U.S. Lighthouse Society's

Lighthouses of Puget Sound – June 17 to 20

From satellite images taken above the state of Washington , you can clearly see the jagged arms of Puget Sound which were etched by glaciers over thousands of years. These glaciers created a vast, inland sea which is over 2,000 miles long and famous lighthouses dot the landscape. Our abridged Puget Sound tour will give you the highlights of the region from land and sea.

Friday, June 17 – The tour begins with check-in at a Seattle airport hotel followed that evening by a traditional Society welcome dinner. For those driving, vehicles can be left at the hotel for the duration of the excursion at no charge. A free shuttle will be provided for people arriving by plane (or cruise ship).

Saturday, June 18 – After breakfast we’ll head to our first lighthouse, Alki Point, which is located at the southern entrance of Seattle ’s Elliot Bay . Interestingly enough, Alki marks the spot where the first white settlers arrived in 1851. Next on the agenda, the group will head to the West Point Light which marks the hazardous shoal and northern entrance into Elliott Bay . The beacon, located in Seattle ’s Discovery Park , remains essentially unchanged from the time it was built and has recently undergone a major renovation. Heading north, the group will enjoy a picnic lunch at the famous Mukilteo Lighthouse and a tour of the beautifully restored tower and ancillary buildings.


Visiting the Puget Sound region goes hand in hand with riding ferries, and after our tour of Mukilteo we’ll drive north to Anacortes and hop on our first ferry of the trip to Friday Harbor . This beautiful voyage through the northern islands of Puget Sound will enable the group to view the stunning scenery and wildlife of the region. Once we arrive at our destination, the group will make their way to the Lime Kiln Lighthouse for a tour. Built in 1919, Lime Kiln is located on the west side of San Juan Island in Dead Man’s Bay overlooking Haro Strait . San Juan Island received its name from the Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza who charted and explored the islands in 1791. After the tour of the lighthouse, the group will enjoy dinner and the night in Friday Harbor .


Sunday, June 19 – After breakfast, the group will embark on one of the highlights of the trip, a chartered cruise to the lighthouses of the San Juans. These include Patos Island , Turn Point, Lime Kiln, Cattle Point and Burrows Island . The group will also enjoy lunch this day aboard the vessel. After the cruise, and a short drive, we’ll board the ferry for the voyage back to Anacortes. Once there, on to Whidbey Island for a tour of the Admiralty Head Lighthouse. Admiralty Head is a 90-foot high promontory that projects into Admiralty Inlet on the west coast of Whidbey Island . It acquired the name from Admiralty Inlet, the waterway between the Olympic Peninsula and Whidbey Island, connecting the Strait of Juan de Fuca with Puget Sound . Following the tour, the group will head to Oak Harbor , a small town on Whidbey, for dinner and the night.

Monday, June 20 – Following breakfast, the group will take their final ferry ride of the trip from Whidbey to Port Townsend. Upon arrival, we’ll head to Point Wilson Lighthouse for a tour. Admiralty Inlet was considered so strategic to the defense of Puget Sound at the turn of the century that three forts were built at the entrance with huge guns creating a "Triangle of Fire" that could theoretically thwart any invasion attempt by sea. Admiralty Head on the Whidbey side and Point Wilson on the Port Townsend side mark the entrance to Puget Sound ( Fort Worden , on the Quimper Peninsula marks the third point of the impenetrable triangle). After a drive south along the Kitsap Peninsula , the group will arrive at the Point No Point Light Station, headquarters to the U.S. Lighthouse Society. Here we’ll enjoy a tour of the facility and picnic lunch. Point No Point has the distinction of being the oldest lighthouse on Puget Sound which is located on a low finger of land that the local Native American tribes had given the name - Hahd-skus, meaning long nose. After the tour and lunch, the group will make their way back to Seattle for flights home and car pick up.

Puget Sound, WA is steeped in maritime history, and this tour will give you a great opportunity to experience the best the area has to offer including the unique natural environment and beautiful lighthouses of the region. For more information, please visit the U.S. Lighthouse Society website and click on "Tours", or contact Jeff at headquarters - 415-362-7255 / jeff@uslhs.org

Jeffrey S. Gales
United States Lighthouse Society
A Nonprofit Historical & Educational Organization
9005 Point No Point Rd., NE
Hansville, WA 98340
(415) 362-7255 / (415) 362-7464 fax