Cape Henry Lighthouse

Cape Henry Lighthouse is one of America's most historically significant lighthouses and one of Virginia Beach's most unique family attractions. Authorized by the first session of Congress and commissioned by President George Washington, the original 1792 stone tower stands at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay as a physical link to the nation's founding years.

The lighthouse is located on Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story, an active military installation. Visitors must show valid photo ID at the base gate, but civilian access to the lighthouse is welcome during operating hours. This requirement adds a sense of adventure to the visit and occasionally allows kids to see military vehicles and operations on the base.

The climb up the 191 steps takes visitors through the original 18th-century stone tower, which narrows as it rises. The iron spiral staircase is in good condition but steep, and participants should be able to climb independently. At the top, an open observation platform provides panoramic views of the Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean, and the Virginia Beach coastline.

The convergence of bay and ocean at this point creates a dynamic waterscape that's visually dramatic.

Next to the original lighthouse, the New Cape Henry Lighthouse (1881) rises in a distinctive black-and-white striped tower that's still an active navigation aid. While the newer lighthouse is not open for climbing, seeing both structures together provides a natural lesson in engineering progress — from the original's rough-cut stone to the newer tower's iron-plate construction.

The lighthouse site also marks the approximate location where English colonists first landed in Virginia in April 1607 before continuing to Jamestown. A monument commemorates this first landing, connecting the lighthouse visit to the broader narrative of Virginia's founding. Combining the lighthouse with a visit to adjacent First Landing State Park creates a half-day itinerary that covers both history and nature.