Virginia’s coastline has been guiding sailors for centuries, and its lighthouses tell some seriously good stories.
On this road trip, you’ll find striped towers, tiny lighthouse cottages beside busy rivers, and historic beacons that have survived storms, wars, erosion, and more than 200 years of change.
Some stops let you climb winding staircases for huge water views, while others are best spotted from beaches, nature preserves, and waterfront trails with binoculars in hand.
Along the way, you’ll uncover presidential connections, early American history, wildlife-packed coastal areas, and surprising landmarks hiding near the water.
Grab your camera, cue up your road-trip playlist, and keep reading to discover the Virginia lighthouses worth adding to your route.
1. Assateague Lighthouse, Chincoteague
Assateague Lighthouse rises 142 feet above Virginia’s Assateague Island, just 10 minutes from Chincoteague, inside Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, where its red-and-white striped tower is easy to spot.
Built in 1867 to replace an earlier 1833 lighthouse, it still flashes its light across the Atlantic Ocean and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
You can climb 175 steps to the top during scheduled openings, then look out over Assateague Island, Chincoteague, surrounding marshes, and the ocean from high above the trees.
Best of all, the lighthouse sits in prime wildlife country, so keep an eye out for sika deer, shorebirds, and the famous Chincoteague ponies while exploring the refuge’s nearby trails and beaches.
2. Cape Henry Lighthouse, Virginia Beach
Next up, head to Virginia Beach, where the 90-foot Cape Henry Lighthouse stands inside Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story near the spot where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.
Completed in 1792, it was the first federally funded public works project authorized under the U.S. Constitution, and George Washington personally approved the project while serving as president.
Climb the historic tower for sweeping views, then check out the nearby New Cape Henry Lighthouse, built in 1881 and still operated by the U.S. Coast Guard.
You’re also just steps from Cape Henry Memorial, which marks the 1607 landing of the English colonists who later established Jamestown, giving this road-trip stop a seriously impressive double dose of lighthouse and early American history.
3. Old Point Comfort Lighthouse, Hampton
From Cape Henry Lighthouse, it’s about a 50-minute drive to Hampton for Old Point Comfort Lighthouse, a 54-foot white sandstone tower standing beside historic Fort Monroe.
Completed in 1802, it is one of the oldest operating lighthouses on the Chesapeake Bay and was built under the direction of Elzy Burroughs.
The tower is not open for climbing, but you can get excellent views from Fort Monroe and walk along the waterfront to see where the Elizabeth River, Chesapeake Bay, and Hampton Roads come together.
While you’re here, explore the 565-acre Fort Monroe National Monument and visit the Casemate Museum, located inside the massive stone fort.
4. New Point Comfort Lighthouse, Port Haywood
After Hampton, Mathews County is home to New Point Comfort Lighthouse, which stands offshore near Port Haywood on a tiny island separated from the mainland by years of erosion.
Built in 1804, the 58-foot octagonal sandstone tower is Virginia’s third oldest lighthouse and once guided ships around the southern tip of the Middle Peninsula.
You cannot climb the lighthouse or simply walk up to it, but New Point Comfort Natural Area Preserve has an observation deck where you can spot the white tower across the water.
Bring binoculars for an even better look, and watch for bald eagles, ospreys, herons, and other coastal birds around the preserve’s marshes, sandy shoreline, and Chesapeake Bay waters.
5. Jones Point Lighthouse, Alexandria
Leaving the Chesapeake shoreline behind, it’s about a 3-hour drive to Alexandria, where Jones Point Lighthouse sits beside the Potomac River in Jones Point Park, just a short drive from Old Town.
Built in 1855, this unusual lighthouse looks more like a small white cottage than a tower, with its lantern rising from the roof to guide ships past dangerous river shoals.
You can walk right up to the exterior, explore the surrounding park, and follow the Mount Vernon Trail beneath the massive Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge, although the lighthouse itself is generally closed.
Don’t miss the nearby 1791 boundary stone, one of the original markers placed to map the 10-mile-square District of Columbia, adding a cool surveying story to this waterfront stop.
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