Cape Cod Lighthouses

Cape Cod Lighthouse Tours

Originally built in 1828, Nobska Point Lightouse's original Fresnel lense is still in use. The nearby island of Martha's Vineyard is visible in the distance.

The grounds of the Nobska Lighthouse are open every day, year round.

Tours of the interior are offered in season.

2012 Nobska Lighthouse Tour Schedule:

May 12

June 23

July 5 and 21

Aug 2 and 11

Sept 1

December 1

Tours are from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Admission is free.

Directions to Nobska Point Lighthouse:

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

Chatham Lighthouse, 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 Lighthouse is perhaps the most often-photographed of all Cape Cod lighthouses, and one of the most popular for visitors thanks to its beautiful setting overlooking one of the most spectacular beaches in Chatham.

2012 Chatham Lighthouse Tour Schedule:

Unless otherwise noted, touring hours are from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.

May 2 and 16

June 6 and 20

July 4, 11, 18 and 25

August 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29

September 5 and 19

October 3 and 17

November 24

December 31 (Noon to 2 p.m.)

Admission is free.

Directions to Chatham Light House:

Take Main Street to Shore Road.

Parking near Chatham Lighthouse is extremely limited and often impossible to find. It's best to park in town and walk, bike or take the trolley (seasonal) to the light house.

When you visit Nauset Lighthouse, you can see the restored Three Sisters by following a short walking trail from the Nauset Light Beach parking lot.

2012 Nauset Lighthouse Tour Schedule:

Public tours of Nauset Lighthouse and the oil house are offered from mid-May through late October. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.

May 13 (1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

May 20 (1:00 p.m. – 4:00)

May 27 (4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.)

June 3, 10, 17 and 24 (4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.)

July 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, and 29 (4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.)

August 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, and 29 (4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.)

September 2 and 9 (4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.)

September 16, 23, and 30 (1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

October 7, 14, 21, and 28 (1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

October 29, 2012 Full Moon Tour (Time TBA)

Directions to Nauset Lighthouse:

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

Note: You'll find vehicle parking at the adjacent Nauset Light Beach parking lot. Cape Cod National Seashore parking fees apply until 4:30 p.m.

(See our Guide to Beaches in Eastham for more info about parking at Nauset Light Beach, National Seashore parking passes, etc.)

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

The latest move took place during the 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".

2012 Highland Lighthouse Tours Schedule:

Tours are offered every day, mid-May to mid-October, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission to the daily tours is $4.

Special "Full Moon Lighthouse Tours" are held twice a month, weather permitting.

Admission to the Full Moon Tours is $5. Tickets are sold on a first come-first served basis.

Directions to Highland Lighthouse:

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

To get there, you'll need some good walking shoes and a lot of stamina. It's nearly a 2-mile hike from the nearest parking lot, through soft, shifting sand.

Or, if you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle that's equipped to travel oversand, and you buy the required permit, you can drive out to the lighthouse.

You'll find more info on oversand driving to Race Point at our Beach Camping on Cape Cod page.

Race Point Lighthouse 2012 Tour Schedule:

Tours are held on the first and third Saturdays of each month, June to early October, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

June 2 and 16

July 7 and 21

August 4 and 18

September 1 and 15

October 6

** On May 20, 2012, special Mariner's Day tours will be offered. On this day only, transportation to the lighthouse will be provided (from the Race Point Beach parking lot, 9am to 3pm).

Directions to the beach parking lot:

Route 6 to Race Point Road, then follow the signs to Race Point Beach parking lot. A parking fee or National Seashore parking pass may be required.

FYI: Race Point is one of the few Cape Cod lighthouses with overnight accommodations.