If your kids love collecting things (stickers, stamps, badges—you name it), checking places off a bucket list, and exploring New Jersey, the Lighthouse Passport Program might just become your family’s newest obsession. Think of it as a fun excuse to take weekend road trips, explore charming shore towns, climb historic lighthouses, and discover parts of New Jersey you may never have visited. With the passport, you collect stamps from historic lighthouses, lightships, museums, and lifesaving stations across New Jersey and beyond, making it feel like a treasure hunt where everyone in the family can get in on the action. Read on for more about the NJ Lighthouse Challenge and what to know before you plan your visit. (featured photo credit: NJ MOM at Cape May Lighthouse) 
What Is the Lighthouse Passport Program
Created by the U.S. Lighthouse Society, the Lighthouse Passport Program encourages visitors to explore America’s historic lighthouses while preserving their stories for future generations. Here’s how it works: You can buy an official U.S. Lighthouse Society (USLHS) Passport Book for $16 online through the U.S. Lighthouse Society Store or in person at select participating lighthouse gift shops and maritime museums (NJMOM Tip: Buying in person is a good way to support local). You can not only collect custom cancellation stamps from lighthouses in NJ, but also from hundreds of lighthouses across the United States. Once you have the book, you can start by finding one of the lighthouses in NJ and plan your visit. Each time you visit a participating location, you’ll receive a unique stamp to add to your passport. There’s no time limit, so you can collect stamps over months or even years as you explore New Jersey, one lighthouse at a time. And when the passport is filled with 60 stamps, your kids can then email scanned verification pages to the society to earn official achievement patches and recognition.
Of course, getting to see and walk through lighthouses up close is a thrill, but this adventure is about so much more than climbing stairs. Each stop usually leads you somewhere worth exploring, like a beach, nature trail, museum, picnic spot, playground, or walkable downtown filled with ice cream shops and local restaurants. It’s one of those activities where the destination is only part of the fun. Plus, kids love watching their passport fill up with stamps. Before long, they’ll be planning your next stop for you. 
New Jersey Lighthouses Where You Can Collect Passport Stamps
New Jersey is home to some of the country’s most historic and picturesque lighthouses. Many participate in the U.S. Lighthouse Society Passport Program, making the state an ideal destination for families looking to start their collection. And if you forget your passport book, don’t stress—most locations keep their passport stamp inside the gift shop or visitor center. If that’s not available, many stops will stamp a plain piece of paper for you to add to your book.
Absecon Lighthouse
Travel to Atlantic City to visit New Jersey’s tallest lighthouse. At 171 feet, the lighthouse is the third tallest in the country and the only lighthouse in New Jersey, with its original first-order Fresnel Lens at the top (first lit in 1857). You can climb the 228 steps and view the Atlantic City skyline at a breathtaking height, then stop by the historic museum and gift shop while visiting.
31 S. Rhode Island Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Barnegat Lighthouse
When you climb to the top of Barnegat Lighthouse, you’ll be rewarded with a panoramic view of Island Beach and Long Beach Island. With 217 steps, it’s steep, but the Interpretive Center has four live-stream cameras so that small children and families who may not make it to the top can still see the same views. While you are there, you can also check out the exhibits that showcase the story of the historic lighthouse, which was initially lit in 1859. The park also boasts picnic tables, fishing, nature observation, and trails.
208 Broadway and Long Beach Blvd., Barnegat Light, NJ 08006
Cape May Lighthouse
Sitting at the southernmost tip of New Jersey, the towering and iconic lighthouse stands 157 feet high. Kids will enjoy learning how the lighthouse has operated in the past and how it remains an active aid to navigation. After your climb, stop by the museum shop at the Lighthouse’s bottom. There are plenty of special events, like the Lighthouse Full Moon Climb, Stairway To The Stars Lighthouse Climb, and the Lighthouse & Fireworks Climb.
215 Lighthouse Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204
Finns Point Range Light
Located in Pennsville, the Finns Point Range Lighthouse stands at 94 feet and opened in 1876. The light was deactivated in 1950 and is currently open only for special events. You can still admire this spectacular and historical New Jersey Lighthouse and then walk on the adjoining Supawna Meadows Wildlife Refuge.
Fort Mott Rd and Lighthouse Road, Pennsville, NJ 08070
Hereford Inlet Lighthouse
Several different gardens and an incredible history surround this magnificent lighthouse on Hereford Inlet. The Lighthouse opened in the 19th century and does not look like your average lighthouse—more like a gingerbread cottage. The light can still be seen each night as it gets dark and is still a working navigational aid for ships and sailors.
111 North Central Avenue, North Wildwood, NJ 08260
Navesink Twin Lights
With a history dating back to the Revolutionary War, the Twin Lights on the Highlands of Navesink are home to two lighthouses separated by a few hundred feet. Tower climb fees go toward maintaining the site. Afterward, check out the renovated Seeing Stars museum, which follows America’s flags from their creation to the present.
2 Lighthouse Road, Highlands, NJ 07732
Sandy Hook Lighthouse
The 250-year-old Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest working lighthouse in the United States. It stands tall, just one mile from the tip of Sandy Hook in the National Gateway Recreation Area. Tours inside the lighthouse are first-come, first-served, and you can learn about this imposing and historic beacon at the Lighthouse Keepers’ Quarters and Visitor Center.
128 South Hartshorne Drive, Highlands, NJ 07732
Sea Girt Lighthouse
The Sea Girt Lighthouse was built in 1896, halfway between the Navesink Lighthouse and the Barnegat Lighthouse. This pretty house structure stands 60 feet above the water and has 42 steps from the bottom to the lantern room. Take a tour of the main house (fun fact: photos of the families who lived here over the years line the mantle). The tower is open for climbing and has ocean views.
Ocean Ave. and Beacon Blvd., Sea Girt, NJ 08750
Tucker’s Island Lighthouse
Even though this New Jersey Lighthouse’s original structure has been lost, you can still see a recreation of the original at Tuckerton Seaport. Tucker’s Island Lighthouse gets lit every night, and visitors can climb to the top to enjoy beautiful views. Inside, there’s a gallery highlighting folk art and a gift shop at the base.
120 W. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ 08087
Get your NJ Lighthouse Passport Book stamped at each lighthouse you visit in NJ. Photo credit: NJ MOM
Looking for a Bigger Challenge? Join the New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge
If your family catches the lighthouse bug, plan a fall weekend around the annual New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge, held on the third weekend of October. The Challenge is to visit and get stamps from the 11 historic NJ lighthouses, 3 lifesaving stations, and a museum over the entire weekend. You’ll receive a souvenir booklet to stamp at each stop, and you can also use your U.S. Lighthouse Society Passport with the event booklet to collect passport stamps. Complete the Challenge, and you’ll earn serious bragging rights—not to mention a weekend filled with some of New Jersey’s most beautiful coastal views.
For more information on the U.S. Society Lighthouse Passport Program, check out their website, Facebook, and Instagram.
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