Oak Island North Carolina Lighthouse Tour

I relocated to southeastern North Carolina a couple of years ago. One of the things I like most about my new home is seeing the lights of the Oak Island Lighthouse from my deck. It is fun to count as the lights slice into the night sky. One, two, three, four flashes of light followed by a brief break then the beams of light appear again. When I learned I could take a free tour of North Carolina’s youngest lighthouse, I made a reservation.

I arrived at the lighthouse on Caswell Beach and joined the others who were waiting for the tour to begin. We entered the lighthouse where volunteers shared a brief history of the Oak Island Lighthouse, trivia, and safety instructions.

Oak Island North Carolina Lighthouse Interior View Looking Up

This lighthouse does not have spiral stairs commonly found in older lighthouses. There are flights of ship’s ladders instead. One hundred thirty one steps later we reached the top!

Door Leading out to the Balcony of the OKI Lighthouse in North Carolina

It is exhilarating to exit the lighthouse onto the balcony as the sun, wind, and sights greet you. The views of the ocean and Intracoastal Waterway are simply stunning. The beacons I see from my deck were now located just above my head.

RELATED:  North Carolina Museum of Art Rodin Garden – a postcard from Raleigh, NC.

View of Bald Head Island NC from Oak Island Lighthouse
Old Baldy Lighthouse on Bald Head Island was in clear view. It is awesome to stand on the balcony of one North Carolina lighthouse and look across the water at yet another. I am not surprised that Our State Magazine recently listed climbing a state lighthouse as a top ten experience North Carolinians should have. This fairly new North Carolinian is glad she did. I highly recommend the Oak Island Lighthouse tour to locals and visitors alike.

Oak Island North Carolina Lighthouse