Sankaty Head Light stands above the open Atlantic at the eastern end of Nantucket, its red-and-white tower one of the island's most recognizable coastal landmarks. Built in the nineteenth century to guide ships past the shoals around the island, it still reads as a classic New England lighthouse: simple, exposed, and perfectly placed against sea and sky.
The lighthouse is an especially good stop if you are exploring Siasconset or the bluff walks nearby. Erosion has long threatened this stretch of coast, and the tower was moved inland to preserve it, which adds a useful reminder that Nantucket's postcard scenery is also a living, shifting shoreline.