on the island. (In any event, the only sharks in sight are making deals on cellular phones.)

The harbor is another favorite hangout. We like to come here for casual seafood dinners at sunset; at the Dockside Marketplace, a collection of shops, restaurants and snack bars, you can grab something to eat and watch the yachts pulling into port. After dinner, we stroll over to Ocean Park, just across the road from Town Beach; the park is lined with grand old Victorian mansions, and every other Sunday evening, a local band plays free concerts at the gazebo here. Families bring picnics, and children scamper around on the grass as Sousa-style marches blare. And our own kids never let us end an evening in Oak Bluffs without a trip to Circuit Avenue to case the quaint but quirky shops.

With the carousel spinning, ice-cream and pizza parlors buzzing, and the sidewalks jammed late into the warm summer night, we're never in a hurry to leave, anyway. Oak Bluffs is that kind of place.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated July 2005.