Four Lighthouse Vacations

June 12, 2015

Have you ever dreamed of being a lighthouse keeper, standing high above the lake as that glowing beam of safety sweeps above your head, guiding boats to harbor?

Now, you can dream in an actual lighthouse, and try out some of a lighthouse keeper’s duties, via keeper programs offered by real lighthouses around the Great Lakes. Here are four to start.

THE GRAND TRAVERSE LIGHTHOUSE

Leelanau State Park, Northport grandtraverselighthouse.com Since 1858, this lighthouse has overseen Lake Michigan and the end of Grand Traverse Bay, although these days it functions only as a museum (it was decommissioned in 1972). Its unique diaphone (foghorn-like sound) is still demonstrated, though, and the lighthouse is open for tours. You can apply to stay in the assistant keeper’s quarters on the lighthouse’s northern side, where you’ll be a volunteer keeper for one to two weeks, cooking your own meals and sharing the space with other keepers. This is more learning experience than vacation, as you’ll be part of the lighthouse’s welcoming and tidying committee, but you’ll also enjoy sunsets from the tower and a first-person, in-depth look into real Lake Michigan history. $150/week per person – call 231-386-7195

ST. HELENA ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE

Western Straits of Mackinac gllka.com/sthcolunteer.html Ten miles west of Mackinac Island lies St. Helena Island and its namesake lighthouse with its 63-foot tower and picturesque looks. This light is still operational, although its beam is now automated and the lens maintained by the Coast Guard. You can serve as an assistant lighthouse keeper for a six-night/seven-day working session that includes all meals and housing. Your visit will begin with a boat trip to the island and your duties while a keeper will run the gamut, depending on what’s needed. You could be called upon to serve as a friendly tour guide, assist with cooking, paint, help clear the landscape around the tower or hand-pump water. $250/week per person (six nights/seven days) - call 231-436-5581

CHARITY ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE

Charity Island (Saginaw Bay) charityisland.net On the outer edge of Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay, the Charity Island Lighthouse is the end point for a special historical dinner tour, but you can take that experience one step further by staying in the lighthouse keeper’s house on the northern end of Charity Island. Several bedrooms, a bath, a full kitchen and a wraparound porch give you time to investigate this circa 1857 lighthouse at your leisure (it’s only a few steps away). The island is managed as a wildlife sanctuary by the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service, so you’ll get three miles of natural shoreline to explore on your own. This is more of a traditional stay, as opposed to a keeper program, so you won’t have anything to do except relax and experience what it must have been like to be a lonely lighthouse keeper on an isolated island. $450/night, three-night minimum – call 989-254-7710

BIG BAY POINT LIGHTHOUSE

Big Bay (Lake Superior) bigbaylighthouse.com Another non-working stay can be found at Big Bay, which was converted into a bed and breakfast in 1986. Guest rooms with private baths and a common area in the lighthouse tower provide a unique lodging experience, as guests can swap lighthouse stories in front of the fireplace or climb the lighthouse tower itself pretty much any time. Get every vantage point of the Big Bay light by roaming the acres of lawn and woods that surround the lighthouse. You’ll also be treated to views of the Huron Mountains and the shifting waters of Lake Superior. This is one lighthouse stay that’s just as compelling – if not more so – in the winter, when dramatic storms and gales provide even more remarkable vistas. $129-$194/room per night, includes breakfast – call 906-345-9957