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Cape Cod Lighthouses
Tours, Overnight Stays & Lots More!
2024

Updated: May 30, 2024

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

In this article I'll give you all the information you'll need to plan your Cape Cod lighthouse adventure!

Cape Cod Lighthouses
Where the Public is Welcome

*Note: Most lighthouses rely on volunteers to conduct the guided tours. On days when they're short-staffed, the tour schedule might be changed or canceled at the last minute. 

When that happens, you're still free to walk the grounds and take photos. You just won't be able to go inside and climb the tower.

Nobska Point Lighthouse

233 Nobska Road
Woods Hole, Falmouth, MA

Nobska Light sits high on a bluff in Woods Hole, a village in the town of Falmouth.

Nobska Point Light

Originally built in 1828, Nobska Light's original Fresnel lens is still in use. On a clear day, there's a breathtaking view from the lighthouse, across Vineyard Sound, to the nearby island of Martha's Vineyard!

2024 Nobska Lighthouse Tour Schedule: 

Opening day for tower tours is June 4, 2024.

The newly-renovated Keepers House museum will also be open during tour times.

Tours are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

*Note: Due to space constraints, no more than 6 visitors may be inside the lighthouse at any time.

Admission:  Adults $10; seniors and veterans $8; children $5

The lighthouse grounds are open from dawn to dusk, year round, free of charge.

Nobska Point at Dusk on a Cloudy Day

Directions to Nobska Lighthouse:

Route 28 in Falmouth, to Woods Hole Road, to Church Street, to Nobska Lighthouse.

If you're biking along the Shining Sea Bikeway in Falmouth, you can also reach the light house by turning off the Bikeway at Church Street, or turning off at Oyster Pond Road then onto Nobska Road.

Parking: There's room for 5 or 6 cars in front of the lighthouse.

More Info: Friends of Nobska Light

Chatham Lighthouse

37 Main Street
Chatham, MA

For more than two centuries, mariners have relied on beacons from Chatham to safely navigate the treacherous waters around the "elbow" of Cape Cod.

Chatham Light

Chatham Light, as you see it today, is one of two lighthouse towers that stood here in the mid-1800s.

In 1923, the second tower was dismantled and transported up the coast to Eastham where it became "Nauset Lighthouse" (see below).

Chatham Light is one of the most-photographed of all Cape Cod lighthouses, thanks to its impressive setting overlooking Lighthouse Beach - the prettiest (in my humble opinion) of all beaches in Chatham.

2024 Chatham Light Tour Schedule: 

Members of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary's Chatham Flotilla host tours and talks on Wednesdays in July and August, and every other Wednesday through September, from 1 - 3 p.m.

*Special tours for Historic Chatham Weekend - June 15 & 16, 2024

Admission: Free  

Directions to Chatham Light:

Set your GPS for 37 Main Street, Chatham MA.

Parking: Vehicle parking near the Lighthouse is extremely limited and often impossible to find, especially in season.

It's best to park in town and walk or bike ride to the light house.

More Info: USCG Auxiliary

Nauset Light

120 Nauset Light Beach Road
Eastham, MA

Nauset Light was moved from Chatham to Eastham in 1923 to replace the last-standing of Eastham's "Three Sisters" - a trio of Cape Cod lighthouses that had, over time, succumbed to the elements and erosion of the cliffs on which they stood. (More about Three Sisters, below.)

Nauset Light

Nauset Lighthouse, along with its Keeper's House and Oil House, sit on a knoll overlooking Nauset Light Beach and the Atlantic Ocean.

*FYI: If you're a fan of Cape Cod Potato Chips, you'll recognize Nauset Light. It's the lighthouse pictured on Cape Cod Chips bags. :-)

2024 Nauset Lighthouse Tour Schedule: 

Nauset Lighthouse tours are scheduled as follows:

• May 12, 19 & 26 from 1 to 4 p.m.
  
  
• Sundays and Wednesdays in June, July, August from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
  
  
• September 1 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
  
  
• September 4, 8, 11, 15 18, 22, 25 & 29 from 1 to 4 p.m.
  
  
• October 6 & 13 from 1 to 4 p.m.
  
  
• Special Full Moon Tour - October 17, 2024 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (weather permitting)
  

Admission: Free, but donations are gratefully accepted.

The grounds at Nauset Light are open every day, all year round, from dawn to dusk.

Directions to Nauset Lighthouse:

Route 6 to Brackett Road, to Nauset Road, to Cable Road, to Nauset Light Beach Road.

Parking: You'll find parking in the Nauset Light Beach parking lot across the street from the lighthouse. (On-street parking is prohibited, and strictly enforced!)

