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Cape Cod Lighthouses: When They’re Open, Where to Go & How to Stay Overnight

Updated: April 3, 2025

Cape Cod Lighthouse ("Highland Light") in North Truro

Here’s where to go, when to go, and how to plan a visit that goes beyond just walking the grounds (which you can do any time).

Cape Cod Lighthouses You Can Visit

Just so you know: Most lighthouse tours are run by volunteers, so hours can change last-minute if they’re short-staffed.

If a tour’s canceled, you can still walk the grounds and take photos—you just won’t be able to go inside the tower that day.

2025 Lighthouse Tour Season

Here's a quick snapshot of the tour season for each lighthouse. For exact dates and times, be sure to see the full details below.

Nobska Point Lighthouse

233 Nobska Road
Woods Hole (Falmouth), MA

Nobska Point Light in Woods Hole

Built in 1828, Nobska Light is still a beacon to mariners out there in Vineyard Sound. On a clear day, you can see straight across  from the lighthouse to Martha’s Vineyard. You’ll even catch the ferries passing by if the timing’s right.

Just a few steps from the tower is the renovated keeper’s house, now home to a small, new museum and gift shop. It’s open during tour hours. Do pop in for a look at the exhibits, and pick up a souvenir at the shop while you're there!

2025 Tour Schedule:
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (last tour starts at 12:15 p.m.), from June 4 through October 10, 2025.

Only six people are allowed inside at a time, so there may be a short wait.

Admission: Adults $10, Seniors/Veterans $8, Children $5

Grounds: Open daily, year-round, dawn to dusk (free)

Directions: Route 28 to Woods Hole Road, then Church Street to Nobska Road. If you’re biking the Shining Sea Bikeway, you can detour via Church Street or Oyster Pond Road.

Parking: Free off-street parking (about 15 spots)

More Info: Friends of Nobska Light

Chatham Lighthouse

37 Main Street
Chatham, MA

Chatham Light in Chatham

This lighthouse has been keeping ships off the sandbars here for more than 200 years. The current tower was once part of a matched set—its twin got shipped up the coast in 1923 and now lives on as Nauset Light in Eastham.

Chatham Light sits right across from Lighthouse Beach, in one of the most scenic spots in town. And since it’s just off the road, it’s easy to see—even if you’re just driving by.

2025 Tour Schedule:
Tours and talks are hosted by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Chatham Flotilla on Wednesdays in July and August, and every other Wednesday through September, from 1 to 3 p.m.

Admission: Free

Grounds: Only open to the public during tour times. You can see and photograph the lighthouse from the sidewalk and from the beach all year-round

Directions: GPS to 37 Main Street, Chatham, MA.

Parking: Extremely limited near the lighthouse—especially in summer. Best bet is to park in town and take a short walk or bike ride from there.

More Info: USCG Auxiliary

Nauset Light

120 Nauset Light Beach Road
Eastham, MA

Nauset Light in Eastham

Nauset Light was moved here from Chatham to replace the last of Eastham’s original “Three Sisters” lighthouses—three short towers that slowly lost their battle with the weather and the bluff. (More on the Three Sisters below.)

Today, Nauset's red-and-white tower stands just across from Nauset Light Beach, alongside its restored Keeper’s House and Oil House. And yes, if it looks familiar, this is the lighthouse on the bags of Cape Cod Potato Chips.

2025 Tour Schedule:
Tours run from May through mid-October. Hours vary depending on the day, with a mix of afternoon, evening, and even full moon tours:

• May 11 & 18 – 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
• May 25 – 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• June, July, August: Sundays & Wednesdays – 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• August 7 – Open for National Lighthouse Day
• September 3, 10, 17, 21, 24 & 28 – 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
• September 7 & 14 – 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• October 5 & 12 – 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
• October 6 – Full Moon Tour, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (weather permitting)

Admission: Free (donations welcome)

Grounds: Open daily, year-round, dawn to dusk

Directions: Take Route 6 to Brackett Road, turn left onto Nauset Road, and follow it to Cable Road. Continue straight on Cable Road to reach the lighthouse.

Parking: Use the Nauset Light Beach parking lot across the street. On-street parking is prohibited (and strictly enforced).
Cape Cod National Seashore fees apply until 4:30 p.m. in season. Free off-season.

More Info: Nauset Light Preservation Society

Three Sisters Lighthouses

Cable Road
Eastham, MA

"Three Sisters" Lighthouses in Eastham

These three matching towers were built in 1892 after Eastham’s original brick lighthouses were lost to coastal erosion. Today, you’ll find the “Three Sisters” in a small clearing in the woods, just a short walk down Cable Road from Nauset Light.

