Stay Overnight at These
New England Lighthouses
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in Maine
Ever wanted to spend a night or a week at a lighthouse? Numerous beacons in New England may offer overnight stays in the tower, in the keeper’s buildings, at nearby campsites, or in adjacent structures on the lighthouse grounds. When lighthouses became automated, many of these buildings fell into disrepair. In the mid-1990s, the Maine Lights Program and the American Lighthouse Foundation were established for lighthouse preservation. They provided a blueprint, along with the Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, that enabled designated lighthouse stations to be transferred to selected non-profit organizations as the Coast Guard relinquished ownership of those beacons.
Many lighthouse stations operated by these organizations have been fully restored or renovated. Some of them, listed below, offer overnight stays that support and help to fund the organization's preservation efforts while allowing visitors to experience the lives of the early keepers. Certain lighthouses invite guests to serve as overnight “keepers” to assist with some of the duties, while others provide full modern amenities, and some remain very rustic with limited facilities. There are offshore lighthouse towers, island lighthouses, and those that visitors can drive to for overnight lodging. Enjoy this unique New England experience!
Connecticut Lighthouse
Greens Ledge Light: Norwalk, Connecticut
This offshore lighthouse, located aboput a mile from the main shore, features a six-floor cast-iron tower with the beacon shining nearly 100 feet above the water. It is "off-grid" and powered by renewable solar and wind systems. It has a fully equipped kitchen, two bathrooms, and an outdoor hot-water shower. Accommodates up to six guests and there is internet availability. The Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society provides tours and transportation from the Rowayton Community Beach Dock to the beacon.
Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society
PO Box 43, Rowayton, CT 06853
Email: savegreensledge@gmail.com
Greens Ledge Lighthouse Info
Rhode Island Lighthouse
Rose Island Light: Newport, Rhode Island
Guests are transported to and from the lighthouse using the Jamestown-Newport ferry. They can stay in the lighthouse museum and the keeper’s apartment, which have a kitchen and bathroom. Guests can also choose to stay in the Foghorn Room and within the Fort Hamilton barracks for a more rustic appeal. There are two bathroom facilities on the grounds, and an outdoor shower with solar-heated water bags is available for guests.
Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation
PO Box 1419, Newport, RI 02840
Email: info@roseisland.org
Phone: (401) 847-4242
Rose Island Lighthouse Info
Massachusetts Lighthouses
Borden Flats Light: Fall River, Massachusetts
This offshore cast-iron lighthouse, which is surrounded by water, has been meticulously renovated to reflect the decor of the early 1960s, allowing guests to stay for one or more nights during the spring and summer seasons as honorary lighthouse keepers. Guests are transported to and from the beacon by boat from either Kevin Ferias, Light Keeper/Owner or Assistant Light Keeper Paul Hoeyone, and must be able to climb out of the boat onto a small ladder to reach the lighthouse deck.
There are five floors, and guests sleep in the fourth floor bedroom known as the "Watchroom" while having the opportunity to explore the other levels. The lantern room is above the bedroom, the living room is on the second floor and the entertainment room is on the third floor. A kitchen on the first floor, a bathroom (no shower) with a flush toilet, and solar-powered electricity are available. My wife and I stayed here a few years ago and loved it, read my blog here.
Email Kevin Ferias: kmf777@yahoo.com
Borden Flats Lighthouse Info
Wing’s Neck Light: Pocasset, Massachusetts
The lighthouse is accessible by car and is situated at the beginning of Cape Cod. Up to eight guests can stay in the three-bedroom keeper's cottage, which connects to the lighthouse tower via an enclosed breezeway. They are permitted to climb the spiral stairs of the lighthouse tower for breathtaking views of the bay. There is a full bath upstairs, a half-bath downstairs, and an outdoor shower. Available year-round, the minimum rental period is one week during the spring and summer seasons, and three nights in the off-season.
1 Lighthouse Lane, Pocasset, MA 02559
Phone: (617) 899-5063
E-mail: Christina Stevens: Christina@wingsnecklighthouse.org
Bass River (West Dennis) Light- The Lighthouse Inn:
West Dennis, Massachusetts
The lighthouse is accessible by car and is associated with the Lighthouse Inn motel for visitors. Guests can choose from various rooms, some featuring oceanfront views, as well as cottages and accessible accommodations. Clambakes, beach activities, and comedy shows are among the entertainment options offered at this Cape Cod location.
The Lighthouse Inn
One Lighthouse Inn Road, West Dennis, MA 02670
Phone: (508) 398-2244
Email: inquire@lighthouseinn.com
Bass River (West Dennis) Lighthouse Info
Nauset Light: Eastham, Massachusetts
The lighthouse is easily accessible by car and is located across the street from the Cape Cod National Seashore's Nauset Light Beach. Guests can stay in the keeper’s building, and lighthouse tours are available to the public, provided by the Nauset Light Preservation Society. The house features two bedrooms and a full bathroom on the second floor. The first floor includes an additional full bathroom, a living room, a fully equipped kitchen, and a sunlit dining area, all of which have air conditioning.
