New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge . October 17 . 18 . Jersey Shore . Sandy Hook . Cape May
Trenton, NJ—Lighthouses have always evoked images of romance and adventure, and intrepid explorers can experience both at the 10th Annual New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge®, October 20 & 21. Organized by the New Jersey Lighthouse Society and supported in part by the New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism, the challenge invites you to lighthouse-hop among 11 of the state’s land-based lighthouses while enjoying a getaway weekend by the sea. At each lighthouse, participants will receive a souvenir token of that lighthouse, and if all 11 are collected, visitors will receive a completion token to celebrate the accomplishment.
Back by popular demand this year are “night climbs” at five of the lighthouses – Sandy Hook, Tucker’s Island, Absecon, Cape May and Tinicum – and participants who partake of the night climbs will receive a special “Night Climb” commemorative token. For challenge participants who might find climbing all those steps a bit daunting, no stop on the challenge route – including the night climbs – actually requires climbing the lighthouse. Simply stop by and check in with the volunteers at each lighthouse to receive your token; climbing is optional, but you’ll want to consider “stepping up” to the challenge, as the views of New Jersey’s shore and bays are spectacular from that elevation.
“Poets, artists and photographers have always been fascinated with the inherent beauty and romance of lighthouses, and the New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge – the first in the country – is a terrific way to combine that sense of adventure with a stirring weekend getaway here in the Garden State,” notes Nancy Byrne, Executive Director of The New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism. “No matter where you begin the challenge, you’ll find lodging from luxurious to laid-back, and dining options from elegant cuisine to simply the freshest seafood – and after all of that invigorating fresh air, you’ll be ready for a comfortable bed and a great meal!”