Traveling Lighthouses

We climbed the  oldest working lighthouse in America! Sandy Hook lighthouse was built in 1764, and the beacon has been operating since then. Thus, it is called the oldest working lighthouse. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark. The Lighthouse is located on the grounds of Fort Hancock in Sandy Hook, New Jersey.  It was originally called the New York Lighthouse because it was funded through a New York Assembly lottery and tax. In 1790, they changed the name of the lighthouse to Sandy Hook. The tower shape is octagonal, it stands 103 feet and with 95 steps to the top. It's not really tall, so our climb was easy.   The weather up there was humid but the view was beautiful. The tour was free, which was nice. W e watched the video of the history of the lighthouse at the Keeper's house museum. Thanks to John and Ruby for joining me on this road trip exploring two lighthouses in one day. We had our lunch picnic on the grounds of...

Little Red Lighthouse is the last surviving lighthouse in Manhattan, and a reminder of the area's history. Built in 1921, it was originally known as the Jeffrey's Hook Lighthouse. History says that when George Washington Bridge opened in 1931, the brighter lights of the bridge made the lighthouse obsolete.  When the Coast Guard planned to auction the lighthouse, there was an outcry from the public. The outcry was encouraged by the children's book "The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge, written by Hildegarde Swift and Lynd Ward in 1942. The book tells a tale that the Little Red Lighthouse is happy and content until a great bridge is built over it.  The lighthouse learns that it has an important job to do and that there is still a place in the world for an old lighthouse. What a positive story! A festival is held annually to celebrate this lighthouse. They celebration highlights a reading and story telling of the boo...

   It was windy and humid, but it was a happy encounter. I didn't get a chance to see this lighthouse when I first visited Aruba. Traveling this beautiful island they call "One Happy Island" the second time with my flight attendant friends, Crystal and Mauricia, there should be no excuse for me to see it. This old stone lighthouse is located on the northwest tip of Aruba. It stands 98 feet, designed by a French architect and constructed between 1914 to 1916.  It was named after the S.S. California, a wooden sailing ship that sank and was wrecked near the shore in 1891. This lighthouse is now a landmark for tourism. It is definitely a must see. Adjacent to the lighthouse are sand dunes and a golf course. There are local stores and a restaurant around the area where you can enjoy a sunset dinner. On my next visit, I will make sure to experience the sunset dinner. Unfortunately, I didn't get to climb this...

This is definitely one of the most beautiful and one of my favorite lighthouses so far. It was a spontaneous trip with my friend, John.  We almost missed the train from Jamaica to Montauk. The two and half hours train ride went fast. We started our day trip with a coffee at a cozy place called The Surf Lodge, then we headed to our main agenda. Montauk Point Lighthouse is the first lighthouse in New York state. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark, and is still a very active lighthouse.  It stands on a historic site with an awesome view of the Long Island and the Atlantic Ocean.  The original 78 foot tower was constructed in 1796. In 1860, the height of the tower was extended to 137 iron spiral staircase. We climbed to the Watch Deck to see the lantern room. The staircase was very narrow, but the climb wasn't bad. We survived and enjoyed the climb! One interes...