Cape May Lighthouse

Cape May Point, United States

4.4

Closed now

21 reviews

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 609-884-5404
Website:
www.capemaymac.org
Address:
215 Lighthouse Ave, Cape May Point, NJ, 08204
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Bussiness info

Good for Kids
Yes

Today

Today 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (Cape May Point) 8:14 PM Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Business hours

Monday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm

Description

Specialties

About the Lighthouse

The present tower, which is the third documented lighthouse at the southern tip of New Jersey, has always been an attention-​getting landmark as well as an aid-​to-​navigation for mariners.

Because it is adjacent to the community of Cape May Point and just two miles from the city of Cape May, it has drawn visitors throughout its history. In 1882, the Cape May Ocean Wave reported that «the gentleman superintendent in charge [of the lighthouse], Mr. Samuel Stillwell, takes pleasure in showing visitors who have the nerve and strength of limb to the top, the interior of the lantern, and explaining the interesting operations of the light. A very picturesque view of the sea, bay, and country may also be obtained from the giddy heights of the edifice.»

Today, as in 1897, it’s clear that a visit to the lighthouse was a requisite part of one’s vacation

History

Established in 1859.

1857 The Army Corps of Engineers began construction on the present tower, at a cost of $ 40,000. The 1st order Fresnel lens, which is now in the Cape May County Museum, probably cost about $ 15,000.

1859 The Lighthouse was first lighted on October 31.

1893 The oil house was constructed.

1902 An incandescent oil vapor lamp was installed and replaced the Funck multiple wick first order hydraulic float lamp that dated back to 1878.

1933 The light apparatus was electrified.

1938 The light apparatus was automated, which eliminated the need for lighthouse keepers being permanently stationed at the tower.

1939 The United States Lighthouse Service was discontinued and its equipment and personnel transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard.

1941 The Lighthouse was darkened until 1945 because of World War II.

1986 The Lighthouse was leased to MAC by the State of New Jersey

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«Lovingly restored to its original splendor, the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate is Cape May’s only Victorian house museum.»

Carriage House Café & Tearoom

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Tea Rooms

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Cafes

Cape May Lighthouse says,

«Dine in the Carriage House or outdoors beneath the gaily-​striped tent overlooking the gorgeous gardens.»

Vicinity

Near this location:
1
mi
Cape May Point State Park
1
mi
Atlantic Coastal Cleaning Services
359 96th St Ste 103
1
mi
Avalon Limousine Service
6740 Washington Ave
1
mi
The Red Store
500 Cape Ave
1
mi
Cape May Bird Observatory
701 E Lake Dr
1
mi
Sunset Beach Sportsman’s Club
Sunset Blvd

