What a beauty! Wish we got to go in, but I hadn't seen a light house in forever, and there is something special about a light house. The beach across the street nice is beautiful! There is a long strip of 30 minute parking, and portapottys. A nice stop before heading to downtown Chatham. read more

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Gorgeous views. It was a very cool experience watching the flag ceremony at dusk. It happened just prior to 8pm on our visit but may be different depending on when you visit. The views from hear are beautiful! read more

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Our tour bus stopped by on our tour of the Cape and we enjoyed the the opportunity to get a photo with the group. We also stepped out and dipped our toes in the water. This seemed a little out of the way from the highway but was a nice little stop to see a quintessential lighthouse. There was a Coast Guard ship out front but we didn't have time to explore it. read more

Chatham Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chatham, Massachusetts

Such a beautiful light house and beautiful nearby beach! I'm so glad we stopped and were lucky enough to actually get a parking spot! As stated this place is CRAZY popular and busy but for good reason, it's beautiful! The beach and nearby area is absolutely adorable and with some very pretty homes nearby as well. The lighthouse was closed when I visited unfortunately but I'd love to come back and visit again in the future. The beach was perfect and very enjoyable for a couple of hours. This place is known for a lot of sharks so be cautious when in and around the water! read more

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Iconic lighthouse located directly across from a fantastic beach. The lighthouse itself was smaller than I imagined it to be. The grounds were very well kept and it was a lovely attraction to see while we were here. We spent a bit of time walking on the beach. Nice sand and large sand dunes. Very picturesque. read more

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Beautiful lighthouse and view! Forget parking you'll never find a spot. My husband and I circled the "block of streets" (Beautiful homes and area btw!) but never got a parking spot... so frustrating and someone thought I was trying to cut into a spot I guess they were waiting for and cursed at me! I didn't even see any people near the car they were waiting to get into?!? Anyways my husband and I took a little ride over to Monomoy Bay about 2 miles down the road... I highly recommend doing that!! Check out my pics and review over there! Bottom line, lighthouse is Gorgeous and I would say a "must see" at some point in your life. So picturesque, it really looks like you're in a postcard! I recommend going "off season" to get a parking spot and not get cursed at!! Lol! Geesh! read more

This is a gorgeous beach full of tiny starfish and soft sand. One of my new favorites in the US and we live in a beach town. The only problem; SHARKS! Of course they are in the ocean, but the sightings are multiple in this area. Regardless, we were happy to walk up and down the beach, admiring the homes and lighthouse, while spotting starfish along the way. Delightful. read more

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I haven't seen a lot of lighthouses in my day. The nicest one I ever saw was on Tybee Island in Georgia. This one takes the prize for the smallest lighthouse I've ever seen. It traces back to the 1840s to protect ships from the treacherous conditions of the Chatham shorelines. It's still maintained today as a Coast Guard station, but is only open for tours once a week. There is a cool display of a Coast Guard rescue ship on the front lawn. read more

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I'd only recently got round to seeing the film 'The Finest Hour' with the fella from Star Trek and Ben Affleck's little brother - I'm sure the lighthouse has had a significant spike in tourism since the movie. Anyway, knowing a little bit about the history it was mad to think they took out a tiddler of a boat across the mouth to the channel, in 60ft seas, in the middle of winter, to save other people - it's quite humbling really. It's well worth a visit, film or no. read more

Chatham Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chatham, Massachusetts

Wandering lights and shifting sands Chatham Harbor was and still is a very dangerous place. Since it is on the elbow of the Cape it gets hammered by huge storms and sneaky currants. Most maps are less than accurate because things are always changing and the sands are always shifting. So the very first lights constructed back in 1808 were small wooden structures actually built on movable wooden platforms that could be moved around to always align with the shifting sands. These small lights soon proved inadequate and were finally replaced with two taller cast iron and brick lined lights that stayed put. These twins lights were common back at the time and were thought to help mariners to distinguish this area from the huge Highland Lighthouse not far north of Chatham. The idea of twin lights soon fell out of favor and the southern light was moved to Nauset Beach in 1923 where it still stands. The Chatham Lighthouse is now part of a Coast Guard station so you can get close to the light but not actually right up to it. Still a very cool place, with the light on one side of the road and the cool beach on the other. Great views no matter where you look. The light is still very active and very necessary and is one of the few lights that is on 24 hours a day. The Fresnel Lens is long gone but a powerful electronic beam does the job of showing the way. Chatham can still be a challenging place to get to into by sea, especially in the night, fog or frequent nasty storm. Things are always changing and the treacherous sands shifting. The Chatham Light still is working to make things just a bit easier, just like it has for a long, long time. read more

