Things to do in Chatham, MA 02633

Right: Chatham Lighthouse Mousepad
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A Timeline of Chatham Lighthouse:
* 1841 The wood octagons were replaced with 40 ft (12m) brick towers
* 1857 Fourth order Fresnel lens installed.
* 1879 Current structures, of brick lined cast iron, were built.
* 1923 Northern tower of the pair was moved roughly 12 miles north to become Nauset Light.
* 1939 Chatham Light, which had been kerosene fueled since 1882, became electric.
* 1969 Fresnel lens was replaced with a Carlisle & Finch DCB-224 rotating light generating over 2.8 million candlepower.
* 1969 Lantern replaced
* 1982 Automated, now one of the few lights that operates 24 hours a day.

Chatham Lighthouse timeline courtesy Wikipedia.

How to Get to the Lighthouse:
It's very easy to get to Chatham Lighthouse and Lighthouse Beach from most parts of town. From Route 28, which becomes Main Street, follow this until its end. Take a right on Shore Road. The parking lot for the lighthouse will be on your left, the lighthouse on your right. Parking is hard to find during the summer months and on weekends, so plan your excursion during off peak times if possible. Or, if you're parking Chatham Center, you can take a walk to Chatham Light. This walk should only be about 1.4 miles round trip from the center.

You might think that Cape Cod is all seafood and turkey dinners, but that's not so. Chatham has a fairly diverse range of restaurants, particularly because they have a large tourist base that visits the town. Here, you'll find some of the best restaurants in Chatham, chosen for their delicious food and great atmosphere (or maybe just the good food).

1. Carmine's Pizza. When you're on Cape Cod, it can be tough to find a good pizza place. When it comes to the Cape, however, Carmine's is one of the best. With huge pizzas that are big enough to feed an army, the pizzas themselves have great sauce, crust, and cheese. No cheap ingredients here. The dough is especially tasty, and they offer a variety of different gourmet style pizzas. Don't expect to be waited on hand and foot, this is a true pizza parlor. Come and get it to go, or dine in and eat at a table, if you're lucky enough to come when one is available.

2. The Corner Store. They're only open from 6am-6pm, but they have the best burritos on Cape Cod. It's tough to find great Mexican food on the Cape, so enjoy this! Stop on by for breakfast, lunch, or dinner (if you're early).

3. Red Nun Bar & Grill. Great beers on tap, great bar food, this pub is one of Chatham's finest. Burgers, fries, fried seafood, sandwiches, onion rings, and typical pub food of New England can be found at this Chatham mainstay.

4. Lazy Lobster. Everyone says to try the lobster roll at the Lazy Lobster! The restaurant also has great chowder and breakfasts.

5. Chatham Bars Inn. This restaurant is upscale, not too cheap, and well worth it for the unmatched views of the Atlantic Ocean and sand bars that lie off the coast of Chatham. Like the name suggests, this is also an inn (one that's often jam packed full in the summer).