21 reviews of Cape May Lighthouse

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Place rating: 5
West Warwick, RI
We have been here two years in a row. Great time, the lighthouse has some great history. There is a free museum on the property which is really neat. Fort on the beach is pretty cool to check out while you are there. Great for kids!
Place rating: 4
Madison, NJ
The area around is nice to walk and even picnic.
Admission: $ 8 for adults, $ 5 for kids.
Website says: The Lighthouse is located at Cape May Point State Park. The fully restored Oil House, near the base of the Lighthouse is home to a Museum Shop, as well as an orientation center for those who choose not to climb. There is abundant free parking for all types of vehicles, and rest rooms are available in the State Park buildings, as well as a museum and educational classroom, where information on park services is available, as well as information on the history of the area and of the World War II Bunker, located on the beach. There are covered pavilions for picnicking, which must be reserved through the state park offices. The State Park offers many opportunities for nature lovers, including the Hawk Watch platform and well-​developed and marked nature trails, and guided walks and programs are offered. Summertime programming is offered to introduce visitors to the history of the Lighthouse and is free of charge. The beach is free but swimming is not allowed. All areas of the park are «carry in, carry out» in regard to trash or recyclables; please do not litter. The park is generally open sunrise to sunset; Lighthouse hours for climbing vary with the season and are listed on our website or in «The Week in Cape May.» For more information about the State Park, call 609−884−2159.
Place rating: 5
Mullica Hill, NJ
Yay! Finally made my way back to the Cape May Lighthouse so I could take in the views from the top and I just gotta say…$ 8 per adult and 199 steps later… it was so worth it!
Couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day… nice cool breeze and the views were spectacular! Heck, just check out my photos and see for yourself!
If you’re ever in Cape May this is a must!
Place rating: 3
Middlesex, NJ
Paid our admission fees to climb the lighthouse, view from the top was amazing. On the way out, we grabbed a painted Cape May seashell outside the entrance and made a donation inside to help paint the lighthouse. Walked into the gift shop to purchase a few souvenirs as we were tourists. After I spent $ 25 in the gift shop, I asked the lady inside to wrap the seashells with their tissue paper so they won’t break. Her response was well, no offense, but I’m not going to be wrapping every seashell, I know it’s a donation, but I can’t afford that. Between our admission tickets to climb the lighthouse, a donation for the seashells and $ 25 in souvenirs, you can’t afford a one cent wrapping paper for the seashells? I’ll mail back the wrapping paper for the cost of a stamp, an envelope, and ink in my pen if it’s really that big of a deal.
5 stars for the lighthouse and the view, but overall this place gets 3 stars for the response of the lady in the gift shop.
Place rating: 5
Manhattan, NY
Beautiful Cape May Lighthouse, Circa 1859. Two hundred seventeen steps to the top! (199 of them cast iron spiral staircase). It’s a workout! Once you hoof it up those stairs you’ll be treated to spectacular views and a gorgeous sea breeze 165 feet above sea level. She’s a beauty of a lighthouse, remarkably preserved and spotlessly maintained.
Place rating: 5
Jackson, NJ
This is a gem of a lighthouse, impeccably clean and well kept with a tremendous view from the top. We bought a combination ticket to both the lighthouse and the artillery observation tower, located nearby.
The area around the lighthouse is quite interesting and includes many historical buildings as well as private homes. There is a retreat center just south of the light which was closed — I would have liked to get a little information.
I am an artillery officer and it was interesting to see the huge bunker near the lighthouse which was part of the shore artillery during WW II. Never used, of course, and it is slowly being eaten up by the ocean.
This is a must see in Cape May.
Place rating: 5
Chesapeake, VA
This was the last lighthouse I visited on the NJ lighthouse challenge. Beautiful building.
I can not quote prices, or admission days as they were all adjusted for the challenge so check before you go.
Big beautiful lighthouse. Grounds were clean, plenty of parking. Visitor center and restrooms available.
199 steps to climb. I did see the light flashing while we were on the ferry.
Must see lighthouse on NJ.
Place rating: 5
Jersey City, NJ
Excellent historical seashore sight to visit. There are many different viewing platform so that visitors can do lots of hawk watching and monarch butterfly watching. It is a beautifully maintained property. If one wants to one could walk the many stairs to the top of the lighthouse but that wasn’t what we could do this day. Instead we opted to go on one of the platforms looking for hocks and spotted some find high in the sky circling Swans and egrets and ducks and geese below.
They had a huge parking lot with plenty of handicap parking. The signage around the site was very well done with clear entrance and exits.
I was also pleased with the conditions of the bathrooms.
Place rating: 5
Montclair, NJ
A must! The walk up is interesting and educational– although tight with the spiral staircase and flow of traffic. Well worth the climb for the breeze and the view. Such a breathtaking sight.
Place rating: 5
Jackson Heights, NY
Teens and adults will enjoy! Great history to be learned while making the adventure. The views are awesome. Kids are free if you show most of the local hotel keys.
Place rating: 4
Abington, PA
Wow, what a climb! I did my best to not act like I was dying, but it sure was hard. However there are 6 landings that you can pause at and catch your breath while «reading» about history (aka catching your breath). Once you get to the top, the cool air and view are WELL worth it! I suggest going about an hour before sunset, bc the sun on the water in the distance is perfect then. I loved the experience, but do wish the workers were a little more friendly and willing to take ownership of the lighthouse’s history and story.
