Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum
Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum
Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
About
Walk inside the white picket fence and step back in time. Maintained and operated by the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association, this beautiful facility represents one of the best preserved and most authentic historic light stations in the nation today. Visitors will agree that the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum offers a treasure-trove of sights, sounds, and experiences for young and old alike.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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- James cOklahoma City, Oklahoma412 contributionsRedTook a day trip from daytona beach to visit this red lighthouse. This is the tallest in Florida and 2nd in the U.S. the red just stands out over every historical fact about the museum and grounds. The climb is ok going up but beware coming down from the top is kind of steep. I say this considering I've climbed many lighthouses, this is the steepest coming down although the views are nice from the top, just be careful. The museum of the many fresnel lights is really cool, dont miss this and I also liked the exhibit giving the history of pre daytona speedway was interesting as well. All together this is one of the nicest lighthouses I've seen in my travels.Visited October 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 31 October 2023
- MattThomaston, Connecticut166 contributionsGreat afternoon activityStopped in on a whim on an overcast day. Ticket prices make this attraction a complete no brained. Tours are self guided with a map from the gift shop. There’s a lot to see, take it as much or as little as you like. Several historical buildings on the property have artifacts and displays. There is a larger building with generations of lenses and lights from different parts of the world. The highlight is of course the lighthouse, which is still working. The climb is very manageable despite the number of steps. Regular landings allow you to take things at your own pace. The view at the top is stunning, even on cloudy days. The gift shop has a broad range of items and a little something for everyone at very reasonable prices.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 14 November 2023
- Lee P478 contributionsGreat View!Yep, I climbed 203 steps to the top of the lighthouse. WHEW! A great view of the inlet and surrounding area for miles. The museum layout is excellent. Numerous buildings describing the life of the keeper, his family and job. Carrying a 40lb container of fuel for the beacon was no easy task. Located not far from the Marine Science Center a good trip to do both!Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 10 February 2024
- Theresa V10 contributionsHappy we found this!Found this just from driving around. 200+ stairs to the top and well worth it. Amazing views! The history was interesting as well. It’s a must visit if you enjoy lighthouses. It’s the tallest in FL, 2nd tallest in the country.Visited February 2024Travelled with familyWritten 24 February 2024
- LBReed68La Grange, Kentucky32 contributionsWorth the Long DriveWe decided to squeeze this in on our last day. We should have appropriated more time for the visit. We barely had time to climb to the top of the lighthouse. Everything was well maintained and well marked. They have a large collection of fresnel lenses from lighthouses around the world on display. The largest of which was the Cape Canaveral lighthouse first order lens.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 27 February 2024
- Kerrie O12 contributionsA Beautiful ViewThe lighthouse museum and grounds were laid out very well and following the map they gave you when you paid your admission was valuable. Each building was well described, but than other informative information was found in each building. There were the lenses, the radio room, what life was like as the lighthouse keeper and family, etc. You can climb the lighthouse and there are landings every 22 steps or so if you need to stop as there are 203 steps. The climb for the views is so worth it! There were quite a few children there the day they went and they were enjoying the museum and grounds as well. There is a park next to the museum grounds where you can picnic with a playground and a seafood restaurant across the street.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 7 March 2024
- Irvin AFort Wayne, Indiana111 contributionsA great experience for kids and grand kids.My 5-year-old granddaughter wanted to climb the 203 steps if grandpa (77) would go. We both made it up and down. Great view from the top. The historic buildings and contents will keep you interested for hours. Many, many picture opportunities. We will be back next year.Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 31 March 2024
- ShannaCranmerSpencerport, New York137 contributionsClimb to the top!Lighthouse and grounds are beautiful and kept up very well. The entrance fee is minimal so this is very budget friendly. You can climb the 203 steps to the top of the lighthouse and take in the beautiful view. A nice staff person offered to take our picture in front of the lighthouse. Nice gift shop. Offers discount admission for veterans which is great.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 12 April 2024
- Lori D2 contributionsAmazing family adventure for all agesI took my 70 year old mother, my 16 year old son and my 12 year old daughter. We all enjoyed it so much! There is so much more to see and learn before you even get to the lighthouse. You first get to see a video that tells about the area during the war and how the lighthouse came to be. You get to experience walking through their life back then as well as several different lens that have been utilized through the years. Then if you can make it up the spiral staircase of the 203 stairs to the top the view is simply amazing! My mother couldn't make it up, there are landings but not really an area for people to pass on the steps at all and the steps do get more narrow as you go up. Once at the top it was really windy but walking around the fenced in top you can see the entire area and the inlet. Breathtaking views!Visited May 2024Travelled with familyWritten 22 May 2024
