What To Expect When Visiting New London Ledge Light

On July 16, 2025, I was able to go on the first public tour to New London Ledge Light in two years. As a southeastern Connecticut local, I’ve seen this lighthouse a lot. So naturally, I’ve been wanting to go inside this lighthouse for years.

History of the Lighthouse

New London Ledge Lighthouse was built in 1909. While New London already had New London Harbor Light, it was not enough to protect ships from the dangerous ledges and shifting currents near the mouth of the Thames River. The lighthouse sits on a manmade concrete platform at the entrance to New London Harbor.

You’ll probably notice that this lighthouse does not look like your typical lighthouse. That’s because the design was influenced by two wealthy men in the area who didn’t want an eyesore visible from their houses. Those two men were Morton Plant of Groton (he lived in the Branford House, which you can see at Avery Point) and Edwin Harkness of Waterford (he lived in Eolia mansion, which you can now visit at Harkness Memorial State Park).

So, due to two wealthy men, its design is different from any other lighthouse. It has a French 2nd Empire and Classic Revival design. The exterior of the lighthouse is made of bricks and it has granite details on the windowsills and corners.

This lighthouse is said to be haunted by Ernie. It is said that Ernie served the lighthouse in the 1920s or 1930s. Supposedly, his wife had run off with the captain of one of the ferries that frequents the area. It is said that he eventually snapped because of this and climbed to the roof of the lighthouse and jumped. It’s haunted enough that it was featured on Ghost Hunters. It’s just one of many haunted lighthouses in New England.

How To Get Tickets

Tickets for tours can be purchased on the New London Maritime Society’s website. The boat that takes you to the lighthouse is not large, so tickets are limited. They ask that you make your reservation at least one day in advance, but because seats are limited, I’d recommend booking before that to ensure you get a spot.

Getting To Where The Boat Departs

The boat departs from the New London City Pier in New London, Connecticut. The pier is located behind the train station. There isn’t parking here, so you’ll have to park at the Water Street Garage, which you’ll have to pay for. This garage is about a block or two away from the pier. We planned to get to the pier 30 minutes before the boat was set to leave. We gave ourselves 15 extra minutes to park and walk to the pier. It is a quick and easy walk to the pier from this garage.

The nice thing about the location of the New London City Pier is it’s right behind New London Union Station. That means that you can easily get here by train without needing to get an Uber or taxi to take you to where the boat departs. The train drops you off right where you need to be. This makes it easily accessible if you’d like to take the train in from New York City, Boston, or Providence.

The Boat Ride

The Thames River Heritage Park’s water taxi brings you out to New London Ledge Light. The boat is a refurbished surplus U.S. Navy “liberty” utility boat that was used to shuttle sailors to shore from larger ships for liberty or free time. It’s not a large boat and it’s not handicap accessible. You will have to go up a couple of stairs to get on to the boat and to get down into the boat.

During your ride to the lighthouse, you’ll see a couple of points of interest. The one that we actually slowed down for was New London Harbor Light, which is also owned by the New London Maritime Society. We learned about the history before continuing onward to New London Ledge Light.

Other points of interest as you cruise are Fort Griswold State Park, Fort Trumbull State Park, and Avery Point, which is home to another lighthouse. You don’t really get close to Avery Point, but you do get a nice view of Fort Trumbull and the monument tower at Fort Griswold in the distance.

Visiting The Lighthouse

When you arrive at the lighthouse, you will need to put on a life vest to get off of the boat. This is really for your safety because the boat can be a bit unsteady as you get off. There’s no true dock here, so you’re stepping on to a narrow concrete path that leads to a metal staircase to get up to where the lighthouse sits.

You will need to wear your life vest until you’re inside the lighthouse. We then went into the first room to the left where they had us leave the life vests. Once you’re inside, you’re free to explore the lighthouse freely. You’ll have about an hour. There are three stories and the lantern room. There will be a docent who can answer any questions you have while inside.

I want to be upfront about the inside of this lighthouse. Do not expect this to be like walking into a pristine historic house museum. Some rooms of the lighthouse are in rough shape. It does need work done, but the New London Maritime Society has to maintain three historic lighthouses (New London Ledge Light, New London Harbor Light, and Race Rock Lighthouse). It’s a lot for a nonprofit.

Maintaining historic buildings, let alone ones that are on the ocean where they’re exposed to additional elements, can be tough. This is why donations and taking tours of these buildings is important. That money goes towards helping to maintain the buildings and do necessary restoration work.

While there are a few rooms that need a bit of work, most of the rooms are well-maintained. You will find various exhibits as you walk through the house. Some are specific to New London Ledge Light (some about the history and architecture as well as galleries with art depicting it) and others that are more general about lighthouses.

One of the most interesting displays was the room of Ernie, the resident ghost. I wasn’t expecting it, but I think it was a cool exhibit to have in the lighthouse. Every local has heard about Ernie and he is one of the first things people mention when they hear “New London Ledge Light.”

Be sure to also go to the lantern room! Like many lighthouses, the stairs are a bit more like a ladder to get up into the lantern room. There are handles to help you make your way up. When you get into the room, you won’t be greeted by a Fresnel Lens. The original Fresnel Lens isn’t in the lighthouse anymore, but you can see it at the Custom House Museum in New London.

You can actually step outside the lantern room and get great views of the river and the sound. If you’re by yourself, there will be someone up top who can take your picture for you!

When you’re done exploring inside the lighthouse, you’ll be able to spend time outside as well. You can watch boats sail by and birds flying by. There are benches along the building to sit back and relax.

What To Know Before You Go

• Wear appropriate shoes. You need to be wearing closed toed shoes for safety. If you don’t wear close toed shoes, they will not let you on. I wore sneakers when I went.
• Wear sunscreen. While there is a part of the boat that has shade, you can’t guarantee a spot in the shade unless you’re the one of the first people on. Additionally, if you want to enjoy the views outside while you’re at the lighthouse, not every spot is shaded.
• Pack water. You’ll be gone for about two hours. If you go on a hot day like I did, you’ll definitely want some water. However, you cannot bring snacks.
• There is no parking at the pier. You will need to park in the Water Street Garage. It’s a paid parking garage that’s across the street from the train station and it has plenty of parking. There are elevators and stairs available to get up and down. Payment method was credit card only.
• The boat is not handicap accessible and neither is the lighthouse. If you have trouble with stairs, this tour is not for you. You have to go up a set of stairs just to get to the top of the concrete slab that the lighthouse sits on. There were people who chose to stay on the boat when we arrived at the lighthouse.
• You will need to sign a waiver. All participants will need to sign a waiver. On the waiver, you will also indicate whether or not you’re okay with the New London Maritime Society taking your photo while you’re on the tour.

Is New London Ledge Light Worth Visiting?

All in all, I think it’s worth visiting at least once, especially if you love lighthouses or if you have a thing for visiting haunted places. However, if you don’t want to go inside and just want to see it from the outside, I’d recommend doing a lighthouse cruise out of New London instead. Your options are Cross Sound Ferry’s lighthouse cruise or hopping on the Thames River Heritage Park’s water taxi.

If you want to see it for free, there are a couple places you can see it from land. In New London, you can see it from Ocean Beach Park or along Pequot Avenue. In Groton, you can see it from Avery Point. In Waterford, you can see it from Waterford Beach Park. But, if you’re viewing it from land, it will be in the distance.

If you’re looking to photograph it from land, I’d recommend using a telephoto lens. I typically use my Tamron 150-600mm lens. It’s my go to lens for when I’m looking to photograph a lighthouse that’s out on the water from land.

Sharing is caring!