QUICK VIEW:
The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse is the tallest in all of Florida. This National Historic Landmark has an idyllic setting close to the Halifax River and the beaches of Daytona. Although built in 1887, the Ponce de Leon Lighthouse is perfectly restored and maintained. Both the Lighthouse and Museum are open for tours.
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We are Rainman and Tricia ... and we are the Road Hackers!
As Road Hackers, we specialize in building itineraries that allow us to discover diamonds in the rough all over the world.
These amazing places are usually well known to local communities, but tend not to make most tourist itineraries.
The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum is one of these overlooked diamonds in the rough!
The Ponce de Leon Lighthouse & Museum are located in the quaint town of Ponce Inlet
Our visit to the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum was one of the highlights of a 3-month stay in Ormond Beach, Florida.
We have a particular interest in lighthouses and make it a point to visit them whenever we're in range, especially in areas we haven't visited before. Ponce Inlet Lighthouse came highly recommended!
If you are interested in American maritime history, local culture, and natural beauty, then the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse should be on your itinerary.
Join us as we share our experience exploring this National Historic Landmark.
Reading the history of this special place had us hooked from the beginning:
Tallest lighthouse in Florida ... Ayres Davies Lens Exhibit ... Woodshed Theater ... Climb to the Moon & Climb with the Keeper experiences ... beautiful setting on the Halifax River and Daytona Beaches ...
With highlights like that, who wouldn't want to visit?
Getting to Ponce Inlet
The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum is a must-see on any trip to the Daytona Beach area.
This great attraction is located only 12 miles/20 km south of Daytona Beach.
From Daytona Beach, take South Atlantic Avenue all the way down to Ponce Inlet. This scenic route offers views of the Atlantic to the east and Halifax River to the west. It's a slow drive, but worth the extra time.
Both Daytona Beach and Ponce Inlet actually sit on an extended barrier island separated from the mainland by the Halifax River.
The drive to get to Ponce Inlet is scenic, and worth the trip for a visit to the Ponce de Leon Lighthouse
The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse was built at the southern tip of the barrier island--and was intended to be the main lighthouse between St. Augustine to the north and Cape Canaveral (to the south.
Once in Ponce Inlet, there's plenty of free parking most of the day.
The Lighthouse & Museum attracts bigger crowds close to lunchtime and in the early afternoon. Morning visits tend to be less busy--and cooler.
Get ready for a fun experience!
The Ponce de Leon Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in the state of Florida
Historical Background
The namesake of the Lighthouse & Museum is the famous Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce de Leon. He is credited with leading the first European exploration of the coast of Florida. De Leon's 1513 landing took place somewhere between St. Augustine and Melbourne--on the Florida east coast.
Ponce de Leon likely did not land in the area of the Ponce de Leon Inlet.
The Lighthouse was completed in 1887 in an attempt to mark the location of the only major inlet in central Florida. The current structure replaced a previous lighthouse built in 1835.
The lighthouse was completed in 1887, marking the location of the only major inlet in central Florida
The newer version of the Lighthouse required three keepers. In those early days, the lens had to be illuminated by a kerosene lamp at all hours of the day and night. The workload was tremendous!
Keepers would regularly have to haul heavy loads of kerosene all the way to the top of the lighthouse. Once at the top, the keeper had to perform the dangerous maneuver of hoisting himself onto the platform that held the lantern. The job was both physical and dangerous!
The long hours and stresses of the job meant that keepers seldom left the facility. Keepers were given homes and encouraged to bring their families to stay with them.
The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association painstakingly restored all the original buildings, including the Lighthouse and the support buildings. As a result of their dedication, the Lighthouse was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1998.
The grounds are beautifully landscaped and well maintained. It's no wonder the museum allows small intimate weddings on the premises.
The lighthouse grounds are well manicured and provide a beautiful setting
One of the buildings, called The Woodshed Theater, was originally used as an outbuilding for the keepers and their families. Today The Woodshed Theater is used as a cool respite for viewing a 20-minute film about the Lighthouse history.
