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    Oak Island Lighthouse Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Oak Island Lighthouse

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    Reviews With Photos

    Daniel P.

    I like lighthouses and this absolutely is one: not great, not terrible, mainly it's sealed up tight as a drum and the rest of the station is surrounded by some serious fencing with subtle hints about staying away because bad things can happen and nobody wants that... what I actually want is a place to stop so I can figure out how to see the soothing sea side outside and while I'm alongside... I'd also like to walk the grounds and maybe get a peek in the window at the secret stuff going on inside but that's not going to happen any time soon because, well, you know... the Wagner Group Matters et al. so yeah, thirty minutes of parking can be had right up front and you can stay up to an hour across the road if you agree to use the scenic route over the dunes and not walk along the roadway and you get a nice view of the station from up on the bluff too.

    Misty R.

    I am a sucker for a lighthouse. When I visited it was not open so I didn't get the chance to see inside. However just to see it was cool. There is a small parking lot at the lighthouse which holds about five cars. However if full there is a larger parking lot just a short drive passed the lighthouse on the right. There is also a small boardwalk leading to the beach across the street from the lighthouse.

    Oak island light house
    Patricia P.

    It was a spontaneous visit to Oak Island, so we decided to visit the light house. The light house looks so cool and look pretty great from the outside but it was closed since we didn't have reservation to go inside. Another review I read here on yelp said we need to make reservation to go inside the light house. Since we didn't get to go in, we crossed across the street and visit the beach. Still a good visit nevertheless.

    Aimee N.

    This is a free lighthouse to visit and climb. I came after jokes so was unable to climb but I still enjoyed the beautiful area around it. The view is so peaceful and I really enjoyed the whole vibe. There are about 4 parking spaces and you are allowed to be there 30 minutes. Across the street is a path to the beach where you can have a great view of the lighthouse.

    Rebecca M.

    Oak Island Lighthouse is located on Caswell Beach NC. The lighthouse is the state's newest as it was constructed in 1958. It is 17 stories and can be seen for 24 miles as it has one of the brightest lights. It was closed when I was there so I did not get to see the ship ladders inside but I thank another reviewer for posting photos of those steep ship ladders. I found it interesting that the concrete was colored when created so that it is permanent. Natural gray was used for the bottom; quartz white for the middle and black for the top. Great views of the lighthouse can be seen from the boardwalk across the street. You can even walk down to the beach.

    Veronica M.

    Such an amazing experience!! Definitely recommend it! The guides were all extremely helpful and knowledgeable.

    Oak Island Lighthouse
    Bruce K.

    The geography of the United States doesn't have too many sharp corners but this one near Wilmington is a corner where North Carolina and the Cape Fear River kind of juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. If you're not going to take the ferry over to Bald Island and/or ride down from Kure Beach, this is as close as you'll get. The lighthouse was replaced in 1958 and today runs four 2.5 million candlepower lenses that produce four one-second burst of light every ten seconds. The tower is 153 feet tall. The luminous range is an astonishing 24 nautical miles. The lighthouse does open for tours but not during off-season and I couldn't tell you if they're closed because of COVID. You can still stop by, walk the nearby boardwalk to the beach and view this wonderful structure. Interestingly, the tower is not painted. The white and black colors were actually mixed into the 8 inch thick walls before it was poured and set. There is limited parking nearby and don't park on the roadway. [Review 13978 overall, round number 1300 of 2020, number 2618 in North Carolina.]

    At base of lighthouse
    Courtney G.

    Every time I come this was I have to take pictures of the lighthouse.. it's majestic and the area surrounding it is serene and peaceful. It was a beautiful day and I'm glad I stopped by. Makes you take the walk across street to a wooden walkway that has a variety of informational signs about vegetation, animals, other area lighthouses and history. Then of course there's the beach.. you could see bald head lighthouse from the beach in the distance.. great day well spent.

    Timothy A.

    I enjoy visiting lighthouses, and the NC coast has no shortage of them. While visiting Wilmington, we took the scenic route home and made a stop at the Oak Island Lighthouse. We didn't do the interior tour because you have to plan that about two weeks out, but we still enjoyed the exterior. Very tall and beautiful lighthouse. We walked out to the beach for a quick minute, and it's nice to see that there is an accessible ramp rather than just stairs. Everyone deserves to see the ocean when they want to.

    Mel K.

    Currently road tripping theoufh the town and Came across this lighthouse on yelp and had to check it out ! Parking was easy and it's free . The light house looked well maintained. It was really to stand next to it and read about the little history facts . I liked that it was right next to the beach which was an incredible view. I did like that they had a little walk away to it with signs that had history facts about the lighthouse and the beach . Beach was big , clean and found a cool sand dollar!

    Danella S.

    Volunteer operated. They were nice and knowledgeable. Although I thought we were going to the second flight of stairs we only went to the first. Would of liked to go to the second floor as stated on the internet, so I could take a picture of the ocean.