The Three Sisters have had an odd little afterlife. After being retired from duty in the 1920s, the towers were sold to a private party and used as part of a summer cottage. At one point, one even housed students from a ballet school.

2025 Tour Schedule:
Ranger-guided tours are offered occasionally during the summer. Dates are posted a few weeks in advance on the Cape Cod National Seashore’s events calendar. Reservations are required.

Admission: Free

Grounds: Open daily, year-round, dawn to dusk

Directions: Take Route 6 to Brackett Road, then Nauset Road to Cable Road. The Three Sisters are located near the end of Cable Road.

Parking: A small lot is available on the north side of Cable Road. You can also park at Nauset Light Beach (fee/pass required in season) and follow signs for a short walk to the towers.

More Info: Cape Cod National Seashore Events Calendar

Highland Light (a/k/a Cape Cod Lighthouse)

27 Highland Light Road
North Truro, MA

Highland Light in North Truro

The first lighthouse on Cape Cod was built here in 1797, perched high on the cliffs of North Truro. Since then, Highland Light has been rebuilt, re-equipped, and—in its boldest move—relocated.

In 1996, the entire 430-ton structure was slid 450 feet back from the edge to keep it from falling into the Atlantic. The crew pulled it off using steel beams, hydraulic jacks, and … Ivory Soap. (Really!)

2025 Tour Schedule:

• April: Thursday through Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (last tour at 3:30)
• May 2 – October 31: Daily, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (last tour at 4:30)
  Note: Hours may vary depending on staffing availability.

Admission: Adults $8, Seniors/Military $7, Students/Children $5

Grounds: Open daily, year-round, dawn to dusk

Directions: Take Route 6 to Highland Road, then turn right onto South Highland Road, then left onto Highland Light Road.

Parking: Ample free parking available year-round

More Info: Highland Light

Race Point Lighthouse

Race Point
Provincetown, MA

Race Point Light in Provincetown

Race Point is the most remote lighthouse on Cape Cod that you can reach by land—but getting there takes a little effort.

If you have a 4WD vehicle and an oversand permit, you can drive out to the light. Otherwise, it’s nearly a 2-mile hike from the Race Point Beach parking lot—mostly through soft, shifting sand. It’s doable, but not in flip-flops.

2025 Tour Schedule:
The lighthouse will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on:

• June 15
• July 6 & 20
• August 3 & 17
• August 7 – National Lighthouse Day
• September 7 & 21

Admission: Suggested $5 donation per person to climb the tower (kids under 8 and adults over 60 are exempt)

Grounds: Open year-round.

Directions: Take Route 6 to Race Point Road, then follow signs to Race Point Beach.

Parking: Located at Race Point Beach. National Seashore fees apply in season before 4:30 p.m.; free off-season.

More Info: Race Point Light

Map of Lighthouses on Cape Cod MA

Click the map to find the lighthouses offering tours.

Lighthouse lovers and history buffs, this book's for you! 

The Lighthouse Handbook - New England is filled with the fascinating stories and vintage photos of our local lighthouses and their "keepers" throughout the centuries. 

It's a wonderful read! Check it out!

Lighthouse Vacations

Want to go beyond just visiting a lighthouse? You can actually spend the night at a few.

These Keeper’s Houses have been converted into vacation rentals—definitely not your average stay!

• Race Point Light – Provincetown
  Secluded, sand-access only, and about as off-the-grid as Cape Cod gets.
  
  More about staying at Race Point ›

• Wings Neck Light – Pocasset (Bourne)
  A private rental with water views, a jetty for fishing, and its own slice of shoreline.
  
  More about staying at Wings Neck ›

• Nauset Light – Eastham
  The restored Keeper’s House now hosts overnight guests through a National Seashore program.
  
  More about staying at Nauset Light ›

While You’re At It …

Visiting a lighthouse and want to hit the beach, too? These town-specific beach guides can help you find the perfect spot nearby:

• Falmouth Beaches – Near Nobska Light
  
  
• Chatham Beaches – Near Chatham Light
  
  
• Eastham Beaches – Near Nauset Light & Three Sisters
  
  
• Truro Beaches – Near Highland Light
  
  
• Provincetown Beaches – Near Race Point Light

And last but not least: 

• Cape Cod National Seashore Beach Parking Fees & Passes

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