A lighthouse in New Jersey was already guiding ships before the Declaration of Independence was signed. It still works today.
Even better, regular people can walk inside and look out from the top.
That detail caught my attention. Many old towers along our coasts are locked up or too fragile for visitors.
A surprising number still welcome climbers, though. Some have stone steps cut by hand nearly two centuries ago.
Climbing one of these towers is a fun workout with a history lesson attached. You get sweeping views of beaches, bays, and the Great Lakes.
You also get a small taste of the daily routine of keepers who hauled oil up the stairs every night.
The towers below run from the 1760s to the 1880s. Each one has its own quirks, from island ferries to spiral stripes.
Ready to count some stairs?
1. Sandy Hook Lighthouse
Built in 1764, this tower has guided ships since before America was even a country. It’s the oldest working lighthouse in the United States, which is a pretty big title for an 85-foot tower.
Here’s a fun twist. When it was first lit, the light sat right near the tip of Sandy Hook.
Sand kept piling up over the years, so the tower now stands well over a mile from the end of the peninsula.
Free tours are run by the National Park Service as part of Gateway National Recreation Area. Kids need to be tall enough to climb safely, so check the height rule before you go.
After your climb, walk around Fort Hancock and peek at the old officers’ row. It makes a nice pairing with the tower.
Address: 85 Mercer Road, Highlands, NJ 07732
2. New London Harbor Lighthouse
Ever wonder what a lighthouse looked like in the days of the Founding Fathers’ kids? This 1801 tower replaced an even older light from 1761 at the same harbor entrance.
The white octagonal tower stands about 89 feet tall. It’s the tallest lighthouse in Connecticut, and it still works as an active aid to navigation.
Access is limited, so plan ahead. The New London Maritime Society runs scheduled climbing tours during warmer months, and spots can fill up.
From the top, you can see ferries heading toward Long Island and boats moving along the Thames River. It’s a great place to learn how busy this harbor once was.
Pair your climb with a stop at the Custom House Maritime Museum downtown. The same group runs both sites.
Address: 795 Pequot Avenue, New London, CT 06320
3. Old Cape Henry Lighthouse
George Washington’s new government made this tower its very first construction project. Work wrapped up in 1792, and the sandstone tower still stands on the dunes of Virginia Beach.
It sits near the spot where English colonists first landed in 1607 before heading to Jamestown. That gives the site two big history lessons for the price of one visit.
Preservation Virginia takes care of the tower today. A newer black and white lighthouse stands close by, so you get a fun side-by-side comparison.
One practical note matters a lot. The lighthouse is inside Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story, an active military base, so adults need a valid photo ID and vehicles may be inspected.
Once you’re at the top, look out over the Chesapeake Bay meeting the Atlantic Ocean.
Address: 583 Atlantic Avenue, Fort Story, Virginia Beach, VA 23459
4. Old Baldy Lighthouse
Getting here takes a ferry ride, since Bald Head Island has no regular cars. Most people get around on golf carts, bikes, or their own two feet.
Finished in 1817, Old Baldy is the oldest standing lighthouse in North Carolina. Its patchy, weathered stucco gives it a look that no paint job could copy.
The tower no longer serves as an official guide for ships. Still, the Old Baldy Foundation keeps it open for climbing, and the view of the Cape Fear River and the ocean is worth every step.
Next door, the Smith Island Museum of History sits inside a rebuilt keeper’s cottage. It’s a good spot to learn how families lived out here long ago.
Check the ferry schedule before you go so you don’t miss the boat home.
Address: 101 Lighthouse Wynd, Bald Head Island, NC 28461
5. Cape Florida Lighthouse
Few lighthouses have survived as much drama as this one. In 1836, the tower was attacked and set on fire during conflicts with the Seminole people, and the assistant keeper barely made it out.
The tower was repaired and raised in later years. Today it’s the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County.
You’ll find it inside Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park at the southern tip of Key Biscayne. Free guided tours usually run on select days, and there’s a limit on how many people can go up at once.
Climbers tackle 109 steps to reach the top. Up there, Miami’s skyline and Biscayne Bay spread out in front of you.
Bring a swimsuit, too. The park’s beach is right there, which makes cooling off after the climb easy.
Address: 1200 S Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne, FL 33149
6. Fort Gratiot Lighthouse
Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state, and this one is the oldest still standing there. It first shone in 1829 and was made taller later in the 1800s.
The tower sits where Lake Huron pours into the St. Clair River. Huge freighters slide past on their way between the Great Lakes, so keep your camera ready.
Port Huron Museums run tours of the lighthouse and the restored keeper’s buildings during the warmer season. Climbers need to meet a minimum height for safety.
Next door, you can see the old Coast Guard station and a fog signal building. Together they help tell how hard people worked to keep sailors safe.
Afterward, the Lightship Huron museum is a short drive away. It’s a floating lighthouse you can walk aboard.
Address: 2802 Omar Street, Port Huron, MI 48060
7. Old Presque Isle Lighthouse
Hand-cut stone steps spiral up the inside of this 1840 tower. Climbing them is like walking on the same path keepers used before the Civil Era.
The tower is only about 30 feet tall, so the climb is short and good for younger kids. Its little harbor view is peaceful and pretty.
Local legends add some spooky fun. People have reported seeing a light glowing in the tower even though the lamp was removed long ago, and the story pops up often in Michigan lore.
The keeper’s house works as a small museum filled with old tools and objects. Kids can even ring a big bell outside.
The site opens seasonally, usually from late spring to mid-fall. Visit both Presque Isle lights on the same day since they sit just a mile apart.