Nauset Light Preservation Society
120 Nauset Light Beach Road, Eastham, MA 02642
Phone: 508-255-3560
Email: info@hoppercapecod.com
Race Point Light: Provincetown, Massachusetts
The lighthouse is situated within the Cape Cod National Seashore in Provincetown, Massachusetts. It is accessible by hiking or driving through two miles of sand dunes, or a shorter distance from Hatches Harbor. Transportation to the lighthouse on the day of arrival, as well as transportation back to Provincetown, is provided by the “keepers” in four-wheel-drive vehicles. An overland driving permit can be obtained from the National Park Service for those who own a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Up to eight guests can stay at the keeper’s house, which has been meticulously restored to its 1950s-era beauty. The keeper's house features three bedrooms upstairs, with a shared full bath, and one bedroom located on the first floor with a half bath. There is a fully equipped kitchen with a gas oven, two refrigerators, and an outdoor grill. An outdoor shower is also provided. The quiet, uncrowded beach is just a short distance away.
The Whistle House, situated beside the Keeper’s house, is available for overnight stays. It includes one bathroom and two bedrooms, offering the same amenities as the Keeper’s house. Both the Keeper's house and the Whistle House provide central heating. Race Point Lighthouse is open for tours on the first and third Sundays of the season.
Public tours of the lighthouse are also available during the summer season.
Cape Cod Chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 565, Rockland, ME 04841
Phone: (855) 722-3959
Plymouth (Gurnet) Light: Plymouth, Massachusetts
Plymouth (Gurnet) Light is accessible by car, but it is not open to the public. Up to 14 guests with advance reservations can stay at the nearby 4-bedroom restored 1962 Keeper’s Cottage, which offers most amenities. Solar-powered electricity and well water are available.
Project Gurnet & Bug Lights, Inc.
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 2167,
Duxbury, MA 02331
Plymouth (Gurnet) Lighthouse Info
Bakers Island Light: Salem, Massachusetts
This Assistant Keeper’s House, carefully restored to replicate a 1950s era structure by the lighthouse, is available for two-night stays in June and September for up to six people, and for four-night stays in July and August. It features three bedrooms, a kitchen equipped with a propane-fueled range (no oven), an outdoor propane grill, a refrigerator with a freezer, and a bathroom with limited hot water available for showers. There is no heating or A/C, and it is not wheelchair accessible. The island is located about 4 miles off the coast of Salem. Guests will ride on the Essex Heritage Association’s landing boat, which ferries passengers to and from the island, a roughly 30-minute journey each way.
Public tours of the lighthouse station are provided with boat ferry to and from the island during the summer months.
Essex Heritage Association
124 Bakers Island, Salem, MA
Phone: (978) 212-9277 or (978) 740-0444
Email: info@essexheritage.org
Thacher Island Twin Lights (Cape Ann Lights), Rockport, MA
The lighthouse does not offer overnight facilities; however, there is a nearby campsite managed by the Thacher & Straitsmouth Islands Association. Potable water is unavailable, open fires are not allowed, and electricity is not provided. The site includes an eco-friendly, solar-powered composting toilet, along with picnic tables, for those looking for a truly rustic experience. The twin towers of Thacher Island each rise about 164 feet above the waterline, making them the tallest lighthouses in Massachusetts. Each summer, visitors can climb the 156 steps to the top of one of the towers. The island is reachable by small boat or kayak, as well as via the Thacher launch boat. Members of the Thacher & Straitsmouth Islands Association can reserve free seats on the Thacher launch, while non-members can purchase them.
Note: Due to Massachusetts state-wide warnings about the spread of avian influenza (H5N1) in 2025, the Thacher Island campground will be closed for the season of June through August 2025.
Thacher & Straitsmouth Islands Association
P.O. Box 73, Rockport, MA 01966
Phone: (508) 546-2326, Phone (617) 599-2590 (launch reservations)
E-Mail: info@thacherisland.org
Thacher Island Twin Lights (Cape Ann Light Station) Info
Maine Lighthouses
Seguin Island Light: Georgetown, Maine
Seguin Island Light is situated about 2.5 miles from the mainland at the mouth of the Kennebec River. To stay in the guest quarters on the second floor of the lighthouse, guests must be members of the Friends of Seguin Island Light and be in good physical condition. Visitors will need to reach the island by boat. RippleSmith Sailing offers ferry service to the island from Sebasco Harbor Resort in Phippsburg. The guest quarters at the lighthouse feature two upstairs bedrooms, with minimal kitchen facilities in the hallway next to the bedrooms. There is a private bath on the second floor with hot and cold running water, a composting toilet, and a shower. Visitors can also reserve a campsite on the island. Keep in mind that getting to the lighthouse involves hiking up a steep hill.
