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<div class="vw-attraction">

{{Text hero
|title=Cape Henry Lighthouse
|subtitle=Virginia attraction guide
|kind=attraction
}}
<div class="vw-photo-hero-fallback-source" style="display:none">
{{Attraction header
|name=Cape Henry Lighthouse
|image=
|alt=
|kicker=VIRGINIA BEACH LANDMARK
|summary=Climb an early federal lighthouse and explore the Cape Henry story—if you plan ahead for access to the military base where it stands.
}}
</div>

{{Attraction quick facts
|label1=Location
|value1=Cape Henry, Virginia Beach
|label2=Built
|value2=1792
|label3=Managed by
|value3=Preservation Virginia
|label4=Access
|value4=Timed tours; base restrictions apply
}}
<div class="vw-attraction-intro">
At the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay, Cape Henry Lighthouse brings together coastal scenery and early U.S. history. The original stone tower was completed in 1792 as a federally funded public works project; today, Preservation Virginia offers guided visits that include a lighthouse climb and a walking tour of the historic site.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://preservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/cape-henry-lighthouse/
|title=Cape Henry Lighthouse
|website=Preservation Virginia
|publisher=Preservation Virginia
|access-date=2026-10-22
}}</ref>

This is not a drop-in stop: the lighthouse is within Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story, and civilian visits are subject to advance reservations and base security requirements. Check Preservation Virginia’s current visitor instructions before setting out. For travelers following Virginia’s history-and-coast appeal, the lighthouse makes a distinctive stop in [[Virginia Beach, Virginia]].<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.virginia.org/plan-your-trip/virginia-is-for-lovers/
|title=Virginia Is for Lovers
|website=Virginia.org
|publisher=Virginia Tourism Corporation
|access-date=2026-10-22
}}</ref>
</div>

<div class="vw-commerce-flow">
{{Book destination
|destination=VA-CAPE-HENRY-LIGHTHOUSE
|name=Cape Henry Lighthouse
}}
{{Viator maybe
|destination=VA-CAPE-HENRY-LIGHTHOUSE
}}
</div>

== Why visit Cape Henry Lighthouse? ==
The appeal is the combination of a working-scale historic structure, a guided account of the cape, and the setting at the mouth of the bay. The original lighthouse is widely described by its steward as the first federally funded public works project of the new United States government.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://preservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/cape-henry-lighthouse/
|title=Cape Henry Lighthouse
|website=Preservation Virginia
|publisher=Preservation Virginia
|access-date=2026-10-22
}}</ref>

A visit also puts the tower in context: nearby Cape Henry is the landing place associated with the English colonists’ arrival in 1607. The National Park Service interprets the lighthouse and the neighboring Cape Henry Memorial as separate parts of this historic landscape.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://home.nps.gov/came/cape-henry-lighthouses.htm
|title=Cape Henry Lighthouses
|website=National Park Service
|publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior
|access-date=2026-10-22
}}</ref>

== Start here ==
Begin with the access rules, not the drive. Preservation Virginia’s current page describes timed tours and explains the identification and security steps that apply to civilian visitors without existing base access. Requirements can change, so confirm them directly before purchasing or traveling.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://preservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/cape-henry-lighthouse/
|title=Cape Henry Lighthouse: Admission Details and Base Access Requirements
|website=Preservation Virginia
|publisher=Preservation Virginia
|access-date=2026-10-22
}}</ref>

The tour includes a climb of at least 79 stairs and roughly three-quarters of a mile of walking, mostly on sidewalks and paved roads. Preservation Virginia states that climbers must be at least 42 inches tall; check its page for current accessibility and weather-related restrictions.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://preservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/cape-henry-lighthouse/
|title=Cape Henry Lighthouse: Plan Your Visit
|website=Preservation Virginia
|publisher=Preservation Virginia
|access-date=2026-10-22
}}</ref>

== What to see and do ==
<div class="vw-attraction-card-grid">
{{Attraction card
|title=Climb the original lighthouse
|text=Take in the stone tower from inside and climb its stairs when conditions and tour operations allow. Confirm current climbing restrictions before booking.
}}
{{Attraction card
|title=Join the guided site tour
|text=Hear an interpreter-led account of Cape Henry and its place in Virginia’s coastal history. The scheduled tour includes a walking portion.
}}
{{Attraction card
|title=Look for the second lighthouse
|text=The black-and-white-striped Cape Henry Lighthouse was built in 1881. It is a separate, later tower and is not open to the public, according to Preservation Virginia.
}}
{{Attraction card
|title=Explore the First Landing story
|text=Learn how the lighthouse site relates to the English colonists’ 1607 landing at Cape Henry and the nearby memorial landscape.
}}
{{Attraction card
|title=Take in the coastal setting
|text=The site stands near the meeting of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic coast. Follow staff directions and remain within areas open to visitors on the military installation.
}}
</div>

