People come to Newport County, Rhode Island for many reasons but one of the most common is all the beautiful Newport County lighthouses!
Lighthouses! If there is a more iconic and romantic coastal structure, I can’t think of it. Rhode Island is known for its lighthouses. This may be a small island be we have lots of coastline! There 21 lighthouses on Rhode Island: 13 are active and 8 are right here in Newport County!
There are lots of ways to see Newport County lighthouses. You can hike around them, tour inside them, or view them from the water on a Newport County Lighthouses cruise! Unfortunately, many of Newport County’s lighthouses are privately owned and cannot be toured. That’s no real problem, though. While the inside of a lighthouse can be fascinating and educational, it’s the majestic exterior that drew our eye in the first place!
Newport County Lighthouses
Beavertail Lighthouse
Beavertail Road, Jamestown
beavertaillight.org
Beavertail Lighthouse, constructed in 1856, is located on the southernmost tip of Jamestown, Rhode Island. It is the third oldest lighthouse in North America. The Beavertail Lighthouse Museum is here, along with Beavertail State Park, which is famous for its panoramic views of Narragansett Bay.
Castle Hill Lighthouse
Newport, Rhode Island
newenglandlighthouses.net
The Castle Hill Light was built in 1898. It is a unique granite lighthouse, located at the entrance to the East Passage of Narragansett Bay. The lighthouse is not open to the public but it can be view both from the water (of course) and the grounds adjacent to it, which are open to the public.
Hog Island Shoal Lighthouse
Newport, Rhode Island
newenglandlighthouses.net
The Hog Island Shoal Light is a privately owned sparkplug lighthouse built in 1902. The lighthouse is located on a shoal about 600 feet southeast of Hog Island, at the entrance to Mount Hope Bay. The light is not open to the public. One of the easiest ways to see it is aboard the Prudence Island ferry from Bristol.
Ida Lewis Rock Lighthouse
Newport Harbor, Newport, Rhode Island
www.lighthousefriends.com
The Ida Lewis Rock Light, originally known as Lime Rock Lighthouse, was built in 1854. The name was changed in 1924 to honor the light’s most famous keeper, Ida Lewis. Ida was keeper of the light, in part or full time, from the time she was 15 until her death in 1911 at the age of 69! The building is now the Ida Lewis Yacht Club and is not open often open to the general public. Harbor cruises tend to offer the best views.
Newport County Lighthouses
Be sure to stay tuned for the second part of our two-part series on Newport County Lighthouses!
Newport County Lodging
Make the most of your Rhode Island Lighthouse vacation with accommodations at a Newport County B&B! Newport County Inns and Bed & Breakfasts are locally owned and operated with to-die-for amenities, personal service, and delicious breakfasts. Experience the difference true comfort and care can make with a stay at Newport County Inns and Bed & Breakfasts!