3 Best Sights in Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Owned and operated by the Roberts family, this vineyard has greatly stepped up production, and has begun experimenting with some new varieties. The vineyard makes several notable blends, both red and white. It also makes a red table wine that's flavored with cranberries and known for its unusual bottle, shaped like a lighthouse. There is also an aged rum, whiskey, and gin distillery on the property, South Hollow Spirits, which produces organic spirits; tours and tastings available. There are many excellent wine and food events scheduled throughout the summer. It's a great place to picnic, and there's a resident food truck on-site.

Home to the Truro Historical Society, the 1907 Highland House was once a grand summer hotel in its time, boasting of many private rooms, meals, and even one shared indoor bathroom. Now a museum, each season a new exhibition highlights Truro's rich history; upstairs you can see how early settlers lived and the unique industries they created to survive. There is also a room dedicated to Edward and Jo Hopper and their art and lives in Truro. Throughout the summer, talks, live music events, and children's programs are offered.

Truly a breathtaking sight, this is the Cape's oldest lighthouse. The first light on this site, powered by 24 whale-oil lamps, began warning ships of Truro's treacherous sandbars in 1797—the dreaded Peaked Hills Bars, to the north, had claimed hundreds of ships. The current light, a 66-foot tower built in 1857, is powered by two 1,000-watt bulbs reflected by a huge Fresnel lens; its beacon is visible for more than 20 miles.

One of four active lighthouses on the Outer Cape, Highland Light has the distinction of being listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Henry David Thoreau used it as a stopover in his travels across the Cape's backside (as the Atlantic side is called). Twenty-five-minute tours of the lighthouse are given daily in summer; especially grand are the special full-moon tours. Children must be 48 inches tall to enter.