Cana Island Lighthouse

Walking to an island! Yes! The walk is beautiful with the lake on both sides. When you get to the island, the first stop is the museum/store. From there, you can get a wristband to climb to the top of the lighthouse. Or you can skip that and walk the ground for free. The 96 steps to the top of the lighthouse are beautiful with the spiral staircase and lookout windows at each landing. At the top, you can go out on the lighthouse railing and see a 360 view of the lake! Each room in the lighthouse is set up and displayed as a museum. On the grounds there are many things to see and it is full of history. You have to walk out to the beach and walk along the stone/ rock shoreline. There are so many photo opportunities. It is such a peaceful place.

Quite easily the crowning jewel of Door County, this lighthouse is located off a small channel across Lake Michigan. The island grounds are open from half an hour before dawn, till half an hour after dusk. The island grounds are officially open from 10 AM-5 PM, wherein a $12 entry ticket is required for adults. There's also a tractor trolley which ferries people across the channel to the island; this doesn't require any fee, although tips are appreciated. The island grounds have been recently renovated, and people are allowed to climb to the top of the lighthouse. There's also a small rocky trail that goes around the island. The reception area has a small gift/souvenir shop, selling Cana Island/Door County merchandise. Parking can be limited though, especially during busy seasons, so plan accordingly.

Great place to visit. Cost $10 per person. You can take your take. Walk around outside. In the light house, you Climb 97 steps to the top. You can also Walk around the top part of it. Little tight to get to the top. Take your time. Going down is not too bad but to get started it is a little awkward. They also have a gift shop and it has historical photos to see. Definitely wear gym shoes because to get to the light house you walk across a rocky area. It’s like a sandbar that connects the small island that light house is on but you’re walking on small rocks. Take your time and you’ll be fine. Enjoy !! MC🌸IA

Had the BEST experience here! The lighthouse is huge, restored, fully functioning and active, and the staff are great! Very well kept light station and lots of history and information that’ll tell you everything you need to know about this place that was built in the 50’s. We went to the top of the lighthouse, 97 steps, saw the original glass lens that came from France that weighs literally a TON with thousands of prisms that make the light visible for 18 miles. You’ll have to see everything else for yourself, but it’s freaking incredible. Go see it!!

Located an hour plus northeast of green bay, this is a fantastic stop for lighthouse lovers. On the way up, there are multiple parks, vineyards, and distilleries to see. Several state parks dot either side of the highway and county roads lead you through beautiful unincorporated towns. Take a day to explore the area. The lighthouse is accessible and you can climb to the top! Great views. The spiral staircase is tight but worth the climb. To access the lighthouse, there is a fee (10$ for kids, 12$ for adults). They have a museum and some historical grounds to explore, as well as some short hiking trails. We spent 2 hours there. Free tractor rides take you across the causeway, but it's easy to walk.

💡 if you like light houses then you will not want to miss this special experience. You board a wagon that gets pulled across a shallow causeway from the parking area to the lighthouse grounds. Yes you can walk if the lake level is low like it was while we were there but it's the experience. The fee was $12 when we went. You can climb the lighthouse and walk the island. 🐕‍🦺 The place is dog friendly so you can bring your well behaved pup on a leash. Well behaved Kids are tolerated but generally are discouraged. Bad kids are not allowed. If you don't know if they are good kids then they are not and you should go get help to make you a better parent. 🛻Parking is limited to about 12 cars, there is another 6 cars that can park on the road but most of the area is no parking and we saw them ticketing and towing so find a good spot. 🦟 the mosquitos were so thick if you walked in the grass off the trail that they would block the sun light. But maybe a better bug spray will help. We recommend staying on the paved paths and not going at dawn or dusk. Give this review a 👍 like if you like lighthouses or if you are breathing. Enjoy the adventure.

Beautiful and fun! Tractor ride over was great and informative. Pay once you get over to the island at the visitors center/gift shop. The island was beautiful with lots to explore and see. Light house stairs were fairly easy, a little tougher to go down than up. There is a bathroom(vaulted toilet).We spent about 1.5 hrs here.

