Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse

In addition to the beautiful beach, Ponce Inlet also offers a great opportunity to experience  the rich maritime history behind the Daytona Beach area. The Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station, located just off the shoreline of Ponce Inlet, provides visitors and locals alike with a chance to visit a Florida landmark.

As I drove up to the light station, I was very impressed by the large amount of land surrounding the tower. The property not only houses the light station, but also three of the original lighthouse keepers’ houses as well as educational buildings. The light station tour is self-guided and includes access into the keepers’ houses as well as the stairway to the top of the tower.

I was very excited to see the view from the top of the tower and decided to make the climb the first part of my tour. The tower stands at 175 feet making it the tallest lighthouse in Florida. After climbing the 203 steps to the top, the view of the beaches and surrounding areas was breathtaking despite the slightly cloudy weather. The top of the tower is completely “fenced in” with wiring for safety reasons and also has handrails to make walking the perimeter of the observation deck more accessible. As I made my way around the deck, I felt like I could see for miles. The view of the ocean was unlike anything that could be seen from the ground.

Once I returned to ground level, I made my way through the keepers’ houses. The houses are set up in a historically accurate fashion, providing a great way to understand how the keepers and their families lived many years ago. Although the houses are set up in this way, they are equipped with interactive computer stations that provide more information on the light station and other stations across the country. As I walked through the houses, the informative signs lining the walls made the self-guided nature of the tour even more interesting.

The Lens Exhibit Building also offers history on the lights that shine from the top of the lighthouse. The building serves as a museum that houses various lenses that were used in the station over the years. In addition to this, the building also features a balcony that illustrates the view from the top of the lighthouse. If visitors are unable to make the climb to the top of the light station, they can stand in front of the balcony and experience what the view from the top would feel like.

The combination of the keepers’ houses, The Lens Exhibit Building, and the climb to the top of the tower make for an entertaining and informative experience. I only spent about an hour at the site, but one could easily spend all afternoon enjoying the rich history behind this Ponce Inlet landmark. The Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station is a definite must see for those in the Daytona Beach area.

~Amanda Michael

Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station

4931 South Peninsula Drive

Ponce Inlet, Florida 32127

Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Admission: $6.95 Adults, $1.95 Children (ages 2-11)

386-761-1821