Nobska Light

Nobska Light stands on a headland at the southern tip of the Cape Cod peninsula, where the waters of Buzzards Bay meet Vineyard Sound. Built in 1876, the lighthouse is one of the most photographed in New England: a classic white tower rising from a green lawn, with the Elizabeth Islands visible across the water.

The grounds around the lighthouse are freely accessible and make an excellent spot to watch the ferry traffic moving between Woods Hole and Martha's Vineyard. On clear days the Vineyard is close enough to pick out individual buildings. The walk from the village takes about 20 minutes along a path that passes through a stretch of quiet residential Woods Hole before opening onto the headland.

things to do sight
A story
Nobska Light stands at the point where Buzzards Bay, Nantucket Sound, and Vineyard Sound converge — three distinct bodies of water meeting at a single lighthouse. Mariners navigating in from the open Atlantic use it to distinguish which passage they are entering. The lighthouse's characteristic flash pattern was established in 1888 and is unchanged today.