The Connecticut shore of Long Island Sound comes well-endowed with historic lighthouses: some still active, some retired, but all of which have done their part safeguarding boaters and mariners amid these historically treacherous waters. As a guest of ours at Hotel Zero Degrees, enjoying the best boutique hospitality Fairfield County has to offer, you’ll have a number of these fetching lights within easy reach.
Here’s a look at merely three of the beacons easily enjoyed from your Hotel Zero Degrees guestroom or suite, especially at our coastal Norwalk or Stamford properties a stone’s throw from Long Island Sound!
The Sheffield Island Lighthouse
Just off Norwalk’s waterfront lies a Long Island Sound archipelago: the Norwalk Islands. At the southwestern end of this chain of islands and islets—a fabulous close-by destination for outdoor recreation and relaxation—lies Sheffield Island, where in 1868 a lighthouse was erected to guide vessels in and out of the harbors. The namesake of the island, the Revolutionary War veteran Captain Robert Sheffield, purchased it in 1804 and actually served as the lighthouse keeper for the original tower preceding the current one.
The Norwalk Seaport Association offers ferry cruises out to Sheffield Island that include tours of the lighthouse. The tower also plays host to occasional special events, such as the upcoming kid-friendly “Haunted Lighthouse” experience on August 3rd and 4th.
The Great Captain Island Lighthouse
This light was also built in 1868 and shares a design with the Sheffield Island Light. It was a replacement for an 1829-built lighthouse, the first to be erected on Great Captain Island, largest of a little cluster of islands off the Greenwich, CT coast that also includes Little Captain (Island Beach) and Wee Captain.
This time of year, a ferry offers access out of Greenwich Harbor to Great Captain Island, which besides the lighthouse itself gives nature enthusiasts the opportunity to see heron and egret rookeries, ospreys, and other birdlife.
The Stamford Harbor Ledge Lighthouse
The Stamford Harbor Ledge Lighthouse dates from 1882 and occupies the tiny perch of Chatham Rock at the gates of Stamford Harbor. While not open to the public, you can enjoy views of it from the shore or from a rented boat or a chartered or public cruise, such as the Lighthouse Cruises offered by the Maritime Aquarium of Norwalk.
Enjoy Connecticut’s Long Island Sound Lighthouses on a Hotel Zero Degrees Stay
There are many other lighthouses in our vicinity to be seen, including Greens Ledge Lighthouse near Norwalk Harbor and the especially venerable Eatons Neck Lighthouse (built 1798) just across the Sound on the northern shores of Long Island. While luxuriating in our Hotel Zero Degrees accommodations and amenities, take advantage of our hotels’ proximity to these tried-and-true landmarks and tap into some local history!