Six Florida Lighthouses That You Can Climb

Happy National Lighthouse Day! Florida is a great place to be if you love lighthouses as much as I do. At one time Florida had as many as 65 lighthouses. Twenty-nine are still standing today, and although not all are accessible to the public, here are six that are open all year round. Let's get climbing!

1. Ponce Inlet Lighthouse

Located 10 miles south of Daytona Beach, the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Florida at 176 feet. It is also one of the most complete light stations in the country with all its original buildings intact, including the lighthouse keeper's and two assistant keepers' cottages. Visit the Lens Exhibit Building to see the first order Fresnel lens originally used in the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse.

Open daily except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
10 AM to 9 PM from Memorial Day until Labor Day
10 AM to 6 PM from the day after Labor Day until the day before Memorial Day
Website: http://ponceinlet.org/

2. St Augustine Lighthouse

In addition to climbing on your own, the St Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum offers special tours, such as the once-a-month Sunset Moonrise Lighthouse Tour, where you can watch the sunset from the top of the lighthouse while the moon rises over the Atlantic. Or you can take the Dark of the Moon Tour and learn about the lighthouse's ghostly past. The St Augustine Lighthouse was mentioned in Parade Magazine's article, "Five Haunted Lighthouses to Climb".

Open daily except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
9 AM to 6 PM (7 PM on holidays and in summer months)
Website: http://www.staugustinelighthouse.com/

3. Jupiter Lighthouse

The 120 acres surrounding the Jupiter Lighthouse have been designated by Congress as an Outstanding National Area, one of only three in the U.S. The area includes a 1-mile hiking trail that takes you through three different Florida habitats and ends at an observation deck overlooking a manatee refuge. The lighthouse, designed by then Lieutenant George Meade, is still an active aid to navigation.

Open 7 days a week from January to April, Tuesday-Sunday from May to December
Closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Easter, April 30, Memorial Day,  Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day
10 AM to 5 PM
Website: https://www.jupiterlighthouse.org/

4. Cape Florida Lighthouse

The Cape Florida Lighthouse has survived attacks by Seminole Indians, the 1926 Miami Hurricane and Hurricane Andrew. Today, it is the oldest structure in South Florida and part of Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. From the top of the lighthouse, you can see the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse, 7 miles away. Both lighthouses are in active service.

Open Thursday to Monday
Guided tours at 10 AM and 1 PM
Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Cape-Florida

5. Key West Lighthouse

At just 86 feet, the Key West lighthouse is one of the shorter Florida lighthouses but it used to be even shorter. In 1894, the tower was raised 20 feet when the surrounding trees grew and started to obscure the light. From the lighthouse gallery, there are great views of the entire island, including the Ernest Hemingway House.

Open daily except for Christmas Day
9:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Website: http://www.kwahs.org/museums/lighthouse-keepers-quarters/history

6. Pensacola Lighthouse

The Pensacola Lighthouse is on the Naval Air Station Pensacola, an active military base and home to the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Stop by the National Naval Aviation Museum, which is right across the street from the lighthouse and free to the public. With some planning, you may even be able to see the Blue Angels practice.

Open daily except for the following holidays: Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day
9 AM to 5 PM
Website: http://www.pensacolalighthouse.org/index/page/visit

Travel Tips: Be sure to call or check the lighthouse's website before visiting because hours and tour times may change. Most of the lighthouses have height restrictions and some require certain footwear (such as shoes with straps).