LighthouseFans

DeTour Reef Light

mattkit.kitchen73@gmail.com

Posted by: Shinnecock14

Review: Smart Lighthouse

Santa Cruz Light (Mark Abbott Memorial Light)

mattkit.kitchen73@gmail.com

Posted by: Shinnecock14

Review: I would consider this as America's ugliest lighthouse.

Point Arena Light

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Posted by: Shinnecock14

Review: What fog signal was here before t was removed?

Fort Point Light

mattkit.kitchen73@gmail.com

Posted by: Shinnecock14

Review: Why won't they let you into the little lighthouse?

Admiralty Head Light

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Posted by: Shinnecock14

Review: Very smart structure.

Winter Harbor Light (Mark Island Light)

mattkit.kitchen73@gmail.com

Posted by: Shinnecock14

Review: Looks like a twin of the Blue Hill Bay lighthouse.

Wind Point Light

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Posted by: Shinnecock14

Review: They should bring back the foghorns!

Old Cape Henry Light

mattkit.kitchen73@gmail.com

Posted by: Shinnecock14

Review: This is a lovely lighthouse!

Crown Point Light (Champlain Memorial Lighthouse)

mattkit.kitchen73@gmail.com

Posted by: Shinnecock14

Review: You can go inside this lighthouse; but only in season. It could do with a decorative light.

Ocracoke Light (Ocracoke Island Light)

mattkit.kitchen73@gmail.com

Posted by: Shinnecock14

Review: They should open this lighthouse for climbing!

Racine North Breakwater Light

mattkit.kitchen73@gmail.com

Posted by: Shinnecock14

Review: This lighthouse could be lit up at night as a decoration.

Yaquina Head Light

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: This is a great visitor experience. The docents dress in period costume, and taught my kids some 19th-century games. You can climb to the tower, and there's a museum with rest rooms. On the day I visited, they had a special sunset viewing time, but they kick you out as soon as the sun sets.

Montauk Point Light

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: Great experience. There's a full museum, knowledgeable docents, food and bathrooms available, well set up for visitors. Beautiful location.

Sea Girt Light

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: I planned a weekend lighthouse trip around being in Sea Girt for the limited open house hours on Sunday afternoon. The interior is beautiful and well-kept, and you can wander all around in it, including to the lantern. It's a small light but a quaint piece of history, well-preserved and worth a visit.

Barnegat Light

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: It's not sited in a dramatic spot, but it's a nice part of seaside life in Barnegat Light. You can climb the tower for a small fee and visit a modest little museum. Worth a visit.

Orient Point Light

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: You can get great views of this lighthouse on the New London - Orient ferry. You can also see it from Orient Point. But there is no access to the light itself.

Castle Hill Light

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: Short, stubby, and beautiful. Ignore the "no visitors" sign on the way to the lighthouse. Park at the Castle Hill Inn and take the path at the far end of the parking lot. There's no visitor center or access to the light itself, but the grounds are open 24/7.

Cape Neddick Light (Nubble Light)

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: Worth a trip. It's a classic view; photographs great at sunset. But you can't actually visit it, as it's across water on a little island.

Cape Elizabeth Light (East Tower)

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: It's a pretty light, and Edward Hopper has painted it. But you can't really get close to it, and the location is not particularly picturesque IMHO.

Dutch Island Light

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: Recently renovated, the grounds of this lighthouse are on an island just off Fort Getty. It's an easy boat or kayak trip from Fort Getty to Dutch Island (car parking fees at Fort Getty are steep, though). Bring a picnic lunch and camera, and sit next to the lighthouse and marvel at its beauty and isolation. Make sure to pack your garbage when you leave.

Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: I went to an Open House in October 2009. You can enter the lighthouse, climb the stairs to the top, and visit the inside of the lantern room. Jeremy was there in person; he and the other docents were knowledgeable and enthusiastic about lighthouses. It's a beautiful light in a stunning location, well worth a visit. Would be nice if the grounds were open at other times.

