Michigan Accommodations
Bed & Breakfast
Big Bay Point Lighthouse
Location: #3 Lighthouse Road, Big Bay, Michigan 49808 (On Lake Superior 4 miles east of Big Bay and 30 miles north of Marquette).
Contact: 906-345-9957. Email: keepers@BigBayLighthouse.com
Facility: Open April-November. The 14-room inn has five guest rooms with private baths, a common living room, and library, as well as a sauna.
Note: This is a working lighthouse and a private aid to navigation with the brightest light on Lake Superior. They also have the original 3rd
order lens.
Website
Vacation Rentals
Charity Island Lighthouse
Location: Charity Island is located 10 miles offshore in the middle of the Saginaw Bay.
Contact: 989-747-4078 Email: lightkeeper@charityisland.com
Facility: Five bedrooms with 2.5 baths. Sleeps 8. Amenities include: Galley style kitchen with modern conveniences,
spacious living room provides panoramic views of Lake Huron and wrap around deck with lots of comfortable wicker
chairs. Round trip transportation is from either Caseville or Au Gres Michigan, AuGres being the preferred location from
Charity Island Landing & RV Park located 3728 E. Michigan Avenue, Au Gres Michigan 48703.
Details on renting the lightkeepers home can be found on the website below.
Website
Eagle River Lighthouse
Location: On Lake Superior in Eagle River, Michigan on the west side of the mouth of the Eagle River
Contact: Property Manager - 906-231-9762 (cell). Email: jancole1663@yahoo.com
Facility: Carefully restored 1850's lighthouse. 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, gourmet kitchen, library, gorgeous deck and a four-season
sunroom. Sleeps 6.
Website
Fort Gratiot Lighthouse
Location: 2802 Omar St, Port Huron, MI 48060
Contact: 810-982-0891, X118. Email: education@phmuseum.org
Facility: Overnight at the Lighthouse. Suited for scouts, youth groups, school groups and families. Each overnight stay features a tour of
the grounds, fog signal building and keeper’s dwelling, which concludes by climbing the oldest lighthouse in the State of Michigan!
A program relating to the site will be presented, then a snack and lights out. Sleep in the keeper’s dwelling in bunk-style accommodations,
then have breakfast on your own the next day. Groups of up to 42 people can be accommodated year round.
Website
Point Betsie Keepers Quarters
Location: Point Betsie Road, Frankfort, MI. On Lake Michigan 5 miles north of Frankfort, near the southern end of the Sleeping Bear
Dunes National Lakeshore.
Contact: Email: pointbetsie@gmail.com
Facility: Two bedrooms with 1-Queen and 2-Twins, also a pull-out sofa. Sleeps up to 6. Fully supplied modern kitchen and one bathroom.
Breathtaking views from every room of Lake Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes and the Manitou Islands.
Website
Lighthouse Keeper for a Fee
DeTour Reef Lighthouse
Location: Off shore in Lake Huron, 3 miles south of DeTour Village, Michigan.
Contact: DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society. 906-493-6609. Email: keepers@drlps.com or DRLPS@drlps.com
Facility: Keepers reside at the fully restored off-shore lighthouse. Accommodates up to 6 individuals - singles and couples may
apply. Transportation to and from the Lighthouse by USCG licensed boat captain included in the fee.
Duties: Include cleaning and light maintenance tasks, assisting with tours and keeping a log. Must be in good physical condition
and able to climb vertical 20-foot pier ladders.
Website
Grand Traverse Lighthouse
Location: Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum, 15500 N. Lighthouse Pt. Road, Northport, MI 49670. On Lake Michigan in Leelanau State
Park, 8 miles north of Northport
Contact: 231-386-7195 Email: info@grandtraverselighthouse.com
Facility: Former assistant's quarters with a fully-equipped modern kitchen, living room, two bedrooms each with two twin beds,
and a bath and a half. Can accommodate up to four adults at a time.
Duties: Greeting visitors, providing historical information about the lighthouse, helping in the gift shop and other miscellaneous duties.
