The Lighthouses of Connecticut and Rhode Island

To reach Mystic Seaport, take Exit 90 from Interstate 95 and proceed south on Route 27 for roughly a mile. Mystic Seaport South Parking is the second lot on your left.

From I-95, Take Exit 87 (CT 349, Clarence B. Sharp Highway) in Groton. Follow CT 349 turning right at the 2nd traffic light onto Benham Road and then turning left onto Eastern Point Road. Follow Eastern Point Road for roughly 1.2 miles passing the Shennecossett Golf Course. The road will lead to the entrance of the University of Connecticut at Avery Point. After entering the campus, follow the circular drive past the rock police station and park. ARLHS # USA-023

From Interstate 95 in New London, take Exit 83 and travel south on Highway 1 (Colman Street) for 1.6 miles to Bank Street. Turn left onto Bank and then take your second right onto Montauk Avenue. Follow Montauk for 2.2 miles until it ends at Pequot Avenue. Turn right on Pequot, and the lighthouse will be ahead on your left (J 0732) ARLHS # USA-541

To get a distant view of the lighthouse from land, take exit 67 from Interstate 95 and proceed south on Elm Street to Main Street (Highway 154). Turn right onto Main and follow it for 2.5 miles to the Saybrook Point Inn and Marina. At that point, turn right on Bridge Street, crossing over South Cove, and then turn left onto Nibang Avenue. From Nibang, turn right onto Fenwick Avenue, and then left onto Agawam Avenue. (J 0744) ARLHS # USA-740

Photo courtesy Pats7288 [Webshots]

From Interstate 95, take Exit 50 to Highway 337. Proceed south on 337 for 2.2 miles. Turn right onto Lighthouse Road and continue to ^{Lighthouse Point Park} ARLHS # USA 539

From Interstate 95, take Exit 30 and go south east on Highway 113 for three miles. The road will make a sharp turn at this point, but continue straight onto Prospect Drive. (J 0810) ARLHS # USA-816

To see this light by land take Exit 28 from Interstate 95 and go south on Main Street until it ends (J 0832)

Harbor Cruises from Captain's Cove Seaport in Black Rock Harbor that pass by the Penfield Reef Lighthouse are available on weekends during the summer. A lighthouse cruise that passes this lighthouse along with several others is offered by Sound Navigation (J 0840) ARLHS # USA 590

Photo courtesy Robert English [Flickr]

Ferry Service to the Sheffield Island is available from Hope Dock in South Norwalk.

Cruises that pass by the lighthouse are offered by ^{Sound Navigation} ARLHS # USA 753

Photo courtesy Kelda York [Flickr]

It can be seen from points along the shore in Stamford. Cruises that pass Stamford Harbor Lighthouse are offered by ^{Sound Navigation} (J 0890) ARLHS # USA-807

Photo courtesy Robert English [Flickr]

This light is off a point in the middle of the channel off the end of the Sakonnet river.  Thus, without a boat, you won't get much of a picture. (J 0523) ARLHS # USA-718

A lightship served at this location from 1875 to 1962. In the early 1990s the deteriorating tower was dismantled and the scrap became part of an artificial reef known as Shinnecock Reef ARLHS # USA-082

This is on the lands of a private resort (and there was considerable discussion about building it between the owner and the government). (J 0530) ARLHS # USA-144

We hadn't intended to go here, but markings on the highway weren't clear.  This is taken from the toll bridge between Jamestown Island and Newport. (J 0540) ARLHS # USA-548

This is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in New England.  To reach Prudence Island you need a boat or use the Prudence Island Ferry.  We took this picture from the RI Lighthouse cruise (organized by Lighthouse Depot) (J 0566) ARLHS # USA-675

This light is literally directly under the Mount Hope Bridge (you can see the abutment behind it).  We took this picture from our cruise, and I don't know how to get down Ferry Road (see note below).

It can be seen from the end of Ferry Road in Bristol near the ^{Mount Hope Bridge} ARLHS # USA-087

there is a parking lot for the East Bay Bicycle Path. The path is open to walkers as well as bikers and extends from Providence to Bristol. Views of the lighthouse can be had by walking north on the bike path for about a quarter mile.

Take the Rhode Island PTA ferry from Providence to Newport. (J 0602) ARLHS # USA-643

Photo courtesy Maureen Reilly [Flickr]

Bay Queen Cruises (Warren, RI) offers several lighthouse cruises that go by it. (J 0608) ARLHS # USA-871

Photo courtesy Pats7299 [Webshots]

A private residence since 1894, the house has been much enlarged. However, the well-preserved light tower is the oldest surviving wooden lighthouse in the nation. Located at the entrance to Wickford Harbor in North Kingstown. There's a good view from Sauga Point on the other side of the harbor entrance.

Rhode Island Bay Cruises offers a 10 Lighthouses of Narragansett Bay cruise that passes by the Poplar Point Lighthouse. ^cruise ARLHS # USA-647

On Jamestown Island's north end, this is a private residence. ARLHS # USA-185

A distant view from land is possible by following these directions: From Highway 138 on the eastern side of Conanicut Island, take Canonicus Avenue south 0.9 miles to Narragansett Avenue. Turn right on Narrangansett and drive 0.4 miles to S. West Avenue. Turn left on S. West Avenue and follow it to the narrow neck of land, which leads to the second lobe of the island. At this point, the road becomes Beaver Tail Road. Just after the narrow neck, turn right on Fort Getty Road. (J 0621) ARLHS # USA-250

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [ListOfLights]

This is at the very end of "tourist country", so is often hard to get to (south of Narragansett).  We took this picture from a tour boat. (J 0628) ARLHS # USA-625

This is the 4th lighthouse to occupy this land.  Two of the others washed away in the storms, the other was too far back to be effective.

We got onto Block Island at 7:30 PM, got in our bus (the driver volunteered to drive us) and rushed out here to beat the sunset.  It was cloudy and pretty dark, but as you can see, the camera came through. (J 0642) ARLHS # USA-061

From Westerly, take Route 1-A to Watch Hill, and turn west on Watch Hill Road. After one miles on Watch Hill Road turn left on Westerly Road. From Westerly Road turn left to Bluff Avenue, followed by a right onto Larkin and then a quick left on Lighthouse Road. Parking on the street is restricted to residents, so you must park in town and walk. (J 0658) ARLHS # USA-872

Photo courtesy Pats7288 [Webshots]