Looking for unforgettable things to do in Massachusetts this summer? Picture this: waves crashing on rocky shores, bright blue summer sky and a historic lighthouse standing tall. Whether you’re in search of picture-perfect views, a deep dive into maritime history, or a peaceful spot for reflection, visiting local lighthouses is one of the best things to do in Massachusetts in the summer.
From famous Massachusetts lighthouses like Boston Light and Nauset Light to hidden coastal gems, our state is home to some of the most iconic lighthouses in the United States. This list encompasses the best lighthouses in Massachusetts you should visit this summer, including both those you can tour and those you’ll admire from a scenic vantage point, perfect for your summer bucket list. History buffs, day trippers and those looking for a coastal adventure rejoice: this list of must-see lighthouses will add charm and unforgettable views to your summer plans. Bookmark this list for later so you can explore these unique places to visit in Massachusetts all summer long!
1. Annisquam Harbor Lighthouse
(Gloucester, MA; Commuter Rail Newburyport/Rockport Line)
Guiding mariners since 1801, this historic lighthouse sits at the mouth of the Annisquam River. The original 1801 keeper’s house is still standing, but the lighthouse was upgraded from the original wooden structure to the current brick tower in 1897.
Unfortunately this light is not open to the public. For those who want to take in its quintessential New England beauty, or take photographs of the lighthouse, it can be viewed from across the Annisquam River at Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester. For a ‘true’ mariner experience, you can also view Annisquam Harbor Lighthouse from the water! See the magnificent light as you paddle through Gloucester Harbor with Keolis massAdventures on our brand-new kayaking adventure. You’ll get to view this historic landmark unlike most others, from the Atlantic Ocean aboard a kayak.
2. Bakers Island Light Station
(Salem, MA; Commuter Rail Newburyport/Rockport Line)
Bakers Island Light Station is one of the most unique places to visit in Massachusetts – it’s remote, preserved and beautiful. Located on Bakers Island, a 60-acre island about 5 miles off the coast of Salem, this historic light station has been guiding ships into Salem Harbor since 1798. The Bakers Island Light was originally proposed to have multiple lights in a row, to distinguish it from other Massachusetts lighthouses such as Thacher Island Twin Lights and Boston Harbor Light. Two lights were built and used until 1816, when they were extinguished for refurbishment. During their refurbishment, one fixed light was put in their place. True to the original concern expressed by mariners, the single light proved difficult to distinguish from other nearby lights, and multiple accidents ensued.
In 1820 the double light returned when two lighthouses, one slightly taller than the other, were lit. These stations earned the nicknames “Mr. & Mrs.” and “Ma and Pa”. A new keeper’s house, which still stands today, was built in 1857.
While the second, smaller lighthouse was taken down in 1926, you can still see the larger light at Bakers Island Light Station. Today, Bakers Island is a private island accessible only via boat. Those who wish to visit the Bakers Island Light must do so on a scheduled tour. Brand-new for the 2025 summer season, Keolis massAdventures is offering a Bakers Island Boat & Lighthouse Tour. Climb aboard for a unique summer day trip! From your boat ride to meeting the resident lighthouse keeper and exploring the island, this tour is a must-do for your summer 2025 bucket list.
3. Boston Light
(Boston, MA; 0.7 miles from Commuter Rail South Station)
The title of oldest lighthouse in the United States goes to Boston Light. This historic lighthouse has been helping mariners navigate into Boston Harbor since 1716. It is located on Little Brewster Island in outer Boston Harbor. In 1964, Boston Light became a National Historic Landmark. Today, the first lighthouse to be built in the United States is the last remaining lighthouse in the country with an official keeper on site – a true slice of living history!
Boston Light is accessible only by boat tour; where you can view the lighthouse as intended, from the sea! You can book a boat tour with Boston Harbor Islands Lighthouse Cruise, which is a 0.7 mile walk from South Station. Due to maintenance following winter storms both Little Brewster Island and Boston Light are not currently accessible to the public.
4. Eastern Point Lighthouse
(Gloucester, MA; Commuter Rail Newburyport/Rockport Line)
Eastern Point Lighthouse is one of the five lighthouses built along Cape Ann. Categorized as a light in 1832, the original lighthouse was an existing daymarker converted into a light via a wrought iron lantern and a copper dome. The light stayed as-is for years, until its poor condition made it too difficult to keep, and a new lighthouse was commissioned. In 1848, a new lighthouse was built and guided mariners for many years. During this time, the fixed light was switched from white to red, earning it the nickname “Ruby Light”. In 1890, the tower was dismantled and a new one was built in its place, which still stands today.