Marshall Point

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: One of my all-time favorites. This lighthouse photographs well during both sunrise and sunset. The museum/gift shop is worth a visit, too. There is no restriction on visiting hours to the grounds. The only drawback is people walk the walkway up to the lighthouse and get in your photo.

Portland Head Light

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: Be aware that they will kick you out at Sunset, and the gate is locked until sunrise. When I visited in Feb 2010, the cops did not open the gates until about an hour after sunrise. However, if you leave enough time, you can park in the neighborhood and walk through the gates to enjoy sunrise at this lighthouse. IMHO, it photographs MUCH better at Sunrise than sunset. I have never encountered a fee to enter this park.

Point Reyes Light Station

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: NOTE that during winter hours you must arrive before 3pm to purchase tickets for a SHUTTLE BUS to the lighthouse. You cannot drive directly to the lighthouse as the road is closed unitl 5:30 PM. Unfortunately, this meant I was UNABLE to visit the lighthouse when I visited in March 2010 after visiting Point Bonita. The park service makes it rather difficult to visit both Point Bonita and Point Reyes in the same day (with a San Francisco start). It can be done, and I almost succeeded, but there are a lot of obstacles to such a trip. Point Bonita is only open three days a week: Sat, Sun, Mon from 12:30-3:30. You can't access the lighthouse outside those hours, as there is a tunnel which is sealed during off-hours. There is also a foot bridge to the lighthouse, which at this time (it's scheduled to be rebuilt next year) only 2 people are allowed to cross at a time, so there is a long wait to get to the lighthouse itself, and another wait to get off. I spent about an hour and fifteen minutes at Point Bonita, from when it opened at 12:30 to roughly 1:45. From Point Bonita, the drive to Point Reyes is something around 2 hours. I made the big mistake of taking Route 1, which is exceptionally windy, curvy, and slow. I should have taken Route 101, which is longer in distance but a faster drive. Being ignorant of these details, I decided to follow the advice of my GPS unit and take Route 1. If I had taken Route 101, it's possible I might have made it to Point Reyes sooner, but I'm not sure of that. As it was, I arrived at Point Reyes around 3:20, which should have been just enough time to visit the light (the lantern room is open till 4, and the grounds till 4:30). But there was a catch: during the winter (Dec to April), you have to park away from the lighthouse at the Kenneth C. Patrick visitor Center and take a shuttle bus to visit the lighthouse. Tickets for the bus stop selling at around 3pm. So, even though there was a nearly empty shuttle bus sitting at the Patrick visitor center when I arrived at 3:20, I was not allowed to board it to visit the Point Reyes lighthouse. There was an alternative available: I could have waited until 5:30 for the road to the lighthouse to open. However, since I was traveling with two exhausted, nauseous children, I decided to forgo waiting so late. My kids were feeling ill due to the windy drive up Route 1, and tired from a cross-country flight the previous day, and waiting till 5:30 would have meant a late drive back to San Francisco. The family had put up with a lot just to get me to Point Reyes. So I decided not to wait it out. It does seem to me that the timings could be tweaked a bit to allow for families to visit both lighthouses in one day. The timing here is so tight, I'm not sure I would have made it, even if I had known about the 3pm cutoff for the shuttle (it's on the web site, but I didn't understand that the wording "Sir Francis Drake Boulevard is CLOSED" meant "You can't get to the lighthouse"). In retrospect, I would have had a much better day if I had spent my afternoon at Point Bonita and the Marin headlands, and given up on Point Reyes altogether. http://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/shuttlemap.htm Anyhow, I post this information for future lighthouse visitors who may try to follow in the future.

Point Bonita Light

ken@zirkel.com

Posted by: kzirkel

Review: Beautiful dramatic location, gorgeous structure, well worth a visit. Docents are on hand to answer questions and tell stories. Unfortunately, it cannot be photographed or viewed outside the operating hours (Currently Sat, Sun, Mon from 12:30-3:30). This means: no sunset photos possible. There is a long walk from the parking lot to the lighthouse, which takes you through a tunnel and over a suspension bridge. Also, the access bridge is only crossable by two people at a time, which means a long wait to get on. There is a new bridge scheduled to open, at which time more people will be able to cross.