We walked across on the way there and took the tractor on the way back. Beautiful scenery and we learned about life on the Island. Stairs are steep but the employees take care to ensure your safety. Gorgeous views from top! Pack a lunch there are plenty of picnic tables to sit and enjoy a sunny day.

Lovely, easy walk from carpark to lighthouse. We could walk across the causeway as water level was low but the hay wagon was there if needed. Gift shop is good with some nice merch. The climb to the top of the lighthouse was pretty easy, 4 landings on the way for passing and catching breath. The views at the top are fantastic so worth the climb. Afterwards we walked all the way around the lighthouse on the shore light. Glad we had sturdy boots for hopping over the rocks.

Cool location, trip out to island is great on a wagon and the views are spectacular! The docents were very helpful!

While visiting Door County there is a lot of hype about the lighthouses, so we felt obligated to see a few. The road to Cana Island was a long winding road lined with trees, there was virtually no other cars and it was quite serene and enjoyable. There is a small parking lot and it was filled even though there were not many people, I cannot imagine what it is like during the height of tourist season. To get to the lighthouse you can take a tractor, but there was not one in sight , so most of us opted to walk over the rocky canal to Caba Island. It actually was a cool walk with water on both sides. Their was a fee to see the lighthouse of $12 pp to access the areas surrounding the lighthouse., but maybe due to short staff, no one was collecting or providing the wristbands. The areas provides some nice views of Lake Michigan, and a few nice photo ops.

I am not a lighthouse fan....I don't have the decor, and they aren't the first thing that comes to my mind when I think nautical. That being said, if given the opportunity to tour one, I absolutely will. Cana Island is one of the best to tour in Door County. There is a causeway that you have to cross to get over to it, and sometimes it is dry as a bone, and sometimes it is covered in shin high water. You can walk across or you can wait for the tractor wagon to come get you. There is a parking lot near the causeway and a small beach that you can walk on. I toured several years ago and it was very interesting, seeing the living quarters as well as the light. The price was right too, about $5 or $6 per person. Today, the price has doubled to $12 a person! Still worth it, in my opinion, since the proceeds go to maintaining the lighthouse and grounds. Even if you're not a fan of lighthouses, this is still a worthwhile stop. There's not as much to do on the lake side of the peninsula, but this is definitely a highlight! 35/2022

Visiting the lighthouse here was a fun tourist stop.  It was different in that you have to take a short but bumpy tractor-drawn wagon ride across a shallow channel to get to Cana Island.  The fee to see the lighthouse is $10 pp and that was irregardless of whether you got to climb the lighthouse tower or not.  For our group, it was a not, as they are short staffed these days and not offering the tower climbing.  I got the impression short-staffing has been the case for most of this tourist season.  Anyway, one can still look around the grounds, the base of the lighthouse, and the attached keeper's home and artifacts, and read about the lifestyles and activities of the keeper and his family. You pay the $10 pp at the visitor's center after you take the tractor ride across, so if you find out then that there's no tower climbing, I don't know if you can return to the mainland without paying the $10.  If tower climbing is important to you, I suggest you ask the tractor driver or call ahead first.  It didn't matter to us, as we enjoyed the visit either way. I give the visit 4.49 stars rounded down to 4, with the main knock being no staffing for a tower climb.  We hardly ever visit lighthouses, and this one is also not the most picturesque one, but it'll do.  I also now seem to have an irrational affinity for lighthouses only because I saw the over-rated 2019 movie Lighthouse with Willem Dafoe.  The movie reinforced that lightkeepers had a dedicated but desolate lifestyle and I think that reflection adds to the appreciation of any physical visit to a lighthouse.

This is a nice 155-year-old lighthouse that is operated by the Door County Maritime Museum and well-maintained. After walking across the causeway (that often is covered with water and requires a haywagon ride), we climbed the 97 steps of the spiral staircase to the top of the lighthouse and saw beautiful views of Lake Michigan. Afterward we viewed the lighthouse keeper's home and oil house, and then walked around the edges of the island on the rocky shore next to the water. We had a nice adventure there!