Eastern Point Lighthouse marks the entrance to Gloucester Harbor, the oldest fishing port in America, welcoming mariners for over 400 years. Today, the light station itself is operated by the U.S. Coast Guard and is closed to the public. However, an adjacent jetty known as the DogBar breakwater offers visitors the chance to walk, fish, and enjoy the views of both Eastern Point Lighthouse and the city of Boston in the distance.
5. Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse
(Edgartown, MA)
One of the five lighthouses on Martha’s Vineyard, Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse was originally built in 1828. A standalone light to mark the entrance to Edgartown Harbor and Katama Bay. the keeper had to row out to the lighthouse every day. For safety and ease, a wooden bridge was erected in 1830 to connect the light to the shore. Townspeople and tourists alike also took advantage of the bridge to walk along and admire whaling ships. In 1856 the lighthouse was damaged by a fire, then it suffered further damage by the Hurricane of 1938. In 1939, the United States Coast Guard decided to tear down the damaged building and replace it with a vintage cast-iron tower.
The vintage tower was one of two built in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1881. These two towers were built on Crane Beach. Known as the Ipswich Range Lights; they marked the entrance to Ipswich River. Unfortunately, over the years both the dunes that the lights were built upon and the channel mariners had to navigate through shifted, leading to necessary changes regarding the lights positions. The front Range Light was discontinued and the rear Range Light was put on a barge and shipped to Edgartown.
The Edgartown Lighthouse has become one of the most photographed lighthouses in Massachusetts. Nestled on a picturesque beach path, it makes for a perfect romantic summer walk. The lighthouse is currently closed but is open to the public during the busy season.
While no remnants of the Ipswich Range Lights remain at Crane Beach, visitors are welcome to spend the day at this popular beach. For those who are more adventurous, you can book a unique day trip with Keolis massAdventures to kayak through Castle Neck River on the Crane Estate during the summer, or take a Guided Nature Hike through the Dunes of Crane Beach in the fall-spring seasons.
6. Highland Light
(Truro, MA)
Highland Light, “Cape Cod’s First Lighthouse”, is the oldest and tallest lighthouse on Cape Cod. Also known as Cape Cod Light, the light station was built on ten acres on the Highlands of North Truro in 1797 after being commissioned by George Washington. The original tower was the first light to be built on Cape Cod, and only the seventh to be constructed by the United States government. Highland Light is an essential piece of marine history: built to warn ships of the treacherous “Graveyard of the Atlantic”. Also known locally as ‘Dangerfield’, it had earned its nickname due to the number of shipwrecks that occurred one mile northeast of the lighthouse site.
Over the years, erosion ate away at the cliff. The lighthouses’ original position of 500 feet from the edge was reduced to just under 100 feet. In 1996, it was moved in one piece from its original position back 450 feet, to ensure its future safety. Today, Highland Light is open to the public; from 9AM-5PM daily from May 2-October 31, 2025. Tower tours are available; admission starts at $5 per person.
7. Nauset Light
(Eastham, MA)
This famous Massachusetts lighthouse features a half-red and half-white design that many will recognize from the packaging of Cape Cod Potato Chips bags. Originally built in 1877 in Chatham, it is the twin to the Chatham Light that still stands today (although this one was painted half-red in the 1940s, and the Chatham Light remains all white). In 1923, the old Eastham wooden lighthouse was taken down. This lighthouse was dismantled and moved from Chatham to Eastham to replace it. In 1987, Nauset Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The original position of Nauset Light in 1923 was approximately 200 feet from the edge of the cliff. Due to coastal erosion, in 1996 it stood a mere 35 feet from the edge. To ensure its safety, the lighthouse was moved 300 feet back to where it sits today.
Visitors are welcome to explore and even tour inside of Nauset Light, thanks to the Nauset Light Preservation Society. The NLPS offers free tours, but donations are appreciated! You can climb to the top of the lighthouse and see the lookout room. A visit to Nauset Light makes for one of the most exciting coastal day trips in Massachusetts.
8. Nobska Light
(Falmouth, MA)
A classic Cape Cod lighthouse, it’s been in operation since 1829. Nobska Light serves as a crucial navigational aid at the junction of Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. Located on the very southwesternmost tip of Cape Cod, Nobska Light is a historical landmark in Woods Hole. The original light was mounted to the keeper’s house. In 1876, the current lighthouse tower was built, along with a new keeper’s house which still stands today. The last keeper moved out in 2013. Then, local groups including the Falmouth Historical Society, Woods Hole Historical Museum, Woods Hole Community Association, and Highfield Hall & Gardens came together to form the Friends of Nobska Light. Their mission was to secure funding to transform the decommissioned home into a welcoming museum focusing on local maritime history.