Website
Mission Point Lighthouse
Location: At the end of Old Mission Peninsula, 17 miles north of Traverse City, Michigan where M37 ends.
Contact: Ginger Schultz, Manager. 231-645-0759 Email: missionpointlight@gmail.com
Facility: The Keepers’ Quarters has one bedroom (2 single beds), queen sleeper sofa in the living room, updated bathroom,
dining room and a newly updated kitchen. All cleaning products are supplied. Keepers provide their own linens, towels and food.
Occupancy is 2 adults and occasionally we can accommodate 3-4 (check with manager). Children, pets and RVs are not allowed.
Keepers have secure storage for bikes, boards, kayaks etc.
Note: See the website for the keeper handbook, calendar and application process.
Duties: Primarily the in-season keepers (May-Nov) are busy with the retail shop from 10 to 5. Keepers must be able to climb the
37 steps to the tower a few times daily to check the museum and at the end of the day to clean the windows, sweep & vacuum.
Schedule is Tuesday to Tuesday with Wednesday off. The gift shop duties are Thursday – Monday. There are light daily
housekeeping duties and for the off-season keepers some optional maintenance projects. Off-season, winter keepers have minimum
of 3-night stay/cost is more but no retail duties required.
Rates: See website or contact the Manager. Website
Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse
Location: 7320 Lighthouse Road, Port Hope, Michigan 48468.
Contact: Mimi Herrington 989-768-0466. Email: mimiherrington@comcast.net
Facility: Your group of two to four adults can spend a week or more staying in the Assistant Keeper’s house overlooking the scenic
shores of Lake Huron.
Duties: The primary responsibilities of Assistant Keepers include greeting visitors, helping in the gift shop and acting as docents by
giving tours and providing information about the lighthouse. In addition, Assistant Keepers may be asked to perform basic facility
maintenance such as sweeping floors and dusting. See website for additional information and fees.
Website
St. Helena Island Lighthouse
Note: St. Helena will be open for the 2022 season.
Location: On Saint Helena Island in Lake Michigan, 7 miles west of the northern end of the Mackinac Bridge
Contact: Great Lake Lighthouse Keepers Association: 231-436-5580. Email: info@gllka.org
Facility: Housing opportunities are varied and are dependent on the groups scheduled on the island. Volunteer keeper openings are
available from mid-June through mid-August, with tours of duty ranging from a minimum of 3 days through the entire two month
period, based on the volunteer's availability. Volunteers will be transported by boat from Mackinaw City to St. Helena Island or via
a two miles trip from the south shore of the Upper Peninsula in one of our 14-foot outboard powered Zodiacs. Volunteers will spend
their entire tour of duty on the island before being returned to Mackinaw City.
Duties: Can include painting, sanding, cooking, washing dishes, dusting, hand-pumping and carrying water, serving as a tour guide
and clearing brush and weeds.
Fees: Please call the GLLKA office for the fee structure and the available time frames. The fee includes all meals, snacks,
beverages, consumables and transportation.
Website
Tawas Point Lighthouse Photos by Michigan DNR
Location: On Lake Huron in Tawas Point State Park near East Tawas, Michigan.
Contact: Tawas Point Lighthouse Keeper Program, Laurie Catherine Perkins. Email: dnr-tawaskeepers@michigan.gov
Facilities: Two week stays only. Keepers stay in the keeper's quarters on the second floor of the residence. Maximum occupancy is
four people at any one time. Modern accommodations include two bedrooms, full kitchen and bathroom. No pets allowed.
Duties: Duties include greeting guests, providing information about the history of the lighthouse through regularly
scheduled public tours and light housekeeping. Keepers must be 18 years old.
Fees: Fees will be posted during the application process in January of each year. See website below to sign up.
Website
Volunteer Host Keeper
Au Sable Point Light Station
Location: On Lake Superior, 13 miles east of Grand Maris in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Contact: Scott Berry at 906-387-3700. Email: piro_information@nps.gov
Facility: A volunteer apartment on the second floor of the head keeper’s quarters includes a kitchen, indoor bathroom, small living room
and one bedroom.
