Visit inside Harbor 'Pequot' Lighthouse, with the New London Maritime Society
New London Harbor Light New London, CT
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New London Maritime Society offers tours for up-to five people to visit inside the lighthouse.
Take the tour and climb 116 steps to the lantern room, all the while learning about the 264-year history of Harbor Light, one of the oldest lighthouses in the country and the tallest on Long Island Sound. We can't guarantee you'll see a submarine. But the views at the top are spectacular any time! From the lantern of New London Harbor 'Pequot' Light, one can see an amazing number of lighthouses--perhaps more than from any other spot on earth, according to the United States Coast Guard.
Children must be age 8 or older. Please make your reservation at least one day in advance of the trip. Everyone must sign a waiver of liability at the museum before going to the lighthouse. Guest cancellations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. The visit takes around 45 minutes.
-- All visitors must wear appropriate footware: deck shoes or sneakers (no sandals or flip flops).
-- We MEET on Pequot Avenue in front of the lighthouse. Please park on the street. By New London zoning regulations, no one may enter the property without a museum representative.
-- Do NOT enter neighboring driveways or enter the property. The NLMS tour guide will meet you at your car on Pequot Avenue. You may park on the west Pequot Avenue (across the street from the lighthouse).
-- All tours are weather dependent. Please check your email inbox prior to departing for the museum. We will notify you by email if the tour is canceled.
Prices are $35 adult, $30 NLMS member, and $25 children ages 8-18. Payments are non-refundable unless there is a weather cancellation. Questions? email nlmaritimedirector@gmail.com.
Food and drink, with the exception of water, are NOT permitted. For safety reasons, NO alcoholic beverages are permitted.
Want to sign up at the last minute? You may try calling 203-444-2884 to check on available tickets.
New London Harbor Light (est. 1760, current tower 1801), along with Ledge Light (1909), and Race Rock Light Station (1878) at the opening of Long Island Sound to the Atlantic, create a pathway of beacons leading from the Atlantic Ocean to New London. All three lights are now owned by the New London Maritime Society. Monies raised by these tours support restoration of our local lighthouses.
In 2010, the New London Maritime Society assumed stewardship of New London Harbor Light. Established in 1761 under King George III, it was rebuilt in 1801. A 4th order Fresnel lens was added in the mid nineteenth century.
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New London Maritime Society believes in our democratization of our historic sites -- you built them, you maintained them, you own them! The Society offers fun-sized boat trips to visit inside Ledge Lighthouse beginning in June, as well as Sunset and Full-Moon Lighthouse Tours on an intimate 6-person boat (search on this site or go to nlmaritimesociety.org). Charter tours, too, are available for groups of up-to 50 - email nlmaritimedirector@gmail.com.
Go to our website nlmaritimesociety.org to learn more. Visit the Ledge Light Foundation http://ledgelighthouse.org/ to learn about their restoration activities and opportunity for large charter for up-to 50 passengers to visit inside Ledge Light.
See you at the Custom House! And thank you for your support of our historic lighthouses.
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Background: Through the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, New London Maritime Society now owns and preserves the three major lighthouses leading from the Atlantic into our historic port of New London: Race Rock, New London Ledge Light, and New London Harbor Light. This stewardship comes with a mandate from the federal government to provide preservation, education, and public access to the lighthouses. All funds raised from these boat trips go towards lighthouse restoration!
The US Coast Guard maintains the lighthouse lanterns. All three lights are active aids to navigation.
*Be certain to check your email two hours prior to the trip for any last-minute changes or cancellations.*
