About this city
Also known as: Home of Old Barney
Commanding the northernmost tip of Long Beach Island, a narrow barrier island in Ocean County, Barnegat Light is a historic and highly picturesque maritime borough. Incorporated in 1904, the community's history has been inextricably intertwined with Atlantic navigation and maritime lifesaving since the early 19th century. The town is globally famous as the home of the historic Barnegat Lighthouse, affectionately known as 'Old Barney,' designed by legendary military engineer George G. Meade and illuminated in 1859 to guide ships past the perilous shoals of the Barnegat Inlet. Today, Barnegat Light functions as a tranquil seaside sanctuary, carefully coordinating its active commercial commercial longline fishing harbor—one of the largest on the East Coast—with pristine dunes, state parks, and an uncommercialized vacation lifestyle.
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Practical Tourism Metadata
Suggested stay: 1 day
Climb the 217 steps of the historic 1859 Barnegat Lighthouse for breathtaking panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and bay inlet. Walk the quiet paths and spot migratory coastal raptors at the Barnegat Lighthouse State Park maritime forest trail. Watch the commercial fishing fleet arrive at Viking Village.
