Along the Mid-Atlantic coastline, more than 40 lighthouses guide ships through treacherous waters, and Delaware proudly boasts its share of these historic beacons.
Delaware lighthouses are easily accessible, whether you want to climb to the top, admire them from a distance, or embark on a lighthouse cruise to explore several in a single day.
What Types of Lighthouses Can You Visit?
Whether you climb the stairs, walk the grounds, sail by, or stay in the lighthouse keeper’s room, spend time enjoying the beauty of the stunning and historic lighthouses along the Mid-Atlantic Rivers, Atlantic Ocean, and the Chesapeake Bay, along with the lovely views they provide every visitor.
Click for Maryland and Virginia Lighthouses
Stunning Delaware Lighthouses
As you visit the lighthouses, imagine the dangers that would have lurked as sailors navigated the waters before the lighthouses existed, guided only by the skills and courage of the United States Coast Guard.
Find out the location of the Delaware lighthouses, when and how you can visit, along with how you can rent the keeper’s house for a night!
Lighthouses in Delaware You Can Enter
Fenwick Island Lighthouse
- Address: 146th Street, Fenwick Island, Delaware, 19944
- Website
- Open: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Memorial Day Weekend – Saturday/Sunday
- June / September – Friday – Sunday
- July / August – Thursday – Monday
The lighthouse is located in southern Delaware along the Delaware/Maryland line. It has a conical 87-foot tower, and sailors can see the light 15 miles out. It has stood unwavering along the Delaware Coast since 1859.
The lighthouse was also decommissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1978 where it went dark for three years. A group of local citizens stepped in when it was passed on to the state and have continuously put effort into preserving this beacon.
Overfalls Lightship Station
- Address: 219 Pilottown Road, Lewes, Delaware, 19958
- Website
- Open: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Thursday – Sunday
After serving as a lightship station off Long Island Sound, Cape Cod and Boston, the Overfalls Lightship is now a floating museum in Lewes.
The Overfalls is one of 17 lightships that remain today and only one of seven open to visitors.
Cherry Island Rear Range Light
- Address: Riverside Drive, Bellefonte, Delaware
On the Delaware River’s western shore, the Cherry Island Rear Range has a constant red light to guide ships heading north to Philadelphia.
You can view the 35-foot skeletal tower from the northern end of River Road Park. The ground surrounding the tower is open, but you can also get a good view from the parking lot.
Private Lighthouses in Delaware to View
The following lighthouses are privately owned and closed to the public, but you can still catch a peek of them from certain spots close by.
Liston Range Front Light
Liston Front Range is on the Delaware River and can be viewed several miles south of Port Pen along Route 9, close to the intersection of St. Augustine Road and Bayview Road.
Liston Rear Range Lighthouse
- Address: 405 Port Penn Rd, Middletown, Delaware 19709
Safely view the Liston Rear Range Lighthouse from the Hickory Grove Cemetery at 428 Port Penn Rd, Middletown, DE 19709.
Marcus Hook Rear Range Lighthouse
Address: 313 Lighthouse Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19809
If you want to catch a peek at the Marcus Hook Rear Range Lighthouse, a great spot to see it is from the north side of Fox Point State Park.
Cruises to Delaware Lighthouses
Several lighthouse tours take you past historic landmarks in the state of Delaware. You’ll see original lighthouses, ones that have been rebuilt, and a few that aren’t your typical light station.
If you happen to be headed to Cape May, NJ, you may catch a glimpse of a few lighthouses in Delaware from the Cape May Lewes Ferry just north of Rehoboth Beach.
Cape Water Taxi
Cape Water Taxi will take you on a 90-minute cruise where you will have time to explore the 49-foot cast iron Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse in Rehoboth Beach and the surrounding area.
If you don’t have time for the cruise, head to Cape Henlopen, around 1.25 miles from the Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse, where you can view the lighthouse from the park’s northeastern corner.
Delaware Bay Lights
Delaware Bay Lights offers a cruise to the 76-foot Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse that sits just off Cape Henlopen in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Their cruise also goes by the East End Lighthouse.
Cape May Whale Watcher
Catch the Grand Lighthouse Cruise that Cape May Whale Watcher offers at 10 am on four Saturday mornings throughout late spring and summer.
During the Lighthouse Sunset Cruises, while sailing through Delaware Bay’s mid-channel, learn a little about each of the seven lighthouses you will pass, and have an opportunity to take some great lighthouse photos
Lighthouses in Delaware you will see:
- Lewes Lighthouse
- Brandywine Shoal
- Cape May
- Crossledge Shoal
- Elbow of Crossledge
- Fourteen Foot Shoal
- Miah Maul Shoal
- Ship John Shoal
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