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Beautiful location with a fabulous beach nearby. Lighthouse itself is a bit overrated, but grounds are kept extremely clean and neat. Worth the visit when I visit Cape Cod, Massach read more

Chatham Lighthouse - Chatham lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chatham, Massachusetts

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Always the very "best" of the Cape, over many years with our children for sunrise and moonrise, and a memorable lunar eclipse. Many places are as beautiful but few as magical. The Cape's elbow isn't to be missed. read more

If I were a boat, it'd get me home. Unless I didn't live in Chatham, then I'd hope it'd pay for a cab fare. Or a water taxi. Something that would actually get me home. In all actuality, the Lighthouse is the name given to the beach (stiff shore lines and a no dog policy for the off-season) that's beautiful, but has only an across-the-street relationship with your porch light on steroids. Still historic, always scenic and more fo' this oddly placed place. read more

Chatham Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chatham, Massachusetts

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This light house is only open for tours on Wednesday's from 1-3pm during peak tourist months. It is a very scenic area and the views from the top are nice but it is very hot up at the top. The light house is moderately up kept as I'm sure it is not high on the government spending list to provide this lighthouse with a fresh coat of paint. The bodyguard workers were very knowledgeable about this light house and gave us plenty of info at three separate stops through this climb. They allowed for 8 people per group to climb. We came right at opening and waited outside in line for about 15 mins before our first part of the tour. When we finally got to the top, the view was amazing but with 8 people in a small space and not a ton of airflow my wife quickly became too hot and we had to climb back down. This is a nice experience but definitely a one time adventure and not worth changing plans over, if your in the area on the right day check it out. read more

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Seen the movie "The Finest Hours"... well this is the iconic lighthouse portrayed in the movie! A historic, old coast guard station on the eastern edge of Chatham. The station is still active and gives tours every so often to the public. Unfortunately, they weren't when we were there. It's a cool sight to see; the history and the purpose of it. There's ample parking in front and there's also steps to walk down to the beach. A must see attraction when you're in Chatham! read more

Chatham Lighthouse - Chatham Lighthouse! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chatham, Massachusetts

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A great thing to do in Chatham. Great parking right on the top of the dunes with s fantastic view of the ocean and inlet or pass. They have pay viewers to see the seals and sharks. Always parking available. They have a coast guard rescue boat with dock on the land outside the lighthouse to view, which is new in 2015. Great lighthouse and coastguard station to tour. The view is to die for. You can walk down the dunes to the ocean, which is a good hike. Best on a sunny, clear day. They also have port a johns available to use. A must stop in Chatham. read more

Very informative and educational. We enjoyed learning about the Cape Cod Canal.. scavenger hunt for kids. You can walk around waterfront and have a picnic lunch if weather-is cooperative. read more

The beach below the Chatham Lighthouse is one of our favorite beaches to spend the day. The beach seems to be never-ending - you can walk along the shore for what seems like miles (and might actually be miles). I walk with family members and we lose track of time walking and walking and walking... Farther down the coast, away from where most people are, you can find beautiful, polished rocks, colorful seashells and all sorts of washed up marine life. The other day we saw seals swimming, and on a jetty a few hundred yards off the shore, hundreds of seals sunbathing! It was an amazing sight to see! The beach is very clean and the water is almost as blue as Caribbean waters (no joke!). And while you're laying out or swimming in the surf, it's nice to turn around and see the lighthouse on the hill. A beautiful place!! read more

Great tiny lighthouse with a beach across the street. I noticed there's a small military base behind the light house. Also the beach seems fairly busy at this spot. I wouldn't soak up sun here, there's way to many people but the view is awesome! read more

Chatham Lighthouse - Lighthouse! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chatham, Massachusetts

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Interesting. Only one of several in the Cape area. Easy to get to.

