A view of lighthouses from the Slumberland lantern room

Nemo grows up living with her father in a lighthouse as the lightkeepers. Her father promises her the keys to the lighthouse when she can tell him what the purpose of a lighthouse is (hint: it is not only to keep ships safe), and she sets off on an adventure of self-discovery that leads her back to their lighthouse.

While Nemo’s lighthouse was a set built for the movie, and Slumberland was filmed entirely in Ontario Canada, if you’ve ever been charmed by lighthouses and have a sense of nautical whimsy, here are a few lighthouses you can visit in North America. 

Ontario

The Slumberland movie was filmed entirely in Ontario, Canada , and while Ontario does indeed have some coastal areas that are home to some 130 lighthouses, the lighthouse seen in Slumberland was made on a movie set. 

Thankfully, you can still visit a number of charming lighthouses in Ontario, including the Snug Harbour Range Rear Lighthouse and the Point Clark Lighthouse.

Snug Harbour

Take a camping trip to Killbear Provincial Park and you can visit two lighthouses: one at Killbear Provincial Park itself, and Snug Harbour Range Rear Lighthouse nearby. The park’s perks include several miles of picturesque trails for hiking and biking, a variety of ways to camp, and access to the water for sailing. However, keep in mind that the park is BYOB (bring your own boat).

If camping isn’t your thing, there are a handful of peaceful resorts and bed-and-breakfasts nearby, including Snug Harbour Resort or  Chalet Rosemarie just a 20 minute drive from Killbear Provincial Park, as well as many more in the nearby town of Parry Sound. 

Point Clark

Enjoy a beachy getaway to see Point Clark lighthouse in Point Clark, Ontario , and stay in nearby Huron Ridge. This lighthouse is located on Lake Huron and is a great place to explore some of Canada’s rich history. You can even tour the lighthouse and the lightkeeper’s attached home from mid-June through Labor Day.

U.S. Lighthouses

There are currently more than 700 lighthouses operating in the United States, with Michigan holding the title for the state with the most lighthouses (over 115). From the bright red Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse in Ponce Inlet, Florida, to the old Portland Head and Nubble Lighthouses in Maine, to the classic Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Newport, Oregon, there is a lighthouse for everyone.

The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse sits just down the beach from Daytona Beach on the eastern coast of Florida. Visit the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum for the full experience and to learn more about the history of this 1880s lighthouse. There are ample opportunities to soak up the sunshine at nearby parks and dog parks, along with manatee and dolphin boat excursions.

Lighthouses and Maine go together like lobster on a roll. Portland, Maine, has several in the area, including Portland Head, Cape Elizabeth, Ram Island, Echo Point, Fort Williams, and Bug Light. While you’re touring the area for lighthouses, be sure to save some time to ride the historic Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad for some spectacular ocean views.

Take an hour drive south to York and you can see another handful of lighthouses on the way and in York, including Goat Island , Lobster Point , Nubble, Whaleback, and Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses. In the right season you might also enjoy scuba diving and fishing. If you’re visiting in late July or November,  you won’t want to miss the summer and winter lighting events at Nubble Lighthouse.

Newport, Oregon is home to both the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse and the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, both of which are available to tour thanks to the Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses organization that is mainly operated by volunteers. Newport sits on the beach about two-and-a-half hours southwest of Portland, and is just about 30 miles north of the Siuslaw National Forest. Enjoy the Oregon Coast Aquarium and spot some native sea lions sunbathing on the docks at the Newport Historic Bayfront.