What a gem! You'd think you're in New England near Cape Cod. Charming, great for photo ops, fun for all ages. Kids love lighthouses!

Stumbled upon Sandy Hook lighthouse while in NJ. Rich history and a full of beautiful beaches. Parking at the beaches is $20 but if you walk around and explore the fort it is completely free! Great place to visit if you have time. read more

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The Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest operating Lighthouse still in use in the US. The New York Light, as it was known when it was built, has guided ships in New York Harbor since it was lit in 1764. Sandy Hook houses a Third Order Fresnel lens, the light from which is visible for 19 miles. The Lighthouse is owned and maintained by the NPS and the lens and lighting system is owned and operated by the Coast Guard. An interesting bit of trivia about Sandy Hook is that during the Revolutionary War, the New York Congress tried to have the Lighthouse rendered useless by having the lens removed and all oil pumped out but within three months the British had repaired all the damage they controlled the Lighthouse for the majority of the war. If you go a few things to note: Compared with some other lighthouses in general, especially in NJ, this one is not that tall. You're talking 103 feet and 104 steps. Normally tours are offered every afternoon from 1-4:30 and are free. This location also participates in the NJ Lighthouse Challenge and gets very busy as both a starting/ending point. If you are claustrophobic or in a hurry this is not the lighthouse for you seeing as they cap the number of climbers at around eight that can go in at one time and until those eight all come out, no else is allowed in. This is because the NPS does not allow people on the stairs going in both directions at the same time and at the top it's very close quarters with eight people. But it's worth the wait as the views of both the harbor and the surrounding grounds are amazing. read more

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The oldest of the old Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse still standing in the United States. It was built way back in 1764 and finally restored in the spring of 2000. The money to build the light was collected by selling tickets to a lottery. The light is 85 feet tall and has a 3rd order Fresnel lens. It's appearance is certainly not as aesthetically impressive as many other later lights, but considering it's age still pretty neat. During the warm weather tours into both the light tower and keepers house are available. The real impressive part about the light is the location. So many lighthouses are in danger of falling into the sea but just the opposite is happening here. It was originally less than 500 feet from the water but now because of currents depositing sand on the beach it is now almost a mile and a half away. The light stands in the Gate National Recreation Area which includes over 7 miles of beautiful beaches and Fort Hancock with old gun batteries. This is one of the most lovely spots in all of New Jersey and distant views of Manhattan can be seen from the northern tip. A great place to see not only a great old lighthouse but beautiful beaches and nature. The only negative is that it gets extremely crowded during nice weather and may be impossible to find parking. read more

Sandy Hook Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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I visited the lighthouse on a quick stop after the Christmas holiday in order to check off another New Jersey National Park site. The beach is nice and, I would assume, a pleasant visit during warmer months. The National Parks Ranger and volunteer on site were extremely friendly and very knowledgeable. The tour of the lighthouse was great, with the volunteer giving us information outside the building, then describing its interior architecture once we were inside, before tracing its history from before the American Revolution up through the Cold War. He also pointed out sites along the way, drew comparisons to other lighthouses in the area, and described the unique tidal features that enlarged the Sandy Hook beach so that the lighthouse is currently farther from the ocean than when it was built. Well-worth a day trip! read more

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Loved every single thing about my visit to Sandy Hook. My boyfriend and I took the ferry from East 35th Street. What a beautiful day it was to be out on the water. Once we arrived at Sandy Hook for one reason or another we ended up renting bikes to get us around. This was a great choice. A bit pricey (regular bikes $30 and tricycles $45 for the entire day) but well worth it. We biked to the lighthouse to get our passport stamped and made our way to beach E. The beaches are pretty clean and not too crowded, keeping in mind that we were there on a Friday. On our way back, and before returning our bikes we decided to check out the north beach. Beautiful open space with miles of flat sandy beach in both directions. We will definitely be returning sometime in the near future. read more

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Free tours every half an hour from 1-4:30pm The tour guide was very knowledgeable about the city and the lighthouse. What a fun place to visit. I can't wait to go back. The city is a bit of a bummer on a cloudy day, but you can definitely see the whole island. read more

Sandy Hook Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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Never knew this area existed. It's pretty cool to walk around and learn about the history of US. It was annoying not seeing any trash cans but I suspect there was a reason for it. Hmph. read more

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This entire area is unbelievable for the size of the peninsula, the scale of the amount of ocean you have access to, and the fantastic job by local park authorities to keep the entire thing pristine and enjoyable. The lighthouse is a really good idea for a day trip from Manhattan, as you can take the ferry down from Pier 11. Also there is a nude beach nearby, just saying. read more

