Historic Whitefish Point Lighthouse on the Banks of Lake Superior

The historic Whitefish Point Lighthouse was built in 1847 and first lit in 1849. This important light sits on the banks of Lake Superior (the largest of the Great Lakes in North American), to help guide mariners through the treacherous waters. The area around the light is often referred to as the Graveyard of the Great Lakes because out of all of Lake Superior, this area has the most known shipwrecks.

Built out of steel the tower stands 76 feet tall. On a clear weather day the light can be seen for up to 15 nautical miles and has been extremely effective over the years. To this day...mariners count on this light to help guide them through the area. The station has been fully automated since 1971.

Currently the lighthouse is home to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum which houses many artifacts from various shipwrecks from around the region. The lighthouse and museum are open seasonally (May through October) from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. You can walk around the beautiful grounds for FREE. If you would like to tour the lighthouse and/or visit the museum you'll have to pay an admission fee.

When visiting we recommend that you wear comfortable walking shoes and dress appropriately for the current weather conditions. You'll be doing a lot of walking! If you plan on visiting the museum and taking the lighthouse tour...you should allow 2 hours in your schedule. If you want to spend time walking the grounds or visiting the beach area...you'll need to add additional time for that.

After you're done with all of the activities you'll want to stop into the museum's gift shop to pick up souvenirs and/or gifts for yourself and loved ones. They have some really nice items and they're affordable too! Overall, we really enjoyed our visit and would definitely visit again when in the area.