Duties: Each year, the park uses volunteers to live at the light station and staff the museum and contact station to help with tours.
Announcements are made for volunteers at the end of December/beginning of January for the following summer.
Application
Big Sable Point Lighthouse, Ludington North Pier Light & Little Sable Point Lighthouse
Location: All three lighthouses are on Lake Michigan: Big Sable Point in Ludington State Park, 8 miles north of Ludington;
Ludington North Breakwater in Ludington; Little Sable Point in Silver Lake State Park, 32 miles south of Ludington.
Contact: SPLKA 231-845-7417 Email: splkadirector@gmail.com
Facility: Housing is provided for all volunteer lighthouse keepers, onsite at Big Sable and nearby for both Little Sable and
the Ludington North Breakwater Light. There is a $30/single and $50/couple or family administrative fee and you must be a
member of Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association (www.splka.org). Applicants are encouraged to visit the lights and
check out the website before applying.
Duties: Duties include cleaning, tower tours, historical interpretation, and operation of a gift shop. Applicants should make every
effort to visit our lighthouses before applying to be a keeper. 4-7 volunteers are scheduled for each tour of duty. Two-week tours at
Big Sable; One-week tours at Little Sable and Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouses.
Website
Cheboygan River Front Range Lighthouse
Location: On Lake Huron in Cheboygan.
Contact: Great Lake Lighthouse Keepers Association; 231-436-5580. Email: info@gllka.org
Facility: Two volunteers per session; a couple or close friends. The lighthouse has 3 bedrooms for accommodations.
Duties: Lead tours of the tower. Daily cleaning of the lighthouse is necessary and an important duty of the Keepers will
be to staff the gift shop. Keepers will also be responsible for building and grounds maintenance throughout the day. This may
include sweeping down buildings, mowing the lawn, trimming grass, changing light bulbs, etc. There will also be special
projects from time to time - ranging from carpentry, light demolition, painting, etc., depending on the individual keeper’s
skills and abilities. There is a nightly fee and you must be a member of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association.
Website
Crisp Point Lighthouse
Location: On Lake Superior, 14 miles west of Whitefish Point.
Contact: Bill Beasley 989-859-1407. Email: keepercoordinator@crisppointlighthouse.org
Facility: Volunteers stay in motels or tent/RV camp south of the lighthouse for one to five days at a time in the summer.
One keeper family at a time. Must be a member of the Crisp Point Light Historical Society (www.crisppointlighthouse.org).
Duties: Greet visitors, answer questions and let them climb the tower. Other duties include selling merchandise, cleaning
up around the lighthouse and boardwalk and cleaning/restocking restrooms.
Website General information Email: info@crisppointlighthouse.org
Forty Mile Point Lighthouse
Location: 40 Mile Point Lighthouse Park, 7323 US 23 North, Rogers City, MI. On Lake Huron, 7 miles north of Rogers City.
Contact: 989-734-4907. Email: fortymilepointlighthouse@gmail.com
Facility: You must supply your own RV. There are four fully equipped RV parking spaces located just south of the open
pavilion. There is a $25 non-refundable application fee, see website for application.
Duties: Greet visitors and provide them with historical information about the light station, work in the gift shop, lighthouse
museum and pilot house and keep the buildings neat and clean.
Website
South Fox Island Lighthouse
Location: South Fox Island Lighthouse, Michigan
Contact: John McKinney 231-947-1926 Email: mckinne8@msu.edu
Facilities: Independent camping. Only amenities are an outdoor privy, picnic table and fire pit. You need to provide everything else,
include all your food for 2+ weeks. Couples or small groups of friends are ideal candidates. Transportation is provided to and
from the island. Keepers now have the option to use bunk beds in the newly reconstructed lighthouse summer quarters.
Duties: Provide tours for occasional visitors, grounds upkeep and restoration projects based on your abilities.
Website