Saugerties Light

rwillis3281@rogers.com

Posted by: twisted

Review: We spent a night in Saugerties Lighthouse and I must say it was a wonderful experience. The only problem you may have when you book your room is the wait. The light is booked almost solid for the next year winter and summer. The best thing is to keep a eye on their reservations calendar and hope you get a cancellation,thats how we got ours. The lighthouse is in wonderful shape with millions of dollars having been spent restoring it to its past glory. The fridge was a GE from the 30s and the stove was from the 20s. You have access to the entire lighthouse with the exception of the innkeepers quarters. It is great to sit by the light and watch the still busy Hudson River boats ply there goods. There are 2 rooms in the lighthouse one facing the river and one the land. They are plain rooms with no bathroom or TV. The bathroom is downstairs (the bedrooms are upstairs) and is a composting toilet which you clean with a water wand afterwards. There is also a bath with a shower in the bathroom as well. The breakfast was good although nothing spectacular eggs,bacon, sausages,blueberry waffles and fresh locally grown organic fruit. The innkeeper (Patrick) was adequate and was friendly enough when you saw him. Probably the best part about the visit was the first time you took that 1/2 mile walk into the lighthouse and it suddenly appears out of the rushes. We paid $165 a night but I heard that it had gone up to $200, still well worth it.

Currituck Beach Light

SillyPaGirl@aim.com

Posted by: Patrice

Review: I only saw this lighthouse from a distance and it was beautiful.

Point Bonita Light

lighthousephoto@chartermi.net

Posted by: lighthousephoto

Review: If you went to San Francisco and could only visit one lighthouse, Point Bonita should be it hands down! The light stands atop a pinnacle of rock on the north side of the mouth of San Francisco Bay. After you cross the Golden Gate Bridge you leave Hwy 101 and the road snakes its way up into the Marin Headlands affording you spectacular views of the north tower of the Bridge with San Francisco in the background. When you eventually reach the top, you can see the promontory where Point Bonita stands off in the distance. The road continues to wind and twist until you eventually get to the parking lot at the trailhead. At this point, you can't see the Point Bonita light. From the parking lot, you can go up to the highest point for spectacular views looking down on the lighthouse. On days when there are big waves rolling in from the north Pacific, the view and photographic possibilities from up there are spectacular. The lighthouse is open for visitors on weekends from 1230-1530 hrs. You walk down a paved path until you eventually come to a tunnel carved through the rock of the promontory. At times when the lighthouse is closed, this is as far as you can get! When the lighthouse is open, you follow the path through the short tunnel in the rock (~50 feet). From the far side of the tunnel, the trail narrows some and continues further downward until it opens and you begin to get views of Point Bonita. Finally, it's across an elevated walkway for a short distance to the end of the promontory. From here, you have to take the suspension bridge across an unpassable section where the trail has fallen away due to erosion to finally reach the lighthouse. Point Bonita is absolutely spectacular. You get amazing views of the Golden Gate and San Francisco to the east. Under the southern arched end of the approach to the Golden Gate Bridge you can see the Fort Point light. Almost due south you can see what is left of the Mile Rocks lighthouse. If you get the opportunity, by all means visit the Point Bonita lighthouse. It's a lighthouse visit that you'll NEVER forget!

Drum Point Light

lighthousephoto@chartermi.net

Posted by: lighthousephoto

Review: Drum Point lighthouse has been moved from where it once stood in the waters of Chesapeake Bay to where it now stands atop a pier that is a part of the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, Maryland. The lighthouse has been beautifully restored and should be a must visit for any lighthouse lover who happens to be in the area of Solomons. Climbing up to the lighthouse allows you to step back in time, although you have to use your imagination to put water beneath the lighthouse as it originally stood in the waters of the Bay. On the plus side, however, I'm glad that it has been saved and restored. This light is on my list to visit when I have time to go back and photograph the interior (take a flash with you if your camera doesn't have a built in flash). I didn't have one with me and was shooting Velvia 50 in my F5 when the posted photo was taken, which is hardly conducive to photographing the interior of this marvelous light.

