I think it is safe to say that most beach towns have an iconic symbol that appears on tourist brochures, calendars, postcards, or other souvenirs. At Long Beach Island, NJ, it is the Barnegat Lighthouse, or “Old Barney”, located on the northern tip. It was built in 1835 (obviously renovations have been made too keep it safe), and it is 52 meters tall.
Right after my sister and I got our licenses, we hopped in our Jeep whenever we could and drove the hour and a half to LBI when we had a day off from school or on a random Saturday or Sunday. We love to go in late March or April right when the winter is ending and it starts to become warmer. Because our house is located in the middle-south there is not much to do and not many people (most people who live on the island all year-round live towards the north), we like to go to the lighthouse instead.
One time we invited our friend Olivia. The drive
to LBI from where I live in Bucks County, PA is a very easy drive, for there are only like 3 roads (not really, but it feels like it). When we get there we decide to go to the Barnegat Lighthouse because Olivia wanted to take pictures of us in cool scenery for her school photography project. When we pull into the parking lot at the state park, it is surprisingly busy, and it is nice to see that others appreciate it as much as I do. We cannot walk up to the top like we have in the past, and we are disappointed because the view from up there is so great. (If you do try to walk to the top, I recommend wearing comfortable shoes because there is no elevator and the stairs are very rusty and kind of sketchy.)
Surrounding the lighthouse are the bay, rocks, a sand area, and a walkway path. There are people fishing in the bay, kids running around, others relaxing on the rocks. The overall atmosphere makes me so happy.
Olivia takes pictures of me and my sister at all these different locations. Even though so many people were staring, we were having too good of a time to be bothered. When we are done, we walk along the path until we are too hungry to stay… There’s is no food directly in the park, but there are many good restaurants open all year-round not far at all.
Every time I go to the lighthouse I see and do something different, and every time I go I am genuinely happy. In the summer it can get crowded, but in the fall, winter, and spring, it feels so open and fresh. It really is the feelings I get there that make me love it so much.
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