Nobska Light is one of the most famous Massachusetts lighthouses, with picturesque views of Martha’s Vineyard. Along with several other lighthouses, Nobska Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. Nobska Light is open to the public, and offers 45-minute educational tours that delve into the lighthouse’s storied past. Tickets for lighthouse tours are only available for purchase on site.
9. Race Point Light
(Provincetown, MA)
The original tower at Race Point Light was built in 1816, the third light built on Cape Cod. It was a necessity, according to locals and mariners, to help navigate through the bars near Cape Cod’s northernmost tip. Different from the first two lights built, Race Point Light featured a rotating beacon of light. In 1876 the original stone tower was replaced by a more modern cast iron lighthouse tower, which still stands today.
Race Point Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. Today, the light remains an active navigational aid and is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. Race Point Light also features one of the most unique experiences in Massachusetts – the opportunity to stay overnight in the keeper’s house! This off-the-grid experience offers stunning views and an escape from modern life. Remote and beautiful, this light is perfect for nature lovers looking for off-the-beaten-path things to do in Massachusetts.
10. Scituate Lighthouse
(Scituate, MA; Commuter Rail Greenbush Line)
Built in 1810 as a simple light atop a keeper’s house, Scituate Lighthouse is a local landmark. This lighthouse has become iconic not only for its beauty, but also for the stories surrounding it. Local history tells us that during the War of 1812, Abigail and Rebecca Gates, two daughters of light keeper Captain Simeon Bates, saw from atop the light British troops approaching their town. The girls became worried the troops intended to destroy the town. Quick thinking led them into the woods where the two girls caused such a ruckus that British troops believed them to be an entire regiment of colonial soldiers and turned around, thus saving the town.
1827 saw the addition of fifteen feet to the tower after mariners complained that it was too short to be seen from far away. Then, after only 50 years in operation, the Scituate Light was deactivated due to the construction of a newer light just north of it. In 1916, after sitting abandoned, the residents of Scituate petitioned their Senator and raised money to purchase the lighthouse from the federal government. Today, this historic lighthouse is open to the public, with visitation dates that coincide with The Scituate Historical Society Open House dates. This lighthouse blends Revolutionary War-era charm with patriotic lore and is one of the more family-friendly and walkable lighthouse stops on the South Shore.
11. Thacher Island
(Rockport, MA; Commuter Rail Newburyport/Rockport Line)
Thacher Island Twin Lights are identical lighthouses built in 1771. Located about 3 miles out from Rockport Harbor, they were the first set of lighthouses built in the United States to signify dangerous boating territory, rather than a port entrance. Built on a perfect North/South axis, the Twin Lights allow ships to easily find true North and navigate around the treacherous territory. The entire island, including these stunning structures, became a National Historic Landmark in 2001. The Thacher Island Twin Lights are not only a sight to behold, but they’re also the only operating twin lighthouses in the US.
Today, you can visit Thacher Island to explore the island’s many trails, and of course, the Twin Lights. It is accessible by kayak or boat only, with advance reservations; it is not recommended for novice kayakers. To make it a stress-free visit, book your trip to Thacher Island with Keolis massAdventures. On your journey, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of the Atlantic, along with spotting wildlife such as seals and seabirds. Your trip with Keolis massAdventures includes transportation from Boston, island reservation, guided tour including kayak rental, and an accompanying guide who will lead you to the island as well as on a hike around the island!
Planning Your Lighthouse Tour: Quick Tips
- Check each site’s hours before heading out – many are seasonal.
- Wear comfortable, closed-toes shoes, especially for towers and coastal paths.
- Being your camera or phone – you’re going to want to snap a picture of these views!
- Pack water, sunscreen and maybe a picnic for longer visits.
- Combine stops for a full-day coastal adventure!
Light Up Your Summer With Visits to Massachusetts’ Lighthouses
From windswept bluffs of Cape Cod to the rugged coastlines of Gloucester, visitors can explore Massachusetts lighthouses that blend education, inspiration, and jaw-dropping beauty. Whether you’re a local planning weekend day trips or a visitor seeking the most unique places to visit in Massachusetts, these beacons do more than decorate the coast, they tell the stories of the sea. So grab your sense of adventure and let the lights guide your way to fun this summer.
