Rhode Island is home to a number of lighthouses, four of which are right here in Newport.  The Rose Island Lighthouse, the Lime Rock (Ida Lewis) Lighthouse and the Newport Harbor (Goat Island) Lighthouse can all be seen from various spots in downtown Newport, while the Castle Hill Lighthouse is located off Ocean Drive, next to the Castle Hill Inn.

Rose Island Lighthouse – This lighthouse was built in 1870 and stands 35 feet tall.  It was abandoned after the Pell Bridge was built and was the victim of scavengers, vandals and the weather until the Rose Island Lighthouse foundation was founded and restored it in 1984. This lighthouse can be accessed by ferries from Newport and Jamestown.  Tours are held in the lighthouse museum from 10am to 4pm, and features rooms that were restored to replicate what it would look like if the lighthouse keepers still lived there. The lighthouse and museum run on wind power electricity and a rainwater collection system.

Lime Rock Lighthouse – This lighthouse station was established in 1854, but was discontinued in 1927.  Standing 13 feet tall, it is now the home of the Ida Lewis Yacht Club.

Goat Island Lighthouse – The Goat Island lighthouse is situated on Goat Island, and while it is not open to the public, the grounds adjacent are.  The current lighthouse was built in 1842 and is 35 feet high.

Castle Hill Lighthouse – The Castle Hill Lighthouse was established and built in 1890 and stands 34 feet tall.  While the lighthouse itself is not open to the public, the grounds around it are.

There are many boat tours that highlights these lighthouses and if you want to see all the lighthouses of Narragansett Bay, there is a 90 minute boat tour – “10 Rhode Island Lighthouses of Narrangansett Bay” – which operated out of Quonset Point, North Kingstown, which is about a 30 minute drive from our Newport Inn.  Many of these lighthouses can also be seen from tours that are right out of the downtown Newport area, such as Newport Majestic Cruises or Classic Cruises of Newport.