Nice piece of history. We came during a complete downpour so it wasn't as enjoyable but overall the tickets are a bit overpriced and there is no actual guide. I would have rather tipped the driver that gets you across to the island Vs paying $12 for a self guided 10 minute tour.

We were traveling along one of Door County's rustic roads wanting to see Autumn foliage. At the end of the rustic road, was a parking area where we saw a tractor pulling a passenger cart. The driver was allowing his passengers to step off. He asked us if we wanted to visit the lighthouse. It was after 3pm and we hadn't expected to... but we said, "Sure!". So glad we did! The tractor pulled us through the trees and drove on top of the rocks in the WATER to an island across the way! Very cool! Note that the drive on top of the rocks was VERY BUMPY (but fun)! On the other side... on the island... was a little gift shop and beyond the gift shop was the light house over looking the water. You were allowed to enter the house next to the lighthouse where apparently people used to live. The stairs to climb the lighthouse was closed off. Great photo ops! Mark, the driver was a really nice guy. He was very informative. Have a few dollars on hand to tip him at the end. He must drive back and forth (over the ROCKS!) daily many many times!

The caretakers do an awesome job on maintenance and presentation. This is one of the nicest properties that I have visited.

My friend and I first time there and took a lot of pictures and couldn't go up in the lighthouse because to windy and rainy.

Fun for any age. Cart will take you over if you don't want to walk. It's free but I hope you put some money in the tip jar. All the drivers are volunteers and love their work. We had to work a bit to get my 50 lb poodle into the cart. You have the run of the island and there is an information and souvenir building. Great place for all ages. We did not climb the lighthouse but had a great time. Rode the cart back no problem. There is a charge, wasn't much but we paid to support the activity. Lots of kids. Nice families.

Tide was low when we went today, so no issues walking across the rocks to Cana Island. There was still a tractor taking people over for those who wanted that option. Beautifully maintained area. The view from the top of the lighthouse was worth going up the 97 stairs. Make sure to take a moment to go to the shore from one of the walkways at the base of the lighthouse. Absolutely gorgeous view of the water. Highly recommend!!

Great lighthouse to visit. Cost is reasonable. If the causeway is not underwater it's fun for kids and can throw rocks in lake. Lighthouse and island are well cared for.

Very cool spot and fun to ride the tractor pulled trailer over to the island; water is crystal clear and gorgeous!! The volunteers are very friendly and knowledgeable!

Pros: Walk to get there: To get there you have to either walk 100 meters or so across a shallow water crossing, or you can take the tractor. Walking across was a lot of fun and different from most of the light houses I have visited. Water behind the lighthouse is a good place for a walk. Cons: The admission is very steep ($8 to see the lighthouse, $12 if you want to climb it). View: The lighthouse itself isn't very picturesque and you can't get a picture of it with the water unless you have a boat.

My favorite lighthouse to visit!! So, the main reason this is my favorite lighthouse is because you get to wade through ankle-deep (sometimes higher and sometimes none at all) water to get to the little island. My first time here, the water was very calm and it was SO much fun wading through. It was bone dry my second time, so it was just walking on a bunch of rocks. This time, the weather was a bit iffy with a storm coming through. There were waves coming in from both directions. We had the dogs with us this time and our 11-month-old puppy was a bit overwhelmed with the water's choppiness. We came back the next day and the water had calmed down a bit from the day before, so, much to our happiness, our puppy was ok with crossing. YAY! FYI - for those who don't want to wade through the water, if a volunteer tractor driver is available, they will come around and pick you up! :) Easy peasy. Once you reach the little island, there are restrooms available. (Not the flushable kind though). You walk a little along a path lined with raspberry bushes until you reach the grass clearing and see the lighthouse. We didn't go into the lighthouse this trip because of the dogs, so we checked out a couple of the other exits to see the water. The water was clear but a little cool. :) Super fun though!!!

Totally ripped off. We paid $10/person for waking on the "island" for 5 min. The lighthouse was not even open. Don't waste your money.

Great classic lighthouse. Watch you head when you climb out the top! Tractor ride to the island is a blast. Loved it!

