Have you ever visited a lighthouse and climbed to the top? The 144 steps seem more like three million, don’t they? Lighthouses are full of history, full of fascinating stories. At the top of a lighthouse, life seems a little better, a little freer.

Lighthouses Around the World is the perfect place to start our tour. The site offers a lighthouse chat room, lighthouse forums for posting messages, and even free online greeting cards. Click on Go to the Lighthouses to tour lighthouses from around the world. You can even take a lighthouse quiz.

Did you know that the first great lighthouse is also the tallest at 450 feet? The lighthouse was built in about 280 BC in Alexandria, Egypt. Learn more about the history of lighthouses at Dan’s Lighthouse Page. View photos of lighthouses from all over the U.S., download lighthouse icons for your computer, or glance over more than 175 links to lighthouse sites on the Web.

The first American lighthouse was built in 1716 in Boston Harbor. Legendary Lighthouses, sponsored by PBS, explores the history, legends, and folklore of the lighthouses along the American shore. Take a virtual visit to the lighthouses by choosing the region, then the lighthouse itself. Cape Hatteras in North Carolina is the tallest lighthouse structure in the country and can be seen from more than 20 miles at sea. Learn the history of the lighthouse," how it was completed in 1802, yet was called "the worst light in the world, since sea captains couldn’t see the light even when near the Cape. Read the story of the St. Simons Island Lighthouse, of how a slain lighthouse keeper’s ghost still climbs the stairs to service his light.

How would you like to spend the night in a lighthouse? Visit All Lighthouses Known to Offer Guest Accommodations to find out which structures offer room reservations.

The Selkirk Lighthouse in New York is one of the view lighthouses that offers guest accommodations. A party of two can spend the night in the lighthouse for $100 a night. What an experience that would be, to sleep in a lighthouse!

The National Maritime Initiative’s Publicly Accessible Lighthouses by Region website tells you which lighthouses are open for public tours. Some of the lighthouses have links offering pictures and information about the facilities.

Finally, for a comprehensive listing of lighthouse websites, visit Yahoo! Lighthouses, where you can click on individual lighthouse links for more information.

Robin Nobles is a freelance writer who can be reached at robinnobles@robinsnest.com.

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