Visit the oldest operating lighthouse in the U.S.A., Sandy Hook Lighthouse. That is my recommendation, and it accompanies the 5-star rating. The Park Rangers are friendly and eager to give informative tours. I am keeping my review short-and-sweet. Feel free to read the other reviews for additional background information. read more

The lighthouse is beautiful and historic! You can get great photographs of the view from the top as well as of the lighthouse itself! Also, there is a really neat museum you can visit right beside the lighthouse. Its free, is air conditioned and has very clean bathrooms (a nice alternative to the horrible beach ones and god awful port-o-potty's) Important Info. You can tour the lighthouse with a ranger but be sure you are slathered in mosquito repellent before going in! We went during the month of June last year, and there were tons of these evil bastards all over the inside of the lighthouse, attacking us as we climbed! Also- if you are claustrophobic, this is NOT the place for you! When they shut the lighthouse door behind me, I felt like I was in a tight concrete tomb being feasted on by mosquitos with cobbwebs grazing my head. My fiance found it to be hilarious, however I felt like I was in total hell! Be careful walking around Sandy Hook bc there is poison ivy everywhere, outside the lighthouse included! read more

My kids love climbing to the top of the lighthouse so they can look down on the view. It's a little tight climbing up, and you have to watch your head, but definitely worth it once you're at the top. There are BBQ grills right next to the lighthouse, but I've never seen anyone use them. read more

Oldest lighthouse in the country, in the middle of beautiful Fort Hancock. What's not to like? It's a short lighthouse so almost anyone can climb to the top. Don't forget to do the NJ Lighthouse Challenge in October and see all the lighthouses the state has to offer! read more

This lighthouse is at the very end of Sandy Hook and located within Fort Hancock. There are plenty of parking spots and the area never usually gets too crowded. I don't know what it is but for some reason, I really enjoy climbing lighthouses. I always like the view you get from the top and you're always up so much higher than you think you'd be. This one was pretty cool. First, it's free which is nice. However, you have to go inside to the building next to the lighthouse to sign up for a tour. The tours are offered daily every 1/2 hour from 1pm - 4:30pm. I believe they limit the tours to about 10 people or so. Inside that same building where you sign up, there's a bunch of stuff you can look at and read about the history of the lighthouse. Also, they have some pretty clean bathrooms inside the building. After that, you pretty much have to wait in front of the lighthouse for your tour guide. Our tour guide came out and gathered our group. You go inside the lighthouse which is unusually cool and he gives you some brief history. Then, you start the climb. This one is a pretty easy climb. It's only about 95 steps with about a 6 rung ladder to climb at the end to get to the very top. When you are finally there, you're officially 7 stories off the ground. The view's pretty good. You have a great view of Sandy Hook and the Manhattan skyline. On a clear day, the sights are awesome. The only knock I have is that the tour guide couldn't really seem to answer any of the questions that were asked. I found it pretty funny. You spend the majority of the tour on top of the lighthouse so be prepared for that. It's definitely a really cool, old place that has a ton of history behind it. read more

Great bike paths, the old sandy hook houses and lighthouses are really cool to look at. There's great views of the beach. Lots of history here and it's a lot of fun to come here. read more

Gorgeous. It's a pleasant drive and a beautiful view. Highly recommended to visit in NJ.

Nice local tourist attraction, great views! Peaceful area, with nice trails to walk nearby.

While you have to wait to climb because they restrict the number of people inside at a time, it's worth the wait. Free to climb, free parking Labor Day to Memorial Day. Bring bikes and make a day of it! read more

This lighthouse and view are spectacular! The guy who led the tour was interesting, friendly and really gave a complete background of the lighthouse, Sandy Hook and Fort Hancock (I can't remember his name). The only downside, and it's a big one, is the lighthouse and park can get packed during warm months, so try to go spring or fall. Also, the lighthouse tours have limited hours, so it's not always easy to get in. But to me my family, it was all worth it. The stairs are a little steep, especially the final ten, but the tour guide took several breaks and all in all it wasn't too bad a climb. read more

wow such an amazing place! i shot photos of the lighthouse and of the scenery. i loved everything about it. looks like some stuff is still damaged from sandy. lots of history to enjoy here. read more

Wonderful place to visit! Very interesting, great view and free! Take some time to visit and learn the history. Walk the grounds a bit and be amazed. Don't forget your camera!! read more