AFTER you pay $10/person, you then find out the Lighthouse is surrounded by bright orange fencing and construction equipment which makes it impossible to get a unobstructed picture of the Lighthouse. Defeats the whole purpose of the $10/person. What a joke.

I found it to be worth the money to visit the Cana Island Lighthouse and pay for the walk up to the top. The thing is, I did not think I would be so terrified at the top. I was unable to move away from the wall or look straight down. There were small children who were skipping around up there while the look of terror was frozen on my face. What really makes it worth a visit is a walk around the island the lighthouse sits on. The natural beauty of Door County is unreal, with boulders of limestone scattered along the shore, and out amidst the bluegreen waters. My girlfriend did a small photoshoot in the July light.

Beautiful and well kept lighthouse. The countryside surrounding it make it worth the drive also. Cost is $6 adult but if no one is attending the ticket booth you are asked to give a donation which is needed to help maintain the park. Be a good citizen and give a donation!

The grounds were well maintained. Got a tractor ride from Steve! Staff was knowledgeable and friendly.

The best part was wading through the water to get the lighthouse despite it hurting my feet. It was also a bit of thrill to climb up the lighthouse.

Just visited with four children (ages 2, 3, 5 & 6) and all had a blast. It was a chilly day and we took the tractor to cross the water to the island. It is end of May and I believe the tractor runs until 4 or 4:30pm. There is a sign that will let you know if the tractor is running that day. We didn't see it at first and just hung out on the beach for about 10-15 mins until it came. The kids loved the tractor ride and climbing the tower to the beautiful view. No waits for anything and maybe that's because we visited early in the season. Every staff member was remarkably nice and helpful. The cost was totally reasonable in my opinion. I actually would have paid double the amount. Great stop. I did not expect to have so much fun there with small children and they are asking to go back tomorrow.

Super neat experience!!! Was on our bucket list of things to do. Use a GPS to find it though - its in a secluded location north of Baileys Harbor. Scenery is AWESOME and a great location for photos!!!! Staff is friendly and knowledgable. Tour the whole grounds; walk around the rocky beach; make your own rock marker stacks; climb the 95 steps to the top and wow....the view can't be beat.... Would definitely go back!!!

2 hours of my life I won't get back. $12 to wait over an hour and you get 5 whole minutes at the top. Don't waste your time as there are plenty of other things to do in Door County.

I was so glad we stopped by Cana Island and visited the lighthouse. $12 gets an adult onto the island and up the lighthouse. It's worth it. The island itself is small, so the main attractions are the lighthouse and keeper's quarters. You get up the lighthouse via a huge spiral staircase. I didn't find it difficult to climb at all. At the top, watch your head because even a short person like me had to duck in order to get out onto the ledge. The guide waiting at the top of the lighthouse was great - he knew so much about the history of the island, lighthouse, and keepers. He was the one who told us that the lighthouse glass was cracked from a duck crashing into it years ago, according to a keeper's log. He told us how the keepers would have to carry lard up the skinny staircase to keep the light going back in the day. Now, there are 4 lightbulbs, with them automatically rotating when one goes out. We were on the top of the lighthouse for quite a while, but we weren't rushed. We couldn't get enough of the gorgeous view and took a ton of pictures while up there. The keeper's quarters were interesting as well. They have actual items from past keepers, and the office looks pretty much the same as it did. I especially liked reading a letter written to one keeper which basically said to keep his wife under control because it was reported that she had acted rudely to lighthouse visitors once. Ha. Once we were out of the lighthouse and dwelling, we walked through the trees on a little path that led to the water. We sat there for a bit, just enjoying the view and relaxing on a nice day. I really enjoyed this visit. We weren't there for long, maybe an hour and a half or so, and it was very much worth the stop.

Tractor ride over is a hoot well worth the 10 bucks. We paid per person our tractor driver Frank was very knowledgeable about the lighthouse and it's history

Loved! A must do in Door County. The tractor ride across to the island is a super unique experience, and the water is beautiful. Currently, they are not taking visitors up to the top of the lighthouse, but the attached house and grounds are still amazing. Great place for pictures and historical fun.

