The lighthouses along North Carolina’s Outer Banks aren’t the only ones in the Tarheel State. The lower coastline of the state has its fair share of lighthouses as well. Tourists will enjoy visiting the Cape Lookout, Bald Head Island and Oak Island lighthouses year-round. Read on to learn about the lighthouses along North Carolina’s southern coast.
Cape Lookout Lighthouse
Completed in 1859, the lighthouse, located on an uninhabited island, can only be reached via toll ferry from Harker’s Island mid-March through early November. The tower is painted in a black-and-white diamond pattern, and there is a two-story brick assistant keeper’s house nearby. In 2006 the lower story was turned into a museum.
While Cape Lookout Lighthouse is maintained by the National Park Service, volunteers from the Friends of Cape Lookout chipped in to help paint the lighthouse in 2004. The site and visitor center are open daily April through October. Visitors can tour and explore Cape Lookout Lighthouse for free. The tower is closed for renovations, but should reopen summer 2010.
Cape Lookout is located in Carteret County on the southern edge of the Outer Banks. The Carteret County area includes the popular vacation destinations of Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle and Morehead City. One of three North Carolina aquariums is located in the Carteret County town of Pine Knoll Shores.
Bald Head Island Lighthouse
The octagonal round brick tower of Bald Head Island’s lighthouse is identifiable by its mottled appearance. The lighthouse was built in 1818 and at the time the site included a principal keeper’s house as well. After the original keeper’s house was destroyed, a replica was built in 2000. It serves as the island’s historical museum.
Bald Head Island lighthouse is the nation’s oldest brick lighthouse. A local foundation, Old Baldy Foundation, restored the lighthouse in the 1980s. Visitors can reach the lighthouse by a passenger ferry from Southport. The site is open and available for exploring for free, while there is a fee to climb the tower. The museum and tower is open daily except for Mondays.
Also located in the area are the coastal vacation communities of Southport, Caswell Beach and Holden Beach. Just north of Southport and Bald Head Island is the city of Wilmington. Wilmington’s greater metropolitan area includes the three beaches of Wrightsville Beach, Kure Beach and Carolina Beach.
Oak Island Lighthouse
The lighthouse on Oak Island’s eastern shore is comprised of three bands of colored concrete (from the top) – black, white and gray. Completed in 1958, Oak Island Lighthouse is the next-to-last lighthouse built by the Coast Guard and the second tallest concrete light tower in the United States. Ownership of the lighthouse was transferred from the Coast Guard to the town of Caswell Beach in a ceremony in 2004. The Friends of Oak Island Lighthouse manage the lighthouse.
Oak Island Lighthouse’s location on Caswell Beach Road marks the west side of the entrance to the Cape Fear River. The tower, up to the second level, is open during certain hours of the day in the summer. To climb to the top of the tower, advance reservation is required. As there are ladders, not stairs, it is a challenging climb.
In addition to the Oak Island Lighthouse, visitors will enjoy exploring the Cape Fear River and Caswell Beach. Nearby Calabash is known for its fried seafood. Also, the South Carolina state line is just a few miles from the lighthouse.
While touring the lighthouses of North Carolina’s southern coast, visitors can schedule day trips to Wilmington, its beaches and Topsail Beach. Or, travel north to the lighthouses of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
