Our Stay at Big Sable Point Lighthouse
Big Sable Point Lighthouse in Ludington is one of Michigan's most iconic lighthouses and we had the opportunity to spend two nights inside the lighthouse quarters. This was a bucket list item for us and as we knew it would be cool, our experience exceeded expectations.
After some planning, we had our dates set. It was actually happening. We were heading out to Big Sable Point Lighthouse to stay. One of the highlights that stand out was the first time opening the door and walking inside. A living room with sitting area led to a large kitchen with a bedroom off of the kitchen. As it is configured today, the entire lighthouse has different areas. First, there is the area where we stayed. On the other side of the lower level is the gift shop and area where the public can go on tours to the top. The second story of the lighthouse is where the current volunteer lighthouse keepers stay. We will get more into that soon.
After getting settled in, we noticed a storm was starting to come across Lake Michigan. How cool is that? Staying at a lighthouse during a storm. That first night couldn't have been a cooler experience. Two separate storm cells converged as one over Ludington. We were able to get some really cool photos and footage of the storm and realized how important this lighthouse has been in these type of conditions. It really felt like the right way to experience a night in a lighthouse.
The first night sleep was great but we can't lie. We read some of the stories of the lighthouse before our visit and when a cell phone fell onto the floor during the night we were quick to wake up!
In the morning we heard the volunteer lighthouse keepers getting the property ready for the day. After a morning stroll down the beach, we met the team of volunteers who were staying at the lighthouse. This group works in the gift shop and the tower during the hours it is open to the public. We introduced ourselves to the group before making a visit to the top of the lighthouse tower, rising over 108 feet above Lake Michigan. Throughout the day we talked with the volunteers and discussed going up in the tower again at sunset.
Next up we set out on our paddleboards to take in the lighthouse from the water. We paddled out and drifted while taking in the views. This was our version of viewing the lighthouse as the ships would, we just happened to be a bit closer!
One of the coolest parts of our experience was being invited by the lighthouse keepers to join them for dinner. Not only was the dinner and desert awesome, their knowledge of Big Sable Point Lighthouse was amazing and they shared many stories of their years of working at the lighthouse. A few of them have over 20 years of experience of volunteering at the lighthouse.
After dinner and a bit of relaxing, it was time to go back up to the top of the tower for the sunset. This was something we were really excited about and for good reason! We hung out on the tower balcony and watched the sun drop below the horizon. If you have followed us you know that we are Team Sunset and this sunset location really was awesome.
As the darkness of night arrived, the skies were perfectly clear and we knew we were going to have another unique opportunity on night two. Night one, storm. Night two, night sky photography with Big Sable Point Lighthouse being the star of the show, along with the actual stars. You can see more in the video below.
After a busy day that went late into the night, we got a good nights sleep before packing up to head out. Overall, this experience was awesome. The lighthouse, the people, the weather conditions. It all worked out perfectly.
We want to say thank you to the Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers Association. According to their website, their mission is "to preserve, promote and educate the public and make our lighthouses accessible to all" and we feel that they are doing an amazing job. You can visit their website to learn more about visiting or getting involved.
You can watch our full video of our time at the lighthouse below!