Live Lighthouse Webcams — Coastal Beacons of the US

Lighthouses sit at coastal high points by design — they need to be visible to ships from miles offshore. That same positioning makes them excellent webcam locations. Live cams at lighthouses capture coastal weather, ship traffic, sunrise and sunset, and sometimes the lighthouse beam itself sweeping across fog.

This is the guide to the best live lighthouse cams in the US.

Maine — the lighthouse coast

Maine has 65+ lighthouses along its coast. Live cam coverage is strongest at the most iconic ones.

• Portland Head Light (Cape Elizabeth, ME) — the most-photographed lighthouse in the US. Live cam from Fort Williams Park covers the lighthouse plus the rocky shoreline.
• Pemaquid Point Light (Bristol, ME) — dramatic rock formations in the foreground. Atlantic surf during storms is spectacular.
• Bass Harbor Head Light (Mount Desert Island, ME) — Acadia-area lighthouse, sunset is the iconic shot.
• West Quoddy Head (Lubec, ME) — easternmost point in the contiguous US. First sunrise on the East Coast for half the year.

Best viewing: sunrise (especially West Quoddy and Pemaquid), storm conditions (Pemaquid surf gets dramatic), fog (any of them — Maine’s coast is famously foggy).

Outer Banks, North Carolina

The Outer Banks coast is hurricane country. Multiple lighthouses, multiple webcam options.

• Cape Hatteras Light — tallest brick lighthouse in the US (208 ft). Famous “candy cane” stripes. Live cam from various points around the National Seashore.
• Bodie Island Light — black-and-white horizontal bands. Cam at the visitor center.
• Currituck Beach Light — northern Outer Banks, less crowded.
• Cape Lookout Light — black diamonds; remote, accessible only by ferry.

Hurricane season (June-November) is when these cams come into their own — coverage of major storm landfalls.

Pacific coast

• Heceta Head Light (Florence, OR) — most-photographed lighthouse on the West Coast. Cam from the surrounding park area.
• Yaquina Head Light (Newport, OR) — Oregon’s tallest lighthouse. Tide pool area cams.
• Point Reyes Light (CA) — northern California, frequently fog-bound.
• Pigeon Point Light (CA) — south of San Francisco, coastal cam captures dramatic Pacific surf.

The Pacific coast cams reward patience — fog and wind can obscure for hours, then suddenly clear. The transitions are gorgeous.

Florida — Atlantic and Gulf

Florida has 30+ lighthouses with varying degrees of live cam coverage.

• Hillsboro Inlet Light (FL) — second brightest lighthouse in the US. Dramatic ocean views.
• St. Augustine Light (FL) — historic black-and-white striped tower. Coastal cam coverage.
• Cape Florida Light (Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Miami area) — tropical coastal context.

Florida lighthouse cams catch lightning storms, tropical weather, and coastal hurricane activity.

Great Lakes

The Great Lakes have hundreds of historic lighthouses. Cam coverage is sporadic but improving.

• Split Rock Lighthouse (Lake Superior, MN) — most photographed lighthouse on the Great Lakes. Cliffside drama.
• Sturgeon Point (Lake Erie, OH) — historical pier-end lighthouse with cam.
• Big Sable Point (Lake Michigan, MI) — black-and-white striped tower.
• Tawas Point Light (MI) — Great Lakes ship watching plus lighthouse.

Lake Superior storms produce the most dramatic Great Lakes lighthouse cam content. November “gales of November” especially.

What to watch for

Beyond just the lighthouse aesthetic:

1. Ship traffic. Many lighthouse cams overlook shipping channels. Watching cargo ships, cruise liners, or fishing boats pass is mesmerizing.
2. Fog horns and weather. Lighthouses still serve their original purpose during fog. Cams capture the sweep of the beam through mist.
3. Storm surf. Storm waves at lighthouses are some of the most dramatic ocean photography — heavy spray, big swells, rocks getting drenched.
4. Bird life. Many lighthouses sit on bird migration routes. Cams catch seasonal flocks.

When lighthouse cams are best

• Sunrise/sunset: Universal — golden light on white towers
• Storms: Pacific NW winter, Outer Banks hurricane season, Great Lakes November gales, Atlantic Nor’easters
• Fog events: Maine in summer, Pacific coast year-round, mornings on the Atlantic
• Holiday light displays: Some lighthouses have December lighting events worth watching

Travel context

Visiting lighthouses in person:

• Maine’s “Lighthouse Trail” — official self-guided route covering 60+ lighthouses
• North Carolina’s Outer Banks — combine with beach vacation, multiple lighthouses in 1-2 hour drives
• Oregon Coast — US-101 passes most major Pacific coast lighthouses

For tours, Viator’s New England tours and Pacific Coast tours include lighthouse-focused itineraries.

The US Lighthouse Society maintains the canonical list of lighthouses with public access.