Address: 5295 E Grand Lake Road, Presque Isle, MI 49777
8. Fire Island Lighthouse
Black and white stripes make this 168-foot tower easy to spot from far away. It’s the tallest lighthouse on Long Island, built in 1858 to replace a shorter one.
For many immigrants sailing from Europe, this light was among the first signs of America. That makes standing up top feel extra meaningful.
Reaching the gallery takes 182 steps. Tours are run by the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society, and the climb has a height rule for kids.
To get there, park at Robert Moses State Park Field 5. A boardwalk path of about three-quarters of a mile leads across the dunes to the tower.
Inside the keeper’s quarters, a museum shows off the giant original lens. The lens is so big that it has its own building.
Address: 4640 Captree Island, Captree Island, NY 11702
9. Cape May Lighthouse
Count on 199 steps between the ground and the top of this 1859 tower. Rest landings along the way give your legs a break.
Standing about 157 feet tall, this light still flashes for boats in the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean. It’s inside Cape May Point State Park, at the very southern tip of New Jersey.
The Cape May Museums group runs the climb. Signs on the landings share stories about keepers and the tower’s history.
Cape May is famous for bird migration, especially in fall. Bring binoculars and watch hawks and other birds pass overhead.
After your climb, the nearby beach is great for hunting “Cape May diamonds.” They’re actually smooth quartz pebbles that wash ashore.
Address: 215 Lighthouse Avenue, Cape May Point, NJ 08212
10. Cana Island Lighthouse
Here’s a fun way to start a lighthouse visit. When Lake Michigan’s water is high, a tractor pulls a wagon to carry visitors across the causeway to the island.
Built in 1869, the tower was first a plain yellow brick. Later, it was covered in steel plating to protect it from harsh weather, giving it a clean white look.
Climbers take 97 steps up to the gallery. The Door County Maritime Museum runs the site and keeps it open during the warmer months.
Up top, you can see miles of Lake Michigan. The keeper’s house has exhibits about life on this rocky island.
Door County has many lighthouses, so you could easily plan a whole weekend around them. Bring sturdy shoes for the rocky shore.
Address: 8800 E Cana Island Road, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202
11. New Presque Isle Lighthouse
Just one mile from its little sister, this 1870 tower was built to do a bigger job. At 113 feet, it’s one of the tallest lighthouses on the Great Lakes open to the public.
The climb takes 130 steps. When you reach the top, Lake Huron stretches out in every direction you look.
The tower still works as an active light. Presque Isle Township runs both lighthouses and keeps them open for visitors in the warmer season.
The keeper’s house is home to a museum with old maps and keeper gear. Outside, picnic tables and nature trails make it easy to spend the afternoon.
Since the old tower is a few minutes away, you can climb both in one trip. It’s a fun chance to compare an early light with a later one.
Address: 4500 E Grand Lake Road, Presque Isle, MI 49777
12. Bodie Island Lighthouse
Two lighthouses came before this one at Bodie Island. The first leaned, and the second was destroyed in the 1860s, so the 1872 tower is attempt number three.
You’ll know it by its wide black and white horizontal bands. The tower stands about 156 feet tall and is part of Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Climbing reopened in 2013 after a big restoration. The National Park Service runs the climbs, and tickets must be reserved ahead of time online.
Get ready for 214 steps. The view stretches over marshes, Oregon Inlet, and the Atlantic Ocean.
The climb is seasonal, usually spring through early fall. Kids must be at least 42 inches tall, and strong winds can close the tower for safety.
Address: 8210 Bodie Island Lighthouse Road, Nags Head, NC 27959
13. St. Augustine Lighthouse
Bold black and white spiral stripes wrap this tower like a candy cane. A bright red lantern sits on top.
Finished in 1874, it stands in the nation’s oldest city. A Spanish watchtower once stood nearby long before this one went up.
Climbers take 219 steps to the top. The view shows the Matanzas River, the historic city, and the Atlantic Ocean.
The site is now the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum. It includes the keeper’s house, exhibits, and a working boat shop.
Underwater archaeologists from the museum study shipwrecks off the coast. Some of their findings are on display.
If you like spooky stories, evening ghost tours run on certain nights. Daytime visits are great for families who prefer history without the shivers.
Address: 100 Red Cox Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32080
14. Currituck Beach Lighthouse
Paint never touched the outside of this tower. Its bare red brick was left plain on purpose so sailors could tell it apart from other Outer Banks lights.
Workers used around one million bricks to build it in 1875. It closed a dark gap along the coast between other lighthouses.
Climbers face 220 steps to the top. The view takes in Currituck Sound, the village of Corolla, and the ocean.
The group Outer Banks Conservationists cares for the tower. It usually opens to climbers from spring through late fall.
Next to it sits a Victorian keeper’s house that has been restored. Historic Corolla Park is a short walk away and has more old buildings to explore.
Look for wild horses in the area, too. They roam the northern beaches.
Address: 1101 Corolla Village Road, Corolla, NC 27927
15. Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse
Want bragging rights? At 175 feet, this is the tallest lighthouse in Florida and one of the tallest in the country.
Lit in 1887, the red brick tower guards the inlet south of Daytona Beach. Climbers take 203 steps to reach the top.
The view from up there takes in the inlet, the Halifax River, and miles of ocean. On a clear day, you may spot boats heading out to sea.
The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association runs the site as a museum. It’s one of the most complete historic light stations in the country, with keepers’ homes and a lens collection.
Leave time for the lens exhibit, which shows how these giant pieces of glass worked. It’s a great ending to your lighthouse adventure.
Address: 4931 S Peninsula Drive, Ponce Inlet, FL 32127
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