In season, Cape Cod National Seashore parking fees apply until 4:30 p.m.  Off-season, parking is free.

Please see my Guide to Beaches in Eastham for details about parking at Nauset Light Beach.

More Info: Nauset Light Preservation Society

Three Sisters Lighthouses

Cable Road
Eastham, MA

Built in 1892 to replace the original brick towers that were damaged by coastal erosion, the "Three Sisters" are now located just a short walk down Cable Road from Nauset Light.

Two of the "Three Sisters" Lighthouses

These towers have a fascinating history!

After ending their service as beacons for mariners, the lighthouses were sold to a private party in the 1920s. At times they were made part of a summer home. And one was once used as living space for ballet school students.

2024 Three Sisters Lighthouses Tour Schedule: 

Guided tour dates for the 2024 season will be  published a few weeks in advance on the Cape Cod National Seashore calendar of events (see link below).

The grounds are open daily, year round, from dawn to dusk.

Admission: Free, but reservations are required for the guided tour.

Driving to Three Sisters: Route 6 to Brackett Road, to Nauset Road, to Cable Road. Three Sisters are located near the end of Cable Road.

Very limited parking is available in Three Sisters parking lot on the north side of Cable Road.

Parking is also available at Nauset Light Beach (parking fee/pass required in season). From there, follow the signs for a short walk to Three Sisters.

More Info: Cape Cod National Seashore events calendar

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

27 Highland Light Road
North Truro, MA

The first lighthouse on Cape Cod was built here on the cliffs of  North Truro in 1797.

Over the centuries, Highland Light has been re-built, re-fitted and even moved a few times to save it from toppling off the eroding cliffs and into the ocean.

The most recent move took place during summer of 1996 in an amazing process that involved sliding the 430-ton structure more than 450 feet along steel beams lubricated with Ivory Soap!

*FYI: Although its formal name is "Cape Cod Lighthouse", we all know and refer to it as "Highland Light".

Inside Highland Light

2024 Highland Light Tour Schedule:

Tours are held daily, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., from May 3 to October 31, 2024.

*Note: Guided tour hours are subject to adequate staffing availability.

Admission: $8 adults; $7 seniors and military; $5 students/children

Directions to Highland Lighthouse:

Route 6 to Highland Road, then right onto South Highland Road, and left onto Highland Light Road.

Parking: Ample, free parking is available year round. 

More Info: Highland Light

Race Point Lighthouse

Race Point
Provincetown, MA

Race Point is the most remote of all Cape Cod lighthouses accessible by land.

To drive out to the Race Point Light, you'll need your own 4-wheel-drive vehicle that's equipped to travel over sand, and a special permit.

Find out about over-sand driving to Race Point here.

Race Point Light

Otherwise, you'll need some good walking shoes and a lot of stamina to get there and back on foot.

It's nearly a 2-mile hike from the parking lot at Race Point Beach to the lighthouse. Be prepared to walk through soft, shifting sand. A very tough trek if you're wearing flip-flops!

2024 Race Point Lighthouse Tour Schedule:

The lighthouse will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on:

• June 16
  
• July 7 & 21
• August 4 & 18
• September 1 & 15 
  

Admission: Suggested $5 donation per person to climb (under 8 and over 60 - exempt)

Directions to the beach parking lot:

Route 6 to Race Point Road, then follow the signs to Race Point Beach parking lot.

Parking: In season, a National Seashore daily fee or parking pass is required before 4:30 p.m. Off-season parking is free.

More Info: Race Point Light

Map of Lighthouses on Cape Cod MA

The blue icons indicate the location of each lighthouse that holds tours. To see how to get there, click on "Map" view and zoom around with the (+ and -) buttons.

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

For true lighthouse aficionados, what could be better than vacationing in a keeper's house?

Overnight Stays at Race Point Light

Getting away from it all" takes on a whole new meaning when you stay here!

The renovated keeper's house has 3 bedrooms, shared kitchen and bathroom, and very few modern conveniences.

Bring your own food, cook it yourself, and have the time of your life swimming, beachcombing, and watching the sun set from the lantern room.

Click here for more photos and rental information

Overnight Stays at Wings Neck Light

Located on Wings Neck Point in the village of Pocasset in the town of Bourne, this is the perfect spot for a unique family getaway!

Swim and sun at the beach. Fish from the rock jetty. Or just lounge the day away on the lawn, watching ships come and go from the nearby Cape Cod Canal.

Whatever your pleasure ... it's all good!

Click here for more photos and rental information

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