== History and significance ==
Congress authorized a lighthouse at Cape Henry in 1789, and the first tower was completed in 1792. Built of Aquia sandstone, it helped guide maritime traffic at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. The National Park Service identifies it as the first lighthouse authorized by the new federal government.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://home.nps.gov/came/cape-henry-lighthouses.htm
|title=Cape Henry Lighthouses
|website=National Park Service
|publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior
|access-date=2026-10-22
}}</ref>

The original tower served for nearly a century. A new lighthouse was constructed in 1881, and the older structure became a landmark of both navigation and the early federal government. Preservation Virginia has stewarded the old lighthouse since it was deeded the lighthouse and surrounding land in 1930.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://preservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/cape-henry-lighthouse/
|title=Cape Henry Lighthouse
|website=Preservation Virginia
|publisher=Preservation Virginia
|access-date=2026-10-22
}}</ref>

Cape Henry’s significance reaches beyond the towers. The cape is associated with the English colonists’ first landing in Virginia in 1607, before their journey upriver to establish Jamestown. The National Park Service’s Cape Henry Memorial commemorates that landing nearby.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://home.nps.gov/came/cape-henry-lighthouses.htm
|title=Cape Henry Lighthouses
|website=National Park Service
|publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior
|access-date=2026-10-22
}}</ref>

== Planning a visit ==
* '''Reserve ahead:''' Tours are timed, and advance reservations are recommended by Preservation Virginia. Verify current tour availability, admission, and cancellation information on its official site.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://preservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/cape-henry-lighthouse/
|title=Cape Henry Lighthouse: Admission Details
|website=Preservation Virginia
|publisher=Preservation Virginia
|access-date=2026-10-22
}}</ref>
* '''Prepare for base screening:''' Visitors without base access must follow the current security process. Preservation Virginia lists advance submission of a SECNAV 5512 form for civilian adults and identification requirements; check the official instructions for your party before booking.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://preservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/cape-henry-lighthouse/
|title=Cape Henry Lighthouse: Base Access Requirements
|website=Preservation Virginia
|publisher=Preservation Virginia
|access-date=2026-10-22
}}</ref>
* '''Plan for a climb and walk:''' The visit involves stairs and about three-quarters of a mile of walking. Wear comfortable shoes and check for current weather, heat, and tower-closure notices.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://preservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/cape-henry-lighthouse/
|title=Cape Henry Lighthouse: Plan Your Visit
|website=Preservation Virginia
|publisher=Preservation Virginia
|access-date=2026-10-22
}}</ref>
* '''Confirm before departure:''' Base security conditions and tour operations may affect access. Do not rely on old schedules or assume that the lighthouse can be visited without a reservation.

== Nearby attractions ==
<div class="vw-attraction-nearby-grid">
{{Nearby card
|title=Cape Henry Memorial
|link=Cape Henry Memorial
|text=A National Park Service memorial near the lighthouse that interprets the 1607 landing at Cape Henry. Access is also subject to military-base procedures.
}}
{{Nearby card
|title=First Landing State Park
|link=First Landing State Park
|text=A Virginia state park in Virginia Beach with trails and a coastal landscape tied to the region’s early history.
}}
{{Nearby card
|title=Virginia Beach Oceanfront
|link=Virginia Beach Oceanfront
|text=The city’s popular beachfront district, a contrasting stop for dining, lodging, and a walk along the oceanfront.
}}
{{Nearby card
|title=Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
|link=Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
|text=A Virginia Beach attraction focused on marine life and coastal environments.
}}
</div>

<div class="vw-amazon-flow">
'''Travel books and maps:''' [https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Cape%20Henry%20Lighthouse%20Virginia%20travel%20guide%20map&tag=virginiawiki-20 Browse related Virginia travel books and maps on Amazon]
<div class="vw-affiliate-disclosure">As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases.</div>
</div>

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* [https://preservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/cape-henry-lighthouse/ Cape Henry Lighthouse — Preservation Virginia]
* [https://www.nps.gov/came/cape-henry-lighthouses.htm Cape Henry Lighthouses — National Park Service]
* [https://www.nps.gov/came/planyourvisit/hours.htm Cape Henry Memorial operating hours and access — National Park Service]
</div>

[[Category:Virginia attractions]]
[[Category:Virginia history]]

Cape Henry Lighthouse - Revision history

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