    Oak Island lighthouse
    Kellie M.

    Great lighthouse to visit. Easy to walk the beach and get some great pictures. Was not open when we were there for tours.

    Oak Island Lighthouse
    Ashley S.

    The NC lighthouses are a must see. This one wasn't overly impressive to me. When we went the lighthouse was closed and we couldn't go inside. In my opinion, one of the best parts is the climb to the top for the beautiful views. We did take a stroll on the beach. The lighthouse was incredibly easy to find. You don't need to get on a ferry or book tickets in advance for this one.

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    3 years ago

    Cool for what it is. Nice view at the top and I learned a thing or 2 about lighthouses

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    9 years ago

    Very beautiful to see and easy access. You can go right up to it, you cannot enter it. It is free to visit.

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    Ask the Community - Oak Island Lighthouse

    Review Highlights - Oak Island Lighthouse

    The lighthouse does open for tours but not during off-season and I couldn't tell you if they're closed because of COVID.

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    Robert Howe Historical Marker - Robert Howe Historical Marker

    Robert Howe Historical Marker

    3.0(1 review)
    6.3 mi

    This marker is alongside River Road between Wilmington and the Caswell/Oak Island beaches. It is in…read moregood condition and there is a grassy area where you can stop. Probably not legally, but I was only here for a minute. The marker reads, "Major General Howe was the commander of Southern Department of the Continental Line, 1776-78, and North Carolina's highest ranking officer. Lived 4 1/2 miles east." Online, there is more information. "Robert Howe, Continental army general, was born in 1732 in New Hanover County. Howe inherited a considerable fortune from his parents and grandparents, owning several large plantations in the New Hanover and Bladen counties. He served in several minor public posts in Bladen County, including as a militia captain and magistrate in the 1750s and 1760s. After Brunswick County formed, Howe was elected to the colonial assembly, a post he held for six consecutive terms. He also served as a militia officer for Brunswick County, and commanded Fort Johnston from 1769 to 1773. During the War of the Regulation, Howe commanded that artillery of Governor William Tryon at the Battle of Alamance." "At the outbreak of the Revolution, Howe served as a member of the Wilmington Committee of Safety and led the local militia that took control of Fort Johnston. On September 1, 1775, Howe was appointed colonel of the 2nd North Carolina Continental regiment. After the death of James Moore in 1777, Howe was appointed to succeed him as commander of the Southern Department and was promoted to major general on October 20, 1777." "Howe returned home in 1783 at the war's end, intent on resuming his life as a planter. In 1786 he was elected to the House of Commons, however he died on December 14, while traveling to the meeting of the body. He was the highest-ranking officer from North Carolina to serve in the American Revolution." [Review 14233 overall, 1556 of 2020, number 2676 in North Carolina.]

    Fort Caswell Historic Marker - Fort Caswell Historic Marker, Oak Island NC

    Fort Caswell Historic Marker

    2.0(1 review)
    2.5 mi

    This marker is along Country Club lane just south of the Barbee bridge…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz/g-v-barbee-sr-bridge-oak-island?hrid=COGYbv5UtiFQYI_yFQA9Gg on the way to the Oak Island Lighthouse https://www.yelp.com/biz/oak-island-lighthouse-oak-island?hrid=JaoQ0Zd9MwogR7_L5ZqYmA. The marker reads, "Fort Caswell. Seized by North Carolina Militia three months before firing on Fort Sumter. Governor Ellis ordered its return to Federal authority; three miles east." The marker is in front of a bank at a major intersection. For some reason, the marker is not in the state database, so here is information about the site from elsewhere. The fort is at the eastern tip of Oak Island at the entrance to the Cape Fear River. It is named after former governor Richard Caswell and the original fortifications and earthworks were completed in 1836. Over 61 gun emplacements, it provided defense of the city of Wilmington, which is 20 miles upriver. In 1861, it was seized twice by a group called the "Cape Fear Minutemen", who were subsequently ordered by Governor John Willis Ellis to return it to the keeper of the fort, the only man stationed there by the U.S. Army at the time. When the state finally seceded, the new Confederate Army made it, along with nearby Fort Fisher, one of the most elaborate defensive system in the world at that time.This system, along with swift blockade runners, kept Wilmington's port open longer than any other. The U.S. Army built a full military reservation on the site in the 1890s, complete with coastal artillery batteries, but abandoned it after World War I. Most of the buildings currently extant as well as the sea wall were built during this period. From 1937-1941, the fort was unsuccessfully converted into a resort, with the gun emplacements used as swimming pools (two artesian wells produced hot mineral water to fill the pools). In 1941, the Navy purchased the fort for use as an anti-submarine base during World War II. The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina bought the property in 1949 as surplus for $86,000. [Review 13980 overall, 1302 of 2020, number 2620 in North Carolina.]

    Oak Island Lighthouse - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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