By Erin McFeeters
10 lighthouses up and down the Jersey Shore are open to visitors—each one unique and located in a scenic area of New Jersey’s coast.
Absecon Lighthouse
Absecon, NJ
$10 Climbing Fee for Adults
Climb 288 steps to see views of the oldest boardwalk in the U.S., the Atlantic City Boardwalk. The Absecon Lighthouse was first lit in 1857 and is New Jersey’s tallest lighthouse clocking in at 171 feet tall.
Other things to do while you’re in the area: Atlantic City Boardwalk, Heritage Park, and Vic’s Subs.
Barnegat Lighthouse
Barnegat Light, NJ
$3 Entrance Fee from Memorial Day to Labor Day
You can find what locals call Old Barney on the northern tip of Long Beach Island. Trek up the 217 steps for a panoramic view of Long Beach Island and Island Beach State Park. Even though the original lens was removed from the Barnegat Lighthouse, it’s on display at the Barnegat Light Historical Society’s Schoolhouse Museum.
Other things to do while you’re in the area: Mustache Bill’s Diner, Viking Village, and Bay Village.
Cape May Lighthouse
Cape May Point, NJ
$12 Climbing Fee for Adults
For unparalleled views of the cape, you can climb 199 steps to look out from the tip of the Cape May Lighthouse. On a clear day you can see 20 miles in all directions, according to Cape May’s Lighthouse Keepers, and see the sun reflecting off of millions of Cape May’s famous diamonds.
Other things to do while you’re in the area: Cape May Brewing Co., Cape May County Park & Zoo, and Washington Street Mall.
Finns Point Rear Range Lighthouse
Pennsville Township, NJ
Donations Welcome
Just east of the Delaware River, you can find this skeleton-style lighthouse. Built in 1877, the Finns Point Lighthouse was part of a pair that guided ships into the Delaware River. Its sister lighthouse no longer stands, but the Fish and Wildlife service refurbished Finns Point and has welcomed back visitors since 2013.
Other things to do while you’re in the area: Fort Mott State Park, Pea Patch Island, and Riverview Beach Park.
Hereford Inlet Lighthouse
North Wildwood, NJ
Free Admission
At just 49.5 feet, the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse is unlike many lighthouses in the state. Currently, it is actively used as a navigation tool by the U.S. Coast Guard, however maintained by the City of North Wildwood Historical Commission. The lighthouse features a Victorian-style park and the Hereford Gardens, which are home to over 200 species of flowers and plants.
Other things to do while you’re in the area: North Wildwood Beach, Seaport Pier, and The Original Fudge Kitchen.
Sandy Hook Lighthouse
Sandy Hook, NJ
Memorial Day to Labor Day, Parking Fee of $20 Per Day
You can find the oldest surviving lighthouse in the U.S. in Sandy Hook—first lit in 1764. It was built by the Colony of New York to keep ships safe to and from the New York Harbor. Today, it remains a working lighthouse and is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Other things to do while you’re in the area: Gateway National Recreation Area, Gunnison Beach, and Fort Hancock.
Sea Girt Lighthouse
Sea Girt, NJ
At 44 feet tall, the Sea Girt Lighthouse was first lit in 1896 to eliminate a blind spot midway between the Twin Lights of Navesink and Barnegat Lighthouse. It’s the last live-in lighthouse on the Atlantic Coast, meaning the living quarters are attached to the tower, and since its preservation, it’s in use 200 days a year.
Other things to do while you’re in the area: Sea Girt Beach, Ray’s Café, and the National Guard Militia Museum of NJ.
Tinicum Rear Range Lighthouse
Paulsboro, NJ
Small Donation
The steel skeletal structure stands 85 feet tall with 112 steps from the base of the tower to the lantern room. It began operation in 1880 and today it’s an active navigation aid with its 500,000-candlepower fixed red light.
Other things to do while you’re in the area: John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, Cedarvale Winery, and Bridgeport Speedway.
Tucker Island Lighthouse
Tuckerton, NJ
$5 Admission to the Tuckerton Seaport
In the heart of the Tuckerton Seaport, is the Tucker Island Lighthouse. The lighthouse was built in 1868 and is a replica of the lighthouse that fell into the ocean in 1927. Today, visitors can experience the traditions of Barnegat Bay with over 20 exhibits and experiences.
Other things to do while you’re in the area: Tuckerton Seaport, take a ferry to Long Beach Island, and Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.
Twin Lights of Navesink
Highlands, NJ
Free Admission
At one of the highest points on the East Coast, the beacons were first added to the Navesink Highlands to warn New York City of approaching French warships in 1746, ordered by the New Jersey Militia. Today Twin Lights is an educational museum with more than $2 million in historic and patriotic artifacts on exhibit.
Other things to do while you’re in the area: Seastreak Ferries, Hartshorne Woods Park, and the Highlands-Sea Bright Bridge.