Romer Shoal Light

lighthousephoto@chartermi.net

Posted by: lighthousephoto

Review: Romer Shoal lighthouse is visible from the elevated platform at the north end of Gateway National Recreation Area beyond Sandy Hook lighthouse. The viewing platform is also a great place to watch ships entering and leaving New York Harbor. During the cruise ship season, you can watch the big cruise ships heading out of New York as the pass Romer Shoal lighthouse. If you want to photograph the lighthouse from there, you certainly can. I normally shoot the Romer Shoal lighthouse from there with a 300 mm lens and a 2X telextender off of a tripod. Here's a link to the pages on my website with more photos of the Romer Shoal lighthouse. You can also see Romer Shoal from the Mount Mitchelle Senic Overloop Park up on the Atlantic Highlands but it's really a long way off from there. http://www.coastalbeacons.com/atlanticcoastgallery/New_York_Harbor_lighthouses/Romer_Shoal_gallery/Romer_Shoal_gallery_page.htm If you have the chance to take a trip out on the Atlantic to view this lighthouse, it's much better seen from up close. I've been out on the ocean at this light several times. It's certainly memorable despite the rust and peeling paint. The last photo posted from the first group I sent Cary that looks like it's empty grey gives you an interesting perspective on the relation of Romer Shoal lighthouse and the Verrazano Narrows bridge. Have a look...

Cape Lookout Light

lighthousephoto@chartermi.net

Posted by: lighthousephoto

Review: Cape Lookout is a spectacular lighthouse. I would note, however that your point of departure to go out there is Harker's Island. Lookout is not on Harker's Island.

Grosse Point Light

w9dtj@earthlink.net

Posted by: davidarnold

Review: Open for tours on weekend afternoons June thru September (not Labor Day or July 4 weekends). Tours at 2, 3, 4 pm but not during storms or if air temp is above 90 degrees. Small museum, 15 minute video program, and then you can climb the stairs and stand beside the 2nd order lens (as big as they get on the Great Lakes!) Visitors must be 8 years old or older. The view from the top is spectacular, looking out over the sailboats on Lake Michigan. The Light is immediately north of the Northwestern University campus on the lake shore, in Evanston.

Rockland Breakwater Light

pfclighthouse@comcast.net

Posted by: Paul

Review: If you are in the Rockland area you don't want to miss the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. The lighthouse is open for tours every weekend from Memorial Day to Columbus Day from 9 am to 5 pm. Also be sure to visit the Maine Lighthouse Museum at One Park Drive in Rockland. You will be glad you did! The Ken Black Exhibition Hall houses one of the largest collections of lighthouse lenses, foghorns, bells and buoys and Coast Guard artifacts in the United States!

Graves Light (The Graves)

katesims@earthlink.net

Posted by: katesims

Review: An great location to spot this lighthouse from is the Observation Deck of the Prudential Tower in Boston. You don't get a detailed look but you see it in relation to Boston Light and the Boston Harbor Islands.

Cape Neddick Light (Nubble Light)

mterrasalomao@hotmail.com

Posted by: minots_ledger

Review: Cape Neddick Light, or Nubble Light, is a wonder. There's probably only one other lighthouse that is similar to it (Portland Head Light), and it is in a beautiful area. The views are great and it is possible to capture some pretty amazing snapshots. I've been to Nubble Light at least twice and I never fail to be amazed by its beauty. However, you can't get very close to the lighthouse if you don't have your own boat, as it's on its own island, although that doesn't bother me some people who like to see lighthouses a little more close up might be disappointed.

St. Catherine's Lighthouse

Keepers@lighthouse-duo.net

Posted by: Lighthouse Duo

Review: You can stay in the keeper's cottages for a holiday. And the tower is open to the public and there are guided tours. But I am not sure about the details.

Tinicum Rear Range Light

Ostaria926@yahoo.com

Posted by: Patti

Review: As far as skeletal lights go, this is definitely my favorite so far. There is a great view of Philadelphia from across the river, where you can see the airport. Train tracks can also be seen from the top. Helpful hint- If you drive out to this light, get gas in Paulsboro- it's a lot cheaper than most places!

