Saturday afternoon brought blue skies and self-guided lighthouse tours. Last weekend we splurged with a mini vaca for our anniversary and Ponce De Leon Lighthouse was the first stop on our way up north.

Two of my favorite facts about this tourist stop are:

Ponce De Leon lighthouse is one of the tallest lighthouses in the US standing at 175 ft

 

Lighthouse keepers once carried a 40lb bucket of kerosene up the stairs nightly to light the lamp

 

 

 

Reminiscent of an old way of life, children’s toys and a typical keepers house, along with
styles of clothing and housewares were all on display. The shoe pictured is a great style that is still popular even today!

 

 

 

 

With computers, smart phones and I-whatevers, this old school typewriter is more than a sign of the times, it is truly an antique. The paper feeder is my favorite with the huge arm on the side- how cool!

 

At only $6.95 you can walk around the grounds, visit the property houses and climb to the top of the lighthouse. What a deal! Outside a warning advises to climb at your own risk and only if you are in great shape as ascending the height of this tower will leave even the most fit short of breath.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mother Natures natural air conditioning picks up at the top of the tower with a rewarding breeze and sprawling views. On the clearest of days you are able to see Cape Canaveral and the view of the Atlantic is simply stunning.

Lighthouse lanterns have evolved over the years but after reconstruction and with a few
technological upgrades this one was remade and is similar to the lighthouse light in the tower today.

 

 

 

Seeing this lifeguard rescue tube shows that the design and shape hasn’t changed a bit over the years. Make something well enough the first time and it may never need to be altered.

I love mini vacas and this was a great detour on our way up north. Not having been to a lighthouse before, I enjoyed learning all about the processes and history of these lights of the ocean shores.