Learn the challenges of restoring an old lighthouse and a new appreciation develops for individuals transforming these historical structures into overnight inns and hotels. Heavy winds, erosion and crashing waves take a toll on the sturdiest of towers, especially over a period of 100 years. Drawing on the popular appeal of lighthouses, some government agencies (like the U.S. Forest Service), restoration organizations (like the United States Lighthouse Society) and private owners have transformed these structures into hotels and inns. Lodging fees support further restoration and maintenance.
Visit the top of the Big Bay Point Lighthouse in Michigan and enjoy views of Lake Superior, spa services and 47 acres of shoreline and inland trails. Guests may climb the lighthouse's lantern, which sits 120 feet above the lake's surface. The 14-room building and attached lighthouse was converted to an inn in 1986. Each of the seven guest rooms has a private bath with access to a library, sauna and common living room. The property has wooded trails, area wildlife to observe and views of the Aurora Borealis at night and of the Huron Mountains in the distance. Pets, smoking and children under 16 are not allowed.
Big Bay Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast
3 Lighthouse RoadBig Bay, Michigan 49808
906-345-9957
bigbaylighthouse.com
Make a visit to Lake Ontario's Braddock Point Bed and Breakfast Lighthouse, near Rochester, New York, if you're looking for an experience rich in history. This working lighthouse, built in 1896, enjoyed a careful restoration by private owners Nandy and Don Town in the last two decades. At one point, Braddock Point had the brightest light on Lake Ontario, reaching 14 miles. The Victorian keeper's house, attached to the lighthouse, offers three suites for guests. Each suite has period antiques, a private bathroom, cable TV and Wi-Fi. The inn is open on a limited basis throughout the year. Rates include breakfast and a guided tour of the lighthouse. Children over the age of 12 years are allowed.
Braddock Point Lighthouse
18 Clearview Avenue
Hilton NY 14468
863-984-4008
braddockpointlighthouse.com
Eat a seven-course breakfast and read the newspaper as you enjoy a view of the Pacific Ocean from atop a cliff 205 feet above the ocean. Owned by the U.S. Forest Service, the Heceta (pronounced Ha-SEE-Ta) Head Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast includes a restored working lighthouse and Queen Anne-style keeper's house dating from 1894. The lighthouse remains one of the most photographed locations in the United States. Both buildings are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The keeper's house, with 11 guest rooms, is maintained by current caretakers and inn managers Mike and Carol Korgan. The Korgans were volunteers instrumental in restoration efforts before the inn was open for business. Profits from the bed and breakfast maintain the lighthouse and keeper's house in addition to allowing further restoration on the property. Reservations are accepted all year.
Heceta Head Lighthouse
92072 Highway 101 South
Yachats, OR 97498 USA
866-547-3696
hecetalighthouse.com