The Gladys Meyer Davis Home has also been restored to its former glory. This dwelling was originally home to the last Principal Keeper. A tour here provides a glimpse into 1890s living.
Rooms in some of the lighthouse keeper's homes can be viewed through the windows
Things to Know
Visitors are welcome to take see-guided tours of the grounds and facilities at any time during business hours. Bigger groups can call ahead to organize formal narrated guided tours.
Regular Summer Hours (June - August): 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
Regular Non-Summer Hours (September - April): 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Entrance prices are very reasonable:
General Access Tickets allow visitors access to all the major facilities. Here are a few of the main visitor attractions with access:
Plan to spend about 2 - 4 hours touring all the facilities and grounds. Take your time and enjoy this beautiful piece of American history!
Climbing the Lighthouse Tower!
Yes, you can climb to the top of the lighthouse tower!
Keep in mind, this is Florida's tallest lighthouse (175 feet/53.34 m)--and the 2nd tallest lighthouse in the United States.
Most people successfully climb to the top. The views of the Halifax River and Atlantic coast are said to be wonderful.
We attempted the climb, but Rainman's fear of heights got the best of him! What a disappointment!
Amazing views are the reward if you make the steep climb to the viewing platform at the top
The museum also offers special RSVP Events that grant access to the premises outside of regular hours.
One of the most popular events is the monthly Climb to the Moon ($35). This climb is held on the eve of each full moon and is limited to 15 participants.
Climb to the Moon guests are treated to a tour of the Lighthouse and the Lantern Room. The tour continues to the outer Viewing Deck, where everyone is treated to drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Guests settle in for a magical experience as the sun sets and the moon rises in the distance.
The Climb with the Keeper after hours event is also very popular--and sells out quickly.
These themed events made us wish we could make it to the top!
Ayres Davies Lens Exhibit
After touring the Lighthouse and Keeper Dwellings, we headed over to the Ayres Davies Lens Exhibit Building.
What an impressive showcase of American maritime history!
The building was built in 1994-95 for the unique purpose of housing lighthouse lenses. The Ponce Inlet Preservation Association had acquired an outstanding reputation for restoring older lighthouse lenses. The Association's expertise caught the attention of the Coast Guard.
When the Coast Guard was looking to restore the Cape Canaveral First Order Fresnel Rotating Lens, the Ponce Inlet Preservation folks got the call! The Canaveral Light lens had been damaged by the frequent rocket launches in the vicinity.
This Cape Canaveral First Order Fresnel Rotating Lens was removed from Cape Canaveral for restoration and display here
Today, the Canaveral Light Lens is proudly displayed on the first floor, near the facility entrance. The scale of the lens is enormous and immediately commands your attention. There was no doubt we were in for a special experience.
The Ayres Davies experts have also restored the original 1887 Ponce Inlet Lighthouse First Order Fixed Fresnel Lens. There's an interesting story here.
The 1887 lens was retired in 1933 when lighthouse operations first became electrified. The lens was carefully packed and sent off to Staten Island for warehousing. Over the years, the system lost track of the whereabouts of the lens. The Preservation Association finally tracked the lens to Mystic, Connecticut.
The 1933 Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Third Order Rotating Lens has also been restored and is now displayed at Ayres Davies.
Lenses in the Ayres Davies Lens Exhibit are impressive in scale and level of preservation
Our tour of the multi-level complex continued to impress as we enjoyed the various lighthouse artifacts on display. Their collections of lenses, lanterns, and photos were world class!
The chronological History of Lighthouse Illumination was particularly interesting. One can easily spend a between 1 - 2 hours in this facility.
Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Recommendation
Finishing with the rest of the historical buildings and the gift shop, we were able to come away with a much better understanding of the lighthouse experience in the United States.
The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum experience was one of the most informative lighthouse tours we've ever seen. We vowed to return!
Huge thumbs up from us! Visit! Visit! Visit!
