Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed
The story is set on Amity Island, a fictional summer resort inspired by Long Island, New York. The production instead filmed primarily on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, which doubled for Amity throughout. Additional material came from California, including a swimming pool and studio tanks, and from Australia, where second-unit crews shot footage of real great white sharks.
The Studio Side
Not all of the shark terror was filmed at sea. The shark cage sequences were shot in the Esther Williams tanks at MGM Studios in Culver City, California, a facility not open to the public for film-related visits. The famous severed head scene was reshot in editor Verna Fields' swimming pool in Encino, California, with milk added to the water to create murkiness. Second-unit great white footage came from Dangerous Reef in South Australia.
Tours That Visit These Locations
Most of the Jaws locations are public and free to visit independently, but a guided tour covers them efficiently and adds production stories along the way. One option departs from Oak Bluffs, next to the ferry terminal, and visits the major sites.
Half-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
4 HOURS HOP ON AND OFF ULTIMATE JAWSOME JAWS TOUR
A roughly half-day loop from Oak Bluffs that visits the main filming sites and lets riders hop on and off, priced at $160 per person, with 24 reviews so far.
★ 4.7 out of 5 · 24 reviewsOak Bluffs
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Visit The Town Where Jaws Was Filmed?
Yes. Martha's Vineyard is a regular island community with ferry and air service, and nearly all the filming locations are public spaces, including beaches, the bridge, downtown Edgartown, and Menemsha Harbor. Only the Brody house is private, viewable from the road.
Where Is The Jaws Bridge?
The American Legion Memorial Bridge sits on Beach Road between Edgartown and Oak Bluffs, at the edge of State Beach. It is publicly accessible year-round and is a popular spot for visitors to jump into the water below.
Was Any Of Jaws Filmed In A Studio?
Yes. The shark cage scenes were filmed in the Esther Williams tanks at MGM Studios in Culver City, California, and the severed head scene was reshot in editor Verna Fields' backyard swimming pool in Encino, with milk added for murkiness.
Why Did Filming Take So Long?
Filming ran 155 days, mostly at sea, far over schedule and budget. The main cause was the repeated failure of the mechanical shark, which forced the crew to improvise and stretched the shoot through much of 1974.
Is Quint's Shack Still Standing?
No. Quint's shack was a temporary set built at Menemsha Harbor in Chilmark and dismantled after filming. The harbor itself survives as a working fishing village, and the nearby Galley restaurant displays photographs from the production.
Is Amity Island A Real Place?
No. Amity Island is fictional, inspired by Long Island, New York. Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, was chosen to double for it, and the film was shot there in 1974.
Martha's Vineyard remains one of the most rewarding film-location destinations in the United States precisely because so little has changed. The beaches, the bridge, the ferry, and the harbor all look much as they did in 1974, and a car or bicycle is enough to see the majority of them in a day. Add a guided tour from Oak Bluffs for the full circuit with production stories, or simply follow the shoreline from Edgartown outward and let the island do the rest.
