The Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse is an icon of the Chesapeake Bay and one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world. In 2020, it even lured Jimmy Buffett aboard to record a music video. And for a limited time each summer you, too, can join one of the rare Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse tours. The beacon sits just 30 minutes by boat off the coast of Annapolis, within sight of the Chesapeake Bay bridge. So visitors to Maryland’s eastern shore, Baltimore, and Washington, DC can easily add a Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse tour to their itinerary.
Unusual Design
The Thomas Point Shoal lighthouse— built in 1875 and staffed until 1986— is the only screw-pile lighthouse still standing in its original location. And thanks to battery-powered automation, it continues to serve as a navigational aid!
The hexagonal wood structure sits atop a steel frame anchored by iron pilings that screw into the ocean floor.
Extensive restoration work is well underway to prepare the lighthouse for its 150th anniversary in 2025. Revenue from the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse tours helps to fund the preservation effort. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1999. It’s even featured on a US postage stamp.
Sell-Out Tours
Each year from June to October, the public is invited to sign up for a very limited number of Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse tours. Two departures are offered— at 09:30 and 12:00– on each of 20 tour dates. Half the dates already are sold out.
Eligibility Requirements
Each tour accommodates just 16 passengers, aged 12 or older. The tour involves vertical stairs and small hatches/spaces which visitors must be physically capable of navigating. For safety reasons, no sandals or open-toed shoes are permitted. The guides and boat crew are exceptionally attentive to everyone’s well-being.
Tour Details
Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse tours depart from the dock behind the Annapolis Maritime Museum at 723 2nd St Annapolis, MD 21403. Check-in is half an hour prior to departure. The powerboat ride to the lighthouse takes 30 minutes each way and offers ample seating in the shade if you want it.
The tour itself— led by a docent— is mostly indoors, although you can walk along the exterior lighthouse deck. Your guide will explain the design and operation of the lighthouse, conservation efforts, life aboard the station, and other interesting facts. You have about an hour at the lighthouse, which allows plenty of time to snap photos. (See the photo gallery below.) Note there are no concessions or facilities at the lighthouse.
Unusual Décor
Most rooms in the lighthouse are furnished to appear as they did in the 1800s— complete with an antique icebox, wooden cistern, and hand-cranked fog bell. But one room is maintained precisely as it was on the last day the station was manned back in 1986.
Tickets and More Information
Tickets are $90 per person, plus a $7.88 booking fee, and may be purchased by clicking here. Though pricey, ticket sales do support the lighthouse’s ongoing restoration and preservation.
For additional information about Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse tours and the station itself, click here.
Final Thoughts
The Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse tour is an obvious draw for lighthouse enthusiasts. And I know I’m not the only photographer with a soft spot for lighthouses. But the roundtrip boat ride and time spent on the bay are by themselves enjoyable. Altogether, it’s an interesting, pleasant, and unique way to spend a weekend morning or afternoon. And better still, you can combine a lighthouse tour with a visit to the quaint waterfront city of Annapolis— home to dozens of popular shops and restaurants, plus the United States Naval Academy.
