Traveling Lighthouses

     It was my birthday week, and I had to do something special - I mean some kind of a getaway. So I thought of visiting more lighthouses. I drove three hours to St. George Island to see this lighthouse. The records say that Cape St. George Light is the fourth reconstruction of the original lighthouse.  The first lighthouse was erected in 1833, then it was damaged by the storm.  It was dismantled and reconstructed in 1848.  It was again damaged by a hurricane in 1851, and another lighthouse was built in 1852.  Unfortunately, beach erosion caused its collapse in October 2005. Volunteers salvaged more than 22,000 original bricks from the rubble. They rebuilt it and opened it to the public in December 2008. From the outside, the lighthouse looks new, but its history is not. I was lucky. That day was open, and I was able to climb to the top.  It was a nice view of the blue peaceful water and the quaint Little St. George Island...

It has been my plan to visit Florida's capital - Tallahassee. Finally, I drove there on this special trip to see one of Florida's lighthouses with my son, Joshua. St. Marks is located on Florida's "forgotten coast" in Apalachee Bay, Wakulla County.  It is the second oldest lighthouse in Florida, constructed in 1842, and has 85 steps.  The historic Fresnel lens was removed for preservation and on display in the visitor center. The lighthouse was closed for renovation.  Nevertheless, the view was beautiful, especially from the treehouse. It's a historic lighthouse, but it doesn't look old. It was under renovation yet freshly painted and looks gorgeous from outside. The place is a migratory bird refuge. However, we didn't only see birds, but we saw some turtles crossing on the street. This is such a peaceful haven for birds and other animals. It was half a day of the drive to see Tallahassee and St. Marks Lighthouse. It was indeed worth the dri...

Where is the second tallest lighthouse in the country?  It's here in Daytona Beach. This trip was special to me not only because I was able to climb the tallest lighthouse in Florida, but it was a trip with my son, Jonathan, on Thanksgiving weekend in 2017. Ponce De Leon Inlet Light is 175 feet with 203 steps to the top.  It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1998 as one of the best-preserved and most authentic historic Lighthouses in the US. History says that in October 1919, the assistant keeper suffered heart failure and died while climbing the stairs to light the lamp. I was glad I didn't have a heart attack - only got some palpitations. Despite its 203 steps, climbing this lighthouse was not too much of a challenge for me. I enjoyed every step of it, with the guidance of my son. The panoramic view from atop was gorgeous. But the beauty of the lighthouse is even more impressive. This is definitely one of my favorite lighthouses. Daytona is known for...

A long layover work trip to Charleston in July 2017 had finally allowed me to see this Lighthouse with my friend Gabriela. Commonly known as the Charleston light, this Lighthouse holds a unique title as one of the most modern Lighthouses in the US. It is a distinctive landmark on the beach, characterized by its unique triangular and slim structure, and features an elevator and air conditioning.  It continues to act as a guiding point to Charleston harbor ships. It stood 140 feet and seemed so tall. Since I couldn't go up, I tried to climb the fence, but - I wasn't successful. It was a very sunny day, but the beach's breeze helped our sweat go away.  We ended our lighthouse adventure with a nice southern lunch downtown.

A journey of three rides to the Southeast Lighthouse. I visited my friend, Melissa,, in her hometown in Connecticut in July 2017.  We drove to Rhode Island to catch a ferry to Block Island. Then we rented a bike and followed the way to the lighthouse. I am not an expert on biking, but I could still do it. I used to do it when I was a kid. Southeast Lighthouse was designated as a US National Historic Landmark in 1997 as one of the most sophisticated Lighthouses built in the 19th century. Also, the Nature Conservancy has listed it as one of the "Last Great Places."  It was constructed in 1875 with a height of 52 feet—what a beautiful brick-made lighthouse. It was closed for viewing, but we enjoyed the gorgeous view of the island and the ferry sunset. Plus, it was a unique adventure. A car, a ferry, and a bike to chase this Southeast Lighthouse?  Yes, we did it all.  It was so much fun.