Beautiful lighthouse right outside of the town, this is one of the few light houses that you can actually see the entire lighthouse. Plenty of parking is available across the street. Stop here for a view of the beach, and pictures with the lighthouse. read more

Chatham Lighthouse in Cape Cod, MA is interesting and does have a lot of history, but if you're looking for a more iconic / quintessential lighthouse, this isn't it. The lighthouse isn't located at the edge of water or on a hill. The beach next to it is really nice (I will write a separate review for that), but the lighthouse itself was not what I was expecting. It's smaller than I expected and is surrounded by a field of grass. Not quite what I was imagining when visiting a lighthouse. We visited Cape Cod during our Northeast road trip in Sept 2016. Though I'm happy we did visit the lighthouse, I felt the lighthouse we visited in Portland, Maine (Portland Head Light) on that same trip was much more iconic. Still worth a visit, and there's parking conveniently nearby, but I doubt I would go out of my way to visit again if I'm in Cape Cod, MA again in the future. read more

Magical, wonderful, scenic views, fabulous beach..love Chatham and LOVE Chatham Lighthouse Beach..

Stunning views and an absolutely gorgeous beach. If your lucky you can see seals while you walk the beach. A must see while in the cape.

There's not much to do in Chatham. Besides the "Main St" and the beach and the lighthouse, I'm not quite sure what else... Regardless, we came and saw the lighthouse. It's probably more interesting during on the of the scheduled days it's open to the public. From the outside, it's a quaint stereotypically-looking, good for Instagram lighthouse. No qualms. Just don't expect much more if you're coming on a non-tour day. read more

Chatham Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chatham, Massachusetts

A cute little lighthouse with an absolutely stunning view. Bonus view of a Coast Guard ship.

Stunning views and a gorgeous beach to walk on! You always can see seals on the beach when go here. The sand is very very hot so just beware of that! Definitely a must see when your in The Cape!! read more

This light house may be small but is is still important even today. Admission is free and you learn so much history of all of cape cod. From the top there are amazing panoramic views. Nearby is lighthouse beach and small town. Great place read more

Chatham Lighthouse - Pano of the views - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chatham, Massachusetts

What a bummer. We drove there thinking we could walk up to the top of the lighthouse and get a nice view of the area. But it's short, and it's fenced off so you can't even go inside. It's by the beach though, and there is an 30-minute parking lot across from it so you can take pictures from the coast. read more

The area is gorgeous. Right across the street is a beautiful public beach and down the road is the main strip. The lighthouse was smaller than I pictured, but was a great attraction to see while visiting. read more

I was unimpressed. The other review said the words magical and wonderful...while these do apply to the view when your back is towards the lighthouse, looking over the water, they do not apply to the look/experience of the lighthouse. It is surrounded by this big fence, and since I went on a hot/sunny summer weekend, the parking area across the street was more than crowded, so I didn't even bother attempting to stop. If you're looking for a beautiful picturesque lighthouse, I would not really say this is it, but the area of Chatham is worth visiting. read more

It's a beautiful lighthouse. However, we couldn't find parking so we were only able to stop and take a picture. read more

Chatham Lighthouse - Chatham Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Chatham, Massachusetts

Very nice lighthouse directly across from the each. The lighthouse tour is free but is only open on Wednesdays from 1:00 - 3:30. There is free parking but it is limited to about 12 cars only and for 30 minutes, which is fine if you're you only want to see the lighthouse & tour it quickly but if you plans on going to beach as well then 30 minutes is ridiculous. We wound up parking about 3/4 of a mile away on Main St at Elridge's Garage which is next to the Chatham Inn. The guy charges $5 to park. He will also take you to the beach / lighthouse area for $15 round trip but since it's only 3/4 of a mile away and an easy walk, we decided to skip the ride & just walk. read more

During a stay in Chatham or the surrounding area make a point to visit the Chatham light house especially at night. The views of the beach during the day are just beautiful but at night the light house beam cuts through the darkness and across the sky with a wave a light which is hard to describe unless you see it for yourself. The light house is even more amazing on those foggy nights and there are always visitors there to view the sights. This is a very popular attraction in the are so parking is very tight so be prepared to circle around a few times until a spot opens up. Dawn at the light house is breathtaking as well and is worth losing a few hours of sleep to see for yourself. read more