Lighthouses
Lower Peninsula - Michigan
Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse
Description: The Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse is a lighthouse at the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula. It was built in 1892 on the Straits of Mackinac at the confluence of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron and was decommissioned in 1957. Today the lighthouse is a museum.
Our rating: During our visit in October 2024, we only saw the lighthouse from the outside due to time constraints. Not least because of its great location, directly on Lake Michigan, we also really liked the view from outside.
Charlevoix South Pier Lighthouse
Description: The Charlevoix South Pier Lighthouse is located where Lake Charlevoix enters Lake Michigan. In 1989, the current steel and concrete pier replaced the old wooden pier with its concrete cover. The current piers and revetments were built in the 1970s and 1980s. The structure is specifically designed to withstand unusually high wave pressure and protect the harbor.
Our rating: The red color makes the small lighthouse a pretty feature that also looks nice from a distance.
Mission Point Lighthouse
Description: The Mission Point Lighthouse is a lighthouse at the end of a peninsula that extends 17mi north of Traverse City into Grand Traverse Bay. It is part of the Old Mission Point State Park. For 67 years, the light served to warn sailors of the shoals. However, new technology made it possible to build a navigational aid on the shoal itself. As a result, the lighthouse was shut down in 1933 and purchased by the state of Michigan. Today the lighthouse is a museum.
Our rating: We only admired this lighthouse from the outside. Its location on Lake Michigan made it a worthwhile little detour for us.
Grand Traverse Lighthouse
Description: The Grand Traverse Lighthouse is a lighthouse at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, which separates Lake Michigan from Grand Traverse Bay. The current lighthouse was built in 1858 and is located in Leelanau State Park, 8mi north of Northport.
Our rating: It's always a matter of taste, but unfortunately there were a lot of Halloween decorations here at the lighthouse, which we didn't necessarily think fitted in with the lighthouse and the beautiful surroundings. It was simply distracting for the photos. It somewhat clouded our experience here.
William Livingstone Lighthouse
Description: The William Livingstone Memorial Light is an Art Deco lighthouse at the north-eastern end of Belle Isle in Detroit. It was designed by Géza Maróti and built by Albert Kahn in 1930. It is the only marble lighthouse in the USA.
Our rating: A special lighthouse that is definitely worth the short trail.
