The Lighthouse Roadtrip On The Texas Coast That's Dreamily Beautiful
By Katie Lawrence|Published October 30, 2016
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Katie Lawrence
Author
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
With Texas having such a long coastline, it makes sense that it would be lined with lighthouses. This road trip takes you to five of our state’s most beautiful lighthouses that are rich with history and character.
Driving time is only about 11 hours, so while you could technically see them all in one day, I recommend taking a weekend so you can take your time reveling in the sights. As always, the Google Map has been created for you and can be found here.
Located just off the Redfish Bay Causeway on Texas 361, Lydia Ann Lighthouse is the only lighthouse on the Texas Coast that operates 24 hours a day. Although privately owned, it can be viewed from offshore like in the picture above, providing spectacular photo opportunities.
This interesting looking, screw-pile lighthouse is the only one of its kind still-standing on the Texas Gulf Coast. Unlike most lighthouses, it has a red beam to distinguish it from the nearby Matagorda Island Light. It's located at the Intersection of Highway 35 and Broadway Street in Port Lavaca if you want to see it for yourself.
The Sabine Bank lighthouse, at the mouth of the Sabine River near Port Arthur, has been illuminating the Gulf waters since 1906. Over time, the elements started to decay the tower, and it was replaced with a skeleton tower in 2001. You can still see its old lantern, which is on display in the Museum of the Gulf Coast.
Arguably the most famous lighthouse in Texas, Point Bolivar Light endured over 150 years of erosion before becoming entirely black. It's rumored to be haunted, making it the perfect destination to visit this month. It survived the devastating 1900 hurricane and even served as a shelter for 125 people. A trip here will teach you much about the rich history of the Texas Gulf Coast.
This lighthouse has been through a lot, from the Confederacy attempting to blow it up to intense flooding. It went out of commission in 1995, but was re-lit in 2000 to celebrate the turn of the century. If you visit the grounds, you'll encounter a small cemetery adjacent to the lighthouse where its keepers and their families were laid to rest.
This list is only a sample of the lighthouses Texas has to offer, but these are certainly the most noteworthy. Have you visited any of them? Which is your favorite?
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