Friends of Seguin Island Light Station
72 Front Street
Bath, Maine 04530
Phone: (207) 443-4808
Pemaquid Point Light: Bristol, Maine
Visitors can drive to this picturesque lighthouse with its unique rock formations and stay overnight in the keeper’s house on the second floor, accommodating up to four guests year-round. It features a fully equipped kitchen with a small dining area and a cozy bedroom, along with an additional sleeping space on a pull-out sofa in the living room. This compact upstairs apartment includes most modern amenities, such as a full bath with a shower, central heating, and Wi-Fi.
Pemaquid Lighthouse Park
3115 Bristol Road
New Harbor, Maine 04554
Phone: (207) 677-2492
Email: info@bristolmaine.org
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Info
Goose Rocks Light: Vinalhaven, Maine
This is one of the few offshore lighthouse towers surrounded by water that offers overnight stays. It can accommodate up to six guests as either overnight or even daytime “keepers” in its two bedrooms and one bunkroom, featuring a composting toilet system and a fully equipped kitchen. An initial orientation is provided by a member of the Board, as this experience leans towards the rustic for visitors. Access to the lighthouse is via the Maine State Ferry, which departs from Rockland on the mainland for North Haven. From there, visitors are transported to the lighthouse by a member of the association. The Beacon Preservation Association charges “donations,” with all proceeds going back into preserving the lighthouse. Access to Goose Rocks involves real risks, and a safe visit always depends on the guests' physical and mental ability to climb a vertical ladder (from a boat) to the catwalk.
Beacon Preservation
179 Main Street
North Haven, Maine 04853
Phone: (207) 867-4747 in summer, or (207) 200-6820
Email: gooserockslighthouse@gmail.com
Burnt Coat Harbor Light: Swan’s Island, Maine
After taking the Maine State Swan’s Island Ferry from Bass Harbor in Acadia National Park (with the iconic Bass Harbor Lighthouse nearby for exploring), visitors can either drive or hike to Burnt Coat Harbor Light. The keeper’s house has been converted into a rental apartment that includes a bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, and a bathroom featuring a bathtub and handheld shower. Summer rentals are available by the week.
433 Harbor Road
Swan’s Island, Maine 04685
Phone: (207) 399-2563
Email: m21bailey@beeline-online.net
Burnt Coat Harbor Lighthouse Info
Little River Light: Cutler, Maine
The lighthouse is located on an island a short distance from the shore of picturesque Cutler Harbor in downeast Maine, near the Canadian border. Friends of Little River Lighthouse provides access to the 15-acre island from the public boat ramp in Cutler. Up to six people can stay overnight during the summer season in the fully restored 1888 keeper’s house which overlooks the Bay of Fundy. There are three rooms and a shared full bath with lots of ammenities.
Friends of Little River Lighthouse
P.O. Box 565
Rockland, ME 04841
Phone: (877) 276-4682
Email: info@littleriverlight.org
West Quoddy Head Light: Lubec, Maine
Nestled on the border with Canada, the famous striped lighthouse is open only for tours, and the keeper’s house is a museum and visitor's center. However, the surrounding completely restored and renovated historic buildings offer various choices for guests, all of which include most amenities with ocean views. These consist of the Coast Guard Station House, the Meeting House, the Lodge (a former Coast Guard facility transformed into four private apartments), the Buoy Barn, the Cabin (an original 1925 Coast Guard building), the Camp (inspired by a c.1849 Cape Cod lifesaving boathouse), the Crow’s Nest, the Captain’s Table, the Keeper’s Cottage, and the Crew’s Quarters. The availability of these structures in this rural scenic area is year-round. All are a short walk to the lighthouse to explore, along with the surrounding grounds with nearby trails.
West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association
823 S. Lubec Road
Lubec, ME 04652
Phone: (877) 535-4714
Email: info@quoddyvacation.com
West Quoddy Head Lighthouse Info
Books to Explore
 Available in paperback. |
New England's Haunted Lighthouses: Explore the historical mysteries surrounding the haunted lighthouses of New England! Uncover ghostly tales of lingering keepers, victims of misfortune or from local shipwrecks, lost souls, ghost ships, and more. Immerse yourself in the tales associated with these iconic beacons! |
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: This resourceful book provides special human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses along the southern coastline, with plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions and tours, and helpful contact info for your vacation plans. You'll also find info on haunted lighthouses, windjamming, sailing, and whale watching tours among other of events along the coast. Look inside! |
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Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England: This 300-page book provides human interest stories from each of the 76 lighthouses in these northern states, along with plenty of coastal attractions and tours near each beacon, and contact info to plan your special vacation. You'll also find information on windjamming sailing on authentic schooners, whale watching tours, lighthouse tours, and events going on along the New England coast. Look inside! |
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Available in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
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The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants of sail were the ten original six-masted coal schooners and one colossal seven-masted vessel, built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies, and measured longer than a football field! This self-published book, balanced with plenty of color and vintage images, showcases the historical accounts that followed these mighty ships. These true stories include competitions, accidents, battling destructive storms, acts of heroism, and their final voyages. |
