Sam and Barbara Dawson use binoculars to get close-up views of whales and seals as they swim by just offshore. Dick and Mary Beatty prefer to get up-close and personal with schools of multicolored fish while they snorkel and scuba dive. For Tom and Jean Coss, the big thrill is hobnobbing with a friendly ghost named Maggie.
As disparate as these experiences may seem, they share a common trait. All three couples are overnighting in a lighthouse that was constructed long ago to help ships avoid dangerous hazards and guide them safely into harbors.
Various forms of ship warning lights were first used thousands of years ago. Some geologists believe that a platform excavated along the coastline of India, which they date to about 2,000 B.C., supported a fire to mark the entrance to a port. A similar structure indicated the harbor of Piraeus in Athens in the 5th century B.C.
Given their variety and beauty, lighthouses serve as magnets for people to see, enjoy, climb—and in some cases to sleep in. Beacons located along both coasts of the United States as well as overlooking inland bodies of water accept overnight guests who immerse themselves in the stories they have to tell and enjoy the activities that are available.
Lighthouses offer a combination of history, education, and just plain fun. Some people are fascinated by the technology employed to build lighthouses in their precarious settings and to construct the lenses that send their beams of light out for many miles.
Folks who spend one or more nights in a lighthouse getaway can delve into its past, leave the hustle and bustle of everyday life behind them, and often enjoy an inviting list of other activities, too.
The Race Point Lighthouse in Massachusetts where the Dawsons were whale- and seal-watching is one of a number of sites that present opportunities to commune with Mother Nature’s creatures. Eagles sometimes wing close to the Little River Lighthouse in Rockland, Maine.
Perched on an island reached by a short boat ride, it also offers excellent stargazing in the ink-black sky unmarred by light pollution.
The Saugerties Lighthouse on the Hudson River in New York state is popular with birders who have catalogued close to 200 species that have been observed there. They include some with colorful names such as ring-billed gull, black-capped chickadee and tufted titmouse.
The aquarium of fish with which the Beattys swam was beneath a structure that was modeled on oil-drilling platforms. The light station was constructed off North Carolina to warn vessels of the Frying Pan Shoals, which have caused a high number of shipwrecks. Guests who stay in the tower also enjoy world-class fishing and breathtaking views of the Milky Way. Getting there becomes part of the adventure as it’s only reachable by a long boat ride or helicopter flight.
Two historic lighthouses share Daufuskie Island off the coast of South Carolina. Haig Point Lighthouse was built in 1873 and the Bloody Point Lighthouse 10 years later. The Haig Point tower is said to be inhabited by the first lighthouse keeper’s daughter, Maggie, who suffered a broken heart due to a lost love.
Speaking of romance, the Sand Hills Lighthouse Inn on Lake Superior in Michigan has been selected by American Historic Inns as one of the 10 most romantic inns in America. It also has been highly rated for serving outstanding food. Its Victorian charm is expressed in architectural and decorative touches, with amenities that include a fireplace, air conditioning, and whirlpool bathtubs.
Some lighthouse accommodations do double duty as mini museums that tell their story and that of the industry. Brown’s Point Light Station, an art deco structure in Washington state, has a hands-on museum where guests can ring the original 1903 fog bell. Besides its reputation for birding, the Saugerties Lighthouse houses a small museum.
The red-brick Two Harbors Lighthouse tower in Minnesota’s lake country houses historical exhibits. A popular item in the collections is the Fresnel lens, a composite glass that makes light beams visible from great distances. Developed by the French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel in 1822, it has been called “the invention that saved a million ships.”
Those who would rather do than simply see have opportunities to chip in with chores at some lighthouses. Duties of renters at Brown’s Point in Tacoma, Washington, include raising the flag, keeping a log, and opening the facilities for day visitors. At the Rose Island Lighthouse in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, guests who fill the role of lighthouse keeper complete the many tasks required to keep the facility in good operating condition.
