Also known as the Gay Head Cliffs, these clay cliffs, overlooking a 5-mile-long beach, were formed by glaciers 100 million years ago. Rising 150ft from the ocean, they're dramatic any time of day but are at their very best in the late afternoon, when they glow in the most amazing array of colors.
It's a 10-minute walk down to Aquinnah Public Beach , at the base of the cliffs, or if you're more adventurous you can walk 1 mile north along the shore to an area that's popular with nude sunbathers. The clay cliffs are a National Historic Landmark owned by the Wampanoag tribe. To protect them from erosion, it's illegal to bathe in the mud pools that form at the bottom of the cliffs, climb the cliffs, or remove clay from the area. Parking costs $15.
The 51ft, c 1856 brick Gay Head Lighthouse stands regally at the top of the bluff.
