Jennifer L.
Yelp
This lighthouse is awesome. Tallest in NJ, say whaaaat. My manfriend and I went on a late weekday morning during the winter, so parking was ample (street parking and I'm pretty sure they have a lot). Admission for adults is $7.00, but I saw a little AAA sign and it's a buck off per person. $12 to climb up a historical monument? NO PROBLEM. It's a donation for a non-profit, don't be so stingy. They also have a coupon listed on their website for a dollar off.
Speaking of donations - while googling the lighthouse after we visited, I found out they classify their donors as keepers based on donorship level. How cute is that? For $40 , you can call yourself a LIGHTKEEPER and have unlimited admission for four people for a year. Pretty sweet donor deal, if you ask me considering most orgs don't come with any perks whatsoever. For $250-$10k, you get a really boring name: Head/Corporate Keeper.
You climb 228 steps, each step is numbered, and the stairwell itself is actually really beautiful. I'm normally not scared of heights, but there is something about climbing an open, circular stairwell that gives me the heebie jeebies. For those of you who have climbed to Lady Liberty's crown, these stairs are a hundred times more spacious and less suffocating. I still held on to the railing for comfort. Plus there are platforms where you can take a break and read up on some history about the lighthouse.
A man waits at the top, give you a neat little business card that says you survived/didn't die/are still alive, tells you some facts about the lightouse, the lens and then opens the door to let you walk outside. He warned us it was icy, and it was, so nothing like the fear of death, but beautiful views nonetheless. WOOHOO! indeed.