# Cape Henry Lighthouse

> Place to go for families in the Virginia Beach–Chesapeake–Norfolk area (VA / NC). Times are Eastern Time.

- When: Tuesday–Sunday 10 am–5 pm; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Dec…
- Where: Cape Henry Lighthouse (Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story), 583 Atlantic Ave, Fort Story, VA 23459
- Ages: Climbers must be at least 42" tall; visitors 18+ need base security clearance; over 16 need REAL ID
- Price: General admission $22; AAA, senior (60+), military $20
- Schedule: Tuesday–Sunday 10 am–5 pm; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Dec 28–Jan 1
- Organizer: Preservation Virginia
- Official page: https://preservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/cape-henry-lighthouse/
- Last checked: Sat, Oct 24

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Oct 24, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-10-24), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/virginia-beach/activities/cape-henry-lighthouse--listing-7238ea130fb2570423d673a1

## About

The old Cape Henry Lighthouse, the first federally funded public works project of the new United States, stands near the First Landing site inside Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story. A timed ticket includes a fully guided visit: climb the tower, then take a 45-minute walking tour of Cape Henry with a historical interpreter. Climbers must be at least 42 inches tall, and adults can't carry children up. Because it's on a military base, every visitor 18 or older without base access must submit the SECNAV 5512 security form 5 to 30 days before the ticket date (the link comes with the purchase confirmation), and everyone over 16 needs a REAL ID. Civilian visitors park at the base gate and ride a shuttle. The tower closes during thunderstorms and in extreme heat.

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