The grounds and shore line are always worth returning to. A short walk along a rocky causeway brings you to this lighthouse, privy and oil house. Feel free to walk amongst the grounds and make your way to the many entrances to the shoreline. It's really pretty how they stacked rocks to make a wall that welcomes you in. You can explore the the area and then return to the house. Make sure you climb the staircase to see the French lense. The house is also full of history from the light keepers of long ago.

Beautiful scenery and fun experience! Even our three year old enjoyed it. It was rainy when we visited so we would like to come again sometime.

You'll get your exercise walking to this lighthouse. You have to park a fair distance away and walk. You pay a $4 fee to go into the lighthouse ($2 for kids), and an extra $4 to go to the top. Children have to be at least 42" tall to climb the stairs to the top. The second floor (where children are allowed to climb) has an informative documentary, as well as historical pictures and a "kids activity room" with a light board and a short film about light. It was worth a visit for our family.

Fascinating historical look at what maritime life was like pre-GPS when lighthouses were needed for safety and navigation. Pay the fee to climb to the top - it's good exercise, a great view, and funds help to maintain the lighthouse and grounds. Volunteer staff are happy to answer questions and joke around with visitors.

Cana Island is very pretty. Climb to the top of the lighthouse

Love to visit lighthouses. We took our trip to Door County to see the outhouses and whatever else we see. This was the only one that we didn't have problems finding and thAt we could go in. I didn't like that we had to pay extra to climb the stairs to the lighthouse. 3 of the five of us did it. Beautiful area.

I am biased here people so take my 5 stars for what it's worth. I love history. I love the Great Lakes. I love lighthouses. Put all 3 together here and I had a 5 star experience. It's $12 to tour the lighthouse and an additional $5 to walk the 97 steps to the top. I am not a huge fan of heights but knew that my trek up those steps would lead me to an amazing view of the area. I paused a bit to look around the lighthouse's kitchen but made a beeline to the wrought iron steps. On the way up there are several landings with a window. This gives a great view of the area. When I got to the top, I was met by our guide, Dave. Dave is a fount of knowledge about the lighthouse. I spent a while up there taking photographs but I would guess that during busy months they you limit it. The walk down the stairs was a bit tense. I suggest not looking straight down. It's totally worth the view. I would do it again!

To start, a $12 fee per person to get in. You need to remember, maintaining this and staffing it is not cheap. Several millions was put into it to keep it up, meaning $12 went to the maintaining of it, not some ones pocket. Plenty of parking, then a walk or tractor ride to the island the light house is on. Pending Lake levels - how deep the water is from mainland to island, 6" deep in October 2018. There is a house attached with a second floor, showing 2 videos about the place and history. Both the tractor driver and person leading you up the tower were very informative and with a good sense of humor. Yes there is a wait to climb the 90+ steps up a cast iron spiral stairs. port holes in the walls, duck as you get to the top. Care full of the wind, entering onto the platform was not easy with so much wind. nice view of the area from up there. If heights are an issue, take it easy coming back down, for me very easy, others have a lot of difficulty. Very cool picture of the stairs. There is a lot of history here, if you love this kind of stuff, there is enough here to take 2 hours out of your day. If you do not care about history, then you will find you want your 2 hours back. Very well restored and kept as original as possible.

Kinda hard to find, we thought we were lost a few times! Amazing views! Kinda scary at the top, it was really windy. Amazing photo op! And walk the path down to the water for more views. Worth the few dollar fee.

What a beautiful historic place to visit. Walk the grounds of Cana Island & check out the history behind this lighthouse & the keepers home. The second floor of the home has a few exhibits explaining the science behind the light as well as the lighthouse's history.

This is one of my favorite places in the state of Wisconsin. It is a bit out of the way but it is worth the drive. You have to park on the mainland and then walk along a path to get to the island. This is one of the main lighthouses in Door County and it is worth every cent! While there pay extra to climb the tower because the view from the top is stunning. The staff are very nice and knowledgable as well.

This was an awesome place to visit. I was about 6-10 dollars to go in the light house but the photographs that I was able to take of the landmark were amazing!