Tour Fort Erie’s Hidden Gem: Point Abino Lighthouse

Tucked away on the quiet shoreline of Lake Erie, just south of Fort Erie, sits a lighthouse like no other in Ontario – the Point Abino Lighthouse.

With its striking design, exclusive location, and fascinating maritime past, this hidden gem is one of Niagara’s most unique historic attractions.

And the best part? You can actually tour it… but only on select days each summer!

If you’re looking for something truly unique to do in the Niagara Region during the summer, add a guided tour of Point Abino Lighthouse to your bucket list!

A Lighthouse Unlike Any Other

Built in 1917, the Point Abino Lighthouse was built in response to increased traffic in Lake Erie. Before the lighthouse, permanently moored ships called Lightships were found around the shores of Lake Erie and acted as a guide for vessels approaching the Port of Buffalo. With advances in technology, improvements to navigational aids were in the works for the Great Lakes, including manned lighthouses.

Since Point Abino juts out from the Canadian shoreline, its rocky, shallow waters have long been a hazard to ships navigating the Lake Erie Shoreline – so much so, that Lake Erie is known as the “graveyard of ships.”

In 1913, a raging storm passed through and over a dozen ships and 200 sailors lost their lives, including the tragic loss of Lightship No. 82 that lost all six of its crew members. Theses losses prompted urgency in the improvement programs, and so began the plans for Point Abino Lighthouse.

This lighthouse was in use for almost 8 decades when in 1995 was declared as “surplus” and all of its machinery was removed.

Unlike many lighthouses, which are usually designed for function rather than aesthetics, Point Abino Lighthouse is known for its elegant neoclassical architecture clean lines, and almost Grecian columns give it the look of a miniature temple by the water!

It’s one of the only lighthouses of its kind in Canada, and its unusual beauty helped it earn National Historic Site status in 1998. It is only 1 of 13 designated lighthouses in Canada!

Two massive compressed air ballasts for the fog horn

A Lighthouse Locked Behind the Gates

For decades, the lighthouse was off-limits to the public due to its location within a private gated community that is primarily American owned. That means most people who live in the Niagara Region have never seen it up close, let alone been inside!

But in recent years, the The Point Abino Lighthouse Preservation Society (PALPS) has worked (and fought) hard to change that.

When local reported JoAnne Columbus learned about the lighthouse becoming “surplus” and deactivated, she fought for historic designation, access, and public ownership. A lifelong resident, Janet Truckenbrodt, joined her cause and PALPS was formed. With their efforts, Point Abino Lighthouse was given designation and purchased by the Town of Fort Erie in 2003.

Now, on select dates throughout the summer, you can book a guided tour done by amazing volunteers to step inside the lighthouse and learn about its history, the life of the lighthouse keepers, and how the structure was painstakingly restored.

Remarkably, this light was purchased using the money raised from souvenir sales!

Why It’s Worth the Trip

Visiting the Point Abino Lighthouse is a rare experience – and one that I was so glad to finally do after knowing about the tours for a couple of years. It’s not every day you get to explore a National Historic Site that was, until recently, completely off-limits to the public.

It’s a tour you’ll be guaranteed to learn something new on, and offers an interesting look to the purpose of lighthouses and how they (and their keepers) did their job to protect passing ships from running ashore (or worse).

Tours are limited and spots fill up quickly, so it’s best to book in advance. A shuttle will take you through the private community to the lighthouse, where you’ll walk the grounds, take some incredible photos, set off the fog horn, and hear stories of shipwrecks, storms, lighthouse keepers, and resilience on the Great Lakes.

This table shows pieces of the fog horn – from the fog alarm timer, diaphone piston, and air pressure guage!

Know Before You Go

📍 Location: Point Abino Road South, Fort Erie. Tickets say to meet at 1010 Point Abino Rd South where you will find a large paved parking lot, but you actually get picked up just up the road at #1036. Look for the flags and bus!

🗓️ Tours: 8 guided tours are offered on select weekends in the summer and last 1.15 hours.

🚐 Access: Tour includes shuttle transportation through the private community.

🎟️ Tickets: Guided tours are just $6 ($3 for kids 6-12 and free under 6) and must be booked in advance; no walk-ins! Site visit tours without internal access are available for free and must also be booked in advance. The walk is about 3 km round trip.

👪 Accessibility: Point Abino Lighthouse is not an accessible property.

🚻 Washrooms: There are no washrooms on-site! But there are portable washrooms where you get picked up on the bus.

Portable fog horn alarm (that I got to set off!) which was once carried up 100+ steps to the top of the lighthouse 6 times a day.

Point Abino Lighthouse is a short walk from the shoreline across rocky shale.

Point Abino Lighthouse is one of Niagara’s best-kept secrets. If you’ve been looking for a new kind of adventure close to home, this one checks all the boxes: rare access, fascinating history, and breathtaking lake views.

Plus for the price, it’s an absolute must!

Don’t miss your chance to explore a piece of Ontario’s maritime past this summer!