Visiting Ponce Inlet Lighthouse with Kids: What to Know Before You Go
If you’re looking for a little history that even your toddler will love, I highly recommend the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse with kids. It was the perfect add-on to our New Smyrna Beach day (full itinerary here!).
From standing beside the 175-foot lighthouse (the second tallest in the U.S.!) to observing artifacts left behind by the lighthouse keepers and their families, our kids loved this museum stop. I’m sharing all the details of our visit with little kids below – and tips to keep in mind if you decide to visit, too!
Where is Ponce Inlet Lighthouse?
The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse can be found in the small seaside town of Ponce Inlet – almost perfectly halfway between Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach. For my Orlando locals, if heading directly to Ponce Inlet, it’s about 1 hour and 15 minutes from downtown.
Despite being in a small area, the lighthouse has a large (free!) parking lot. It is also right next to a playground, making it a great stop before or after your visit.
Planning Your Visit – Prices & What to Expect
One of the best things about this museum is how affordable it is for families. At the time of writing, tickets were just $6.95 for adults (12+), $1.95 for kids (3–11), and free for ages 2 and under. Even better? Your admission fee helps preserve the lighthouse and museum for future generations.
When you arrive, you’ll check in and purchase your tickets in the gift shop (which was a bit chaotic, but it was perfect spot to also use the restroom before we ventured out!). From here, you’ll exit the Main Entrance Building to the Lighthouse grounds. They’ll give you a map on arrival, but if you’re curious ahead of time, check out this digital map of the lighthouse grounds.
I would give yourself between 1-1.5 hours to explore. Taking our time (but without climbing the lighthouse), we spent about an hour and 15 minutes here.
Tips for Visiting the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse with Kids
Let’s start with the biggest question: can kids climb the lighthouse? Only if they’re able to climb all 203 stairs on their own. Because of this, we skipped the climb this time (our youngest was just shy of 3), but it gives us the perfect excuse to visit again when our kids are older!
That said, there’s still plenty to see and do. All of the museum paths and buildings are stroller-friendly, with ramps to keep you from hauling your stroller up the stairs. We opted to visit without the stroller – the grounds are small enough that our toddler enjoyed the walk!
Keep reading for our kids’ favorite parts of the museum – and a few of our favorite lighthouse-themed books to read before your visit!
Our Kids Loved:
Before You Visit: Children’s Books about Lighthouses
One way to make trips like these more memorable? Read books and talk with your kids about the things you’re going to see!
About a week before our visit, I checked out as many lighthouse-themed books from the library as I could. While my toddler was mostly interested in the pictures, my daughter enjoys more advanced stories – so most of these picks are best for late preschool and elementary-aged kids.
Here were our top picks:
Hello Lighthouse
by Sophie Blackall
A Caldecott winner, this book tells the story of a lighthouse keeper off the northeastern coast. The simple text is paired with beautiful illustrations. It’s a great introduction to life inside a lighthouse.
Kate’s Light
by Elizabeth Spires
This book dives a little deeper into historical facts. It tells the true story of Kate Walker, a woman who ended up becoming one of the first female lighthouse keepers in the U.S. While it was a bit wordy, my daughter loved this one!
The Puffin Keeper
by Michael Morpurgo
An early chapter book with beautiful illustrations, this was perfect to read in short sessions. Just be aware that it deals with a few heavier themes (like a shipwreck, going to boarding school, and even World War II). Even though she didn’t understand all of it, my 5-year-old was captivated by the story!
A few others I’d recommed – Lighthouse Dog to the Rescue and Storm’s Coming both introduce lighthouses well and might be better for a younger audience.
Because we read these books ahead of time, things like filling the lamps with oil, cleaning the lenses, and using the foghorn or bell in foul weather all made sense, especially to my five-year-old!
The Perfect Beach Day Add-On Adventure – Ponce Inlet Lighthouse with Kids!
We loved our visit to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse with our kids. Truly, they didn’t want to leave! While I wouldn’t make a whole day out of the visit, it was the perfect way to add a little learning (and some A/C!) to our beach day. It’s one of those little stops that really stuck with our kids, and I think yours will love it too.
Looking for more of our Florida beach adventures? You can find them here.