Portland Breakwater Light (Bug Light)

ericlighthouse@yahoo.com

Posted by: ericlighthouse

Review: I got to climb this one and enjoyed as I like this lighthouse more the a lot of them.

Cape Elizabeth Light (East Tower)

ericlighthouse@yahoo.com

Posted by: ericlighthouse

Review: Just down the street is the second tower, if, however, is on private property. The windows in the tower are still blocked as it was used as a submarine tower in World War Two.

Tybee Island Light

stauglh@aug.com

Posted by: firstlh

Review: Go visit. Spend time on Tybee and see all the building around the lighthouse too.

St. Augustine Light

stauglh@aug.com

Posted by: firstlh

Review: This is the 2nd Lighthouse tower in St. Augustine. The first one is an old Spanish Watchtower that was build hundreds of years ago and is now under water. The museum, including galleries in the keepers' house, have interesting exhibits about WWII, Coast Guard, and shipwrecks from off shore. There is a swivel gun on display as seen in the movie "Master and Commander" in one of the basement galleries. The lighthouse is reported to be haunted by the ghost of former lightkeeper William A. Harn, who commanded his own battery at the battle of Gettysburg. Whether this is true or not I can't really say, but it's certainly spooky in some places. They offer a dark of the moon tour that is very cool. St. Augustine Lighthouse also has many programs for kids. My kids liked the scavenger hunt. You can find out some interesting things on the web site that you can do with the family and St. Augustine is great place. Spend more time here than you planned. There is lots to do.

Ocracoke Light (Ocracoke Island Light)

normacaskey@adelphia.net

Posted by: ncaskey

Review: We took the ferry to Ocracock Island from Cedars Island. It is a 2 1/2 hour boat ride. The harbor town is a fun place to shop - there are lots of different types of shops from pottery to souvenirs to books to kayaking! The locals say that the shopping area is in about a 1 mile radius. It is easy to get around and the lighthouse is a short walk off the main road. The light is not open but it is still worth the walk!

Cape Lookout Light

normacaskey@adelphia.net

Posted by: ncaskey

Review: We visited this lighthouse on November 4, 2006 during one of the Open House days. The lighthouse is beautiful! We learned from the North Carolina Ferry Division that the diagonal checkerboard daymark on this light was originally intended for Cape Hatteras. Cape Hatteras marks Diamond Shoals. Cape Hatteras has the black and white spiral daymark that was intended for Cape Lookout.

Chatham Light

makgambit@yahoo.com

Posted by: makgambit

Review: It is so easy to get to. Plus a huge parking lot right in front across the street. The beach across the street is nice too except for the huge flight of stairs.

Nobska Point Light (Nobsque Point Light)

makgambit@yahoo.com

Posted by: makgambit

Review: This is an extremely pretty lighthouse. The only bad thing is that it is usually closed. But the ground for just the light are open which is nice. The drive to this light is so nice. You can see Marthas Vineyard from it.

Bass Harbor Head Light

michael@tsoftware.com

Posted by: MichaelT

Review: Perched on a rocky cliff over looking the harbor, it can be challenging to get a good view from the shore.

Tinicum Rear Range Light

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Posted by: Cary

Review: Tinicum is a rarity in that it is one of a few skeletal lights that is open to climbing. The light is surrounded by baseball fields, and there is an amazing view of Philadelphia and the PHL International Airport from the top. The only possible downside to this great light is that some of the stairways are *very* tight, although this was not a problem for me.

Cape Hatteras Light

SillyPaGirl@aim.com

Posted by: Patrice

Review: I only saw this lighthouse from a distance in 1992(before it was moved). It is one of the most beautiful lighthouses. It is also one of my favorites.

Bodie Island Light

SillyPaGirl@aim.com

Posted by: Patrice

Review: I visited this beautiful lighthouse in 1992 while on vacation. It is one of my favorites.

Fenwick Island Light

SillyPaGirl@aim.com

Posted by: Patrice

Review: I lived in Delaware for three years,so I drove by this lighthouse almost everyday. Although I was never inside I did take some photos. This is one of my favorite lighthouses.