- lindsaystongelmhcAltamonte Springs, Florida619 contributionsA must at least onceA must do once. You go in through the gift shop which is free to look around. Lots of cute stuff to purchase. If you want to see the Lighthouse closeup, climb the stairs to the top and see the museum you must pay for a wristband. The prices were reasonable and child’s prices include 11 and under. A few of us chose not to climb the stairs, but the others said it was an amazing view up top unless you are afraid of heights then coming down is tricky. The museum is broken up into different houses which has lots of interesting history. Our favorite was the one with the lights. Amazing to see up close! No food or drinks permitted but there are water fountains.Visited June 2024Travelled with familyWritten 11 June 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
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orcasgal
Orcas Island, WA492 contributions
Dec 2019
How many people would climb a lighthouse and not take photos? In this age of everyone taking photos of anything and everything, when the safety of preservation of art is not at issue, no one should be denied entry because of they want to photograph the view. I had traveled all the way here for pictures from the top and was denied entry because I had a bag of camera equipment. Photographs are the way humans remember and revisit memories of places visited. Being more than casual a selfie photographer, I have different lenses - an investment of thousands of dollars. I could not just leave stuff lying around and take only one camera.Very disappointing!
Written 8 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Orcasgal,
We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during your visit to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse. We do allow professional photography at the lighthouse and museum with advanced notification and have coordinated with many photographers and film crews to visit our facility outside our normal hours of operation to provide them the opportunity to photograph the site before our regular visitors arrive. Information regarding professional photography and filming including contact information, rules, regulations, and other pertinent information can be found under "Commonly Asked Questions" within the Visit section of our website at www.ponceinlet.org and under the "About Us" section.
We do not generally allow professional photography during our normal hours of operation due to its impact on the overall experience of the general public. This is especially so inside the tower where tripods and large camera bags can create a safety issue for others both on the lighthouse's spiral staircase and on the narrow gallery deck the encircles the top of the lighthouse.
I once again apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and encourage you to contact the museum's curatorial department to schedule a date and time to perform professional photography at the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse.
Written 9 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gobears1964
Lee's Summit, MO245 contributions
Nov 2019
We unfortunately made it here after the last tour started so we just walked around in the shop. A little disappointed you can't get next to if not on the tour. I would think you could still get up close just not go up but entrance is only through the gift shop and if you haven't paid for a tour no such luck. I'm sure there is a reason. Oh well, next time!!
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for posting a review and we are sorry you were unable to tour the grounds. We are open 7-days a week with Winter hours from 10 am - 6 pm. The summer hours start Memorial Day and those hours are 10 am - 9 pm. The last tickets for the self guided tour is always an hour before closing. We hope you will come back and see us again soon.
Written 2 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Chris W
Mason, OH166 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
The tour of the lighthouse and keepers house harkens one back to an earlier time in our nation’s history. Restoration has been done on the light and one can climb the 203 step spiral staircase to the top, where there is an observation area. There are many landing areas where on can rest while climbing the stairs. Third order Fresnel lens is still operative. Keepers house gives one a feel for daily life of a lighthouse keeper and family.
Written 17 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your review with us and the community, This review made our day!
Written 18 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TheCovertCritic
Apex, North Carolina414 contributions
Nov 2020
This climb can be scary or it can be fun and maybe even both depending upon your relationship with heights. There are a lot of open steps and of course looking down through the spiral staircase can be unnerving as this lighthouse is a tall one. I tried to climb and found myself frightened enough to come back down after a few spirals, but after regrouping by looking at a few of the exhibits got my nerve back and trekked about 200 steps to the top. It was a very windy day. When I reached the top another climber warned me that he had walked around the top, but had been holding on tightly for dear life fearing he would lose his footing. I was happy to have been able to make it up to the top and took some photos to prove it, but did not continue around the circle. After reaching terra ferma again I walked to the museum which displayed full size "lights." A video explained various methods of creating the flame used to illuminate the lights. There were some exhibits showing how the lighthouse keepers lived, some personal stories, and a short hiking path . For $7.00 admission price it was a bargain. There was plenty of parking.
Written 15 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Louis F
Altus, OK1,200 contributions
Feb 2021 • Solo
In addition to the really cool lighthouse, they also have many historical buildings on the grounds that the lighthouse keeper used to live in and use. They offer a lot of cool information.