Place rating: 3
Washington Crossing, PA
The light house has stood here for a very long time and is currently undergoing restoration, I can remember as a young boy watching it’s beacon shinning out into the Atlantic Ocean and seeing the ships pass by near shore, what is a shame is how much the town has been built up and while I understand you need attractions to draw in vacationers I feel they have gone overboard because on many days just getting around the small town is a true pain in the tail feathers, even worse than many big cities, so what is the point of driving for hours to get caught up in that mess, it defies logic
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Enjoyed the atmosphere… especially on a beautiful sunny day. A lot to read and learn about near the lighthouse with a friendly guide to answer any questions you may have onsite.
Place rating: 5
Lindenwold, NJ
The $ 8 admission price is well worth the bonding experience you will get with your family as you climb to the top!
The view from the top is gorgeous! We saw so many dolphins!
You can most likely find coupons for $ 1 off one adult admission on the Internet.
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
Excellent views. Great for picture taking. The 199 steps climb will log in your exercise for the day. Luckily, there are little stops on the way up if you need to catch your breath. It can get crowded as the climb is narrow and service as both entrance and exit. So folks does a little clumsy dance when their paths cross. Overall. Great experience.
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
Really fun afternoon. The lighthouse is not too rigorous to climb. It’s $ 8 admission with a nice view at the top! If you’re there before three, you can also check out the WWII lookout tower. The lighthouse has a beautiful beach and rock boardwalks that are fun to sit on in the warm weather!
Place rating: 5
Lyndhurst, NJ
I’ve always thought lighthouses were pretty awesome without ever actually visiting one. (I always promise myself to check out the one at Sandy Hook but then opt instead to get my drink on at the beach.)
Did I feel like a chump to drop $ 22 for 4 of us to enter the lighthouse and walk up and down in a matter of minutes? Yup. But I was finally inside a damn lighthouse! And at each level you get some history lessons and how can’t you be impressed with how it was made (this one is the third lighthouse after the first two hit the skids).
You reach the top (seeing a worker on her cellphone took away some of the fun of pretending I was in ye olden times) and circle around outside and wondering just how sturdy everything is and you see some crazy rock fortress on the beach and immediately head back down to hit the beach to see what looks like a prop from the original Planet of the Apes movie or part of the Dharma Initiative.
My kids thought it was all «pretty boring» and all of our calves were feeling the burn after the climb but I still loved it.
Place rating: 4
Monroeville, PA
Friend and I visited the Cape May Lighthouse last fall while staying in Stone Harbor. The weather was blurry, so we set out in search of the Lighthouse. The House is very easy to get to and the grounds are lovely. There is a WW2 bunker on the beach and beach access is easy.
Had the weather been a little better we probably would’ve climbed for the view, but it wasn’t so we opted for the nearby vineyard! Would like to visit again and take the camera for a climb.
Place rating: 5
Conshohocken, PA
This was another one that we didn’t get to climb during the Challenge weekend simply because it was too damn crowded. I mean we have climbed it several times before so it wasn’t like we missed out but at the same time climbing lighthouses are claustrophobia inducing enough without a shit ton of people added in so we passed.
Of all of the NJ Lighthouses this one is still may favorite simply because of its location and the view when you get to the top along with the beach plus the bird observation deck.
199 steps + 157 feet + 1 heart attack = 1 awe-​inspiring view which is why we keep coming back year after year.
($ 7 per adult and $ 3 per child age 3 – 12)
Place rating: 4
East Brunswick, NJ
All these years I’ve been going down to Cape May and I’ve never gone inside the Lighthouse. Until now. Finally took the kids to the top of the Lighthouse and I must say the views alone make it well worth the time and money.
We went early and there weren’t many people there, which was good because we walked right up to the top in just a few short minutes, even with little ones in tow. On the way down it had gotten a little busier, creating a few people jams going up and down the narrow spiral staircase. Luckily, there are a few landings along the way where slower or larger folks can step off and let others pass to keep traffic moving.
The climb is easy, and it’s not nearly as claustrophobic as you might think. A million times more enjoyable than climbing to the top of the State of Liberty.
I definitely recommend it.
Place rating: 3
San Diego, CA
No visit, especially a first visit, to Cape May is complete without visiting the lighthouse. We didn’t even know Cape May had one, but when we got there, our first objective was to go on a jog from our beach house over to the lighthouse to check it out.
The views of this lighthouse are better than the views from the lighthouse. Clear photos are tough, and there honestly just isn’t much to photograph around Cape May from the lighthouse. Still, the attraction is well maintained and you can easily spend a morning between the lighthouse and the bird sanctuary.
I posted a pic I took from Cape May Fire Control Tower No. 23:
This second pic is a «desktop wallpaper» version photographed from the beach:
Overall, the lighthouse is a solid attraction. You’re not going to drive to Cape May specifically to see it, but it’s definitely a nice accent for any visit. I personally thought the visit to Fire Control Tower No. 23 was more intriguing, but the lighthouse is definitely A-​OK!