Visitor Information

Lighthouse Museum & Gift Shop Hours

  • FOR 2020 - hours will vary for the shop, due to pandemic concerns
  • May - October, Open Daily 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Nov - Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday Noon - 4:00 pm
  • The lighthouse is closed to the public from December through April, but the park, beach and trails are open year around!  However this year we will not be open until further notice due to the Covid-19 virus.
  • No food or beverages sold at the lighthouse but picnic tables available near the lighthouse. PLEASE use proper trash receptacles for all your trash. Keep our park clean!
  • Friendly Dogs Welcome - only with responsible pet owners! PLEASE put all pet waste in the trash cans provided in the park. Help keep our park clean!

Admission Fees

First floor of museum FREE, to experience the 2nd Floor museum and stair climb to the top to see the views, there is a small fee:
  • $5 per person ages 13+
  • $2 per child ages 6-12
  • Age 5 & under FREE
  • (parking is always FREE)
*All proceeds from admissions benefit the Mission Point Lighthouse and its preservation, restoration, and interpretation.

Parking

Lighthouse Park has a free public parking lot - follow signs. All buses and motorhomes must park on the road/M-37,  - NO ENTRY into the parking lot. No parking for any vehicles on the loop at the end of M-37. Overflow parking from the lot is on M-37.

Handicap Visitors

Our parking lot has handicap visitors' parking and a paved sidewalk to the lighthouse. Outside toilet closest to the lighthouse is for handicap individuals. The lighthouse is not handicap accessible inside and can not accommodate a folding wheelchair, stroller or walker. First floor museum of the lighthouse is very small.
Three other historical buildings on Old Mission Peninsula are Hessler Log Cabin (at Lighthouse Park), Dougherty Mission House and Log Church. These three are maintained by volunteers from the Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society and owned by Peninsula Township. Visit the Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society website.

Drones

Drones are allowed at lighthouse park but you cannot disturb other visitors and drones must be at least 60 ft away from the lighthouse, visitors and all buildings. ​
snowy owl on telephone pole
Snowy owl on Center Road - March 2016
Black bull dog in snowy front yard of lighthouse behind white fence
Tyrone, Old English Bulldog friendly local visitor
Lighthouse Park sign as you head north on Old Mission Peninsula M37
Look for this Lighthouse Park sign as you head north on Old Mission Peninsula - M37 ends at the lighthouse
snowy owl on the deck of Chateau Chantal Winery
February 2018 - Visitor from the Arctic, stunning snowy owl on the deck of nearby neighbor - Chateau Chantal Winery
The lighthouse is open to the public for self-guided tours for a small fee, browsing the gift shop, or a friendly hello to our Lighthouse Keepers. Don’t forget to sign the guestbook! We track where visitors are from and for 2019 season more than 53,000 visitors signed the guestbook, 1,857 were from foreign countries, 83 foreign countries were represented.

​For the first floor of the lighthouse museum, there is a small busy gift shop and one museum room. Please come in to learn about our history, as well as meet the keepers. Sign the guest book to add your number to the count for next year. Pay in the gift shop for the self-guided tour. The lighthouse does not sell beverages or food and has NO indoor public toilets, however the park grounds has two outdoor toilets (more in the summer months). 
Mission Point Lighthouse is located at the end of Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City. Follow M-37 North until it reaches the northernmost point. At this point you will reach the 45th parallel and Mission Point Lighthouse.
​(Be sure to read the Testimonials tab, on this website.)
Address to the lighthouse (not for mailing purposes) 
​20500 Center Road, Traverse City MI, 49686. 
We look forward to seeing you!

​Audio Tour for Visitors

For an audio tour provided by the Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society, just call 231-354-7550 and then enter the extension for the location where you are:
  • Hessler Log Cabin    Dial 11
  • Mission Point Lighthouse -  12
  • Haserot Beach -  10
  • Old Mission Inn -    30
  • Dougherty Home -   21
  • Dougherty Ice House -  22
  • Dougherty Privy -  23
  • Rushmore Privy Artifacts -  24
  • Replica Indian Church - The Mission -  25
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Here is a link to other places to visit on Old Mission Peninsula.  https://wandermoore24.com/travel_blog_old-mission-peninsula-wine-tasting/
little black and white dog sitting in barrel in front of lighthouse
Tazzy, local friendly visitor to our dog-friendly park.