The lighthouse is snug going up but they put in a plastic partition on each landing so when people pass each other, they have something in between each other.
The lighthouse is snug going up but they put in a plastic partition on each landing so when people pass each other, they have something in between each other.
Written 27 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laurieuhoo
Washington, IL237 contributions
Oct 2020
Hubby & I enjoyed exploring all of the different smallish buildings that make up this museum. It took us about 2 hours to review everything, and not all of the buildings were open at the time we visited. You can walk all the way up to the top of the lighthouse, if you wish...there are many steps. There is a nice gift shop to explore, too.
Written 23 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
august01
London, UK642 contributions
Mar 2022
Came here to visit the lighthouse ($6.95 per person) and it was a lovely experience run by volunteers. Lots of history and things to see, including climbing to the top of the lighthouse for a lovely view, a display of the different lights, and a moving exhibition showing the homemade rafts that people are attempting to travel to the U.S. in to escape from their own countries. Really enjoyed a lovely morning at this unexpected delight.
Written 29 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the wonderful review, and delightful comments.
Written 23 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Carly M
Tampa, FL102 contributions
May 2021
We climbed the Lighthouse and made it to the top!!! All 203 steps and got a certificate to prove our climb!!! ;o) This lighthouse was the tallest in Florida and the docents were very knowledgeable and told of the history. A lot to read in the museum. The gift shop was very nice and we bought a book about the lighthouse and a figurine for my Lighthouse collection. The grounds were clean.
Written 24 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
treeface
Ambler, PA394 contributions
Jan 2020
The lighthouse is 175 feet tall and has been in service since 1887. You can climb the 203 steps to the top and be rewarded with nice views of the Atlantic Ocean. It is Florida's tallest lighthouse and is designated a National Historic Landmark. It's one of the few light stations that still possesses all of its keepers' dwellings and outbuildings. The Fresnel lens museum there is definitely worth a visit where you can see two terrific first order Fesnel lenses.
Written 28 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the great review and commenting on our historical grounds, we are so glad you enjoyed your visit.
Written 29 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jennifer J
Hyde Park, NY161 contributions
Jan 2020
This is a fully functioning lighthouse that you can climb all the way to the top. The other buildings are nice to tour as well. The hidden gem at this site is a side building that houses lens from various lighthouses. They are beautiful prisms up close and unbelievably big! The view from the top is amazing, well worth all the 250+ steps you have to climb to get there.
Written 27 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is this climb do-able for a slightly chubby 6 year old child?
Written 22 November 2020
I cannot say for sure if a 6 year old could climb, but any person would have to be in excellent shape to do it. My husband and I are in our 60's and we did not dare to try climbing. I would say that it would be rough on this child.
Written 23 November 2020
Are there places to sit while you wait in someone climbing the steps?
Written 28 February 2020
PonceLighthouse
Ponce Inlet, Florida
Yes, there are benches, plus we have 8 museum buildings to visit.
Written 4 March 2020
Has anyone visited the St Augustine Lighthouse and Ponce de Leon Lighthouse?
If you have any you only have time to do one- which would you recommend? Why?
Thank you in advance
Written 28 February 2020
sorry, i haven't visited the st. augustine lighthouse. lots of accompanying history there, however. ponce inlet is a joy unto itself!
Written 4 March 2020
Benal58,
No there is not although we do have an wheel chair lift in our lens exhibit building that will take you up to the second floor observation platform where a mural of the south facing view from the top of the lighthouse is located to provide those with disabilities the opportunity to see what the view is like from the top of the tower. The only lighthouse in the country with an elevator is the Sullivan's Island Lighthouse which is located on the north side of entrance to Charleston Harbor, SC. Unlike the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse which was first activated on November 1, 1887, the Sullivan Island Lighthouse was completed in the 1962, making it one of the nation's most modern lighthouses. Although it has an elevator, Sullivan's Island Lighthouse is not open to the public.
Written 26 March 2018
PonceLighthouse
Ponce Inlet, Florida
Yes, no extra charges either. Upper and lower lots with room for every type of vehicle from motorcycles to buses.
Written 28 February 2017
galgamacsa
Jacksonville, Florida
Are kids allowed to go up the tower? Is there a height restriction? My kids are 3 and 8. Thank you!
Written 22 July 2016
What is the price per person to go to park?
Is it dog friendly?
Written 3 June 2016
It's 5 or 6 dollars to get to see the lighthouse and I actually think they are pet friendly and there is a dog beach at the inlet for pets also...
Written 5 June 2016
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