Lighthouse Point's Namesake Is Paid For by the People Who Climb It

"We get zero dollars from the Coast Guard. We get zero dollars from the government." That's Ralph Krugler, historian for the Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society, speaking to Local 10 News in July. He was describing the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse, the landmark the city of Lighthouse Point is named after.

Between mid-November and mid-December, Lighthouse Point gets three dated events tied to the inlet and the Intracoastal. The first one costs money, and that money helps keep the light standing.

A 1907 tower that runs on tour fares

The Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse went into service on March 8, 1907. Local 10 describes the climb as 11 stories. According to the same report, more than a century of salt air has rusted away original iron components and left cracks and corrosion visible throughout parts of the structure.

The repair work has already started. As Local 10 reported on July 2, 2026, workers are removing damaged material, applying new protective coatings and planning to replace deteriorating iron pieces with stainless steel, which should hold up better in coastal conditions. The full restoration is expected to cost as much as $2 million.

Here's the scale of the gap. Krugler told Local 10 that it took the society about 10 years to raise $400,000. That's roughly one-fifth of the projected cost, collected over a decade. The nonprofit depends almost entirely on fundraising, memberships and public tours. Boating content creator Camilla Pavan started a "Save the Lighthouse" social media campaign and a GoFundMe page to speed things up.

So the society's public tours are more than a pleasant outing. Tours and memberships are a large part of how the restoration gets paid for, and the next tour is a little over two weeks away.

The season at a glance

November 15: the tour that pays the bills

The lighthouse sits across the inlet, and you can't drive to it, so every visit starts on a boat. Visit Lauderdale lists the next public tour for November 15, 2026. It includes a boat ride to the grounds, a tour of the property and a climb to the top.

Some details to know before you go:

• Departure dock: South Florida Diving Headquarters, 125 North Riverside Drive, Pompano Beach.
• Cost: You need a current HLPS membership or a $35 per-person transportation fee. The Visit Lauderdale listing says a ticket includes membership in the society.
• Timing: Shuttle boats leave the marina docks on the hour and come back from the Coast Guard docks at the lighthouse on the half-hour. Seats are first-come, first-served, so plan to arrive 15 to 20 minutes early.
• Restrictions: Only closed-toe shoes are allowed, and children must be at least 4 feet tall.

Sailing hours for the day can change, so check the Hillsboro Lighthouse Preservation Society's tour page before you leave home. Krugler leads many of the society's monthly tours. If you'd rather support the restoration without climbing, a membership goes to the same fund.

If you have family coming in for Thanksgiving, this tour lands about a week and a half before the holiday. It's also a better answer than most to "what is there to do here?"

December 2: the city lights its own namesake season

Two and a half weeks after the tour, the celebration moves from the tower to town. The City of Lighthouse Point lists Lighthouse A'Glow for Wednesday, December 2, 2026, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 3500 NE 27th Ave.

That address is Frank McDonough Park. The city's 2025 listing for the event named the park and mentioned local vendors. The 2026 program hasn't been posted yet, so check the city calendar in late November before you count on any particular activity.

The tour and the parade both start in Pompano Beach. A'Glow is the City of Lighthouse Point's own event, on a Wednesday evening, inside city limits.

December 11: the parade comes up the Intracoastal

The season ends back on the water. The Greater Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce's 64th annual Holiday Boat Parade is set for Friday, December 11. The theme is "A Party in the U.S.A.," for America's 250th anniversary, and Harrah's Casino Pompano Beach is the presenting sponsor. The Chamber expects more than 50 decorated boats on the Intracoastal.

The 2026 route hasn't been posted. Last year's route gives a good idea of what to expect. In the City of Pompano Beach's 2025 announcement, the parade started at Lake Santa Barbara in Pompano Beach, traveled north on the Intracoastal and finished at Hillsboro Boulevard. That route takes the boats up the waterway past Lighthouse Point on the way to its northern end.

Three details are worth sorting out before parade night:

1. Start time. The Chamber's event page says the parade begins at 6:00 p.m. and lists a 6 to 10 p.m. event window. The City of Pompano Beach's event listing shows 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. Boats reach the northern end of the route later than the start, so if you're watching near Lighthouse Point, confirm the time closer to the date and expect to wait a while either way.
2. Bridges. In 2025, the NE 14th Street Causeway and Atlantic Boulevard Intracoastal bridges were locked open from about 6:15 p.m. until the parade passed. If you're driving east-west through Pompano that evening, that's last year's pattern to plan around.
3. Where to watch. The Chamber's official 2026 VIP viewing party is at The Cove Waterfront & Tiki Bar in Deerfield Beach, and tickets are $100 per person. You can also watch from inside the parade this year. The Chamber is entering its own boat, and tickets are $200 per person with an open bar. The parade will also be livestreamed on the Chamber's Facebook and YouTube pages.

If you have a boat at your own dock, you can enter it. The Chamber lists a $25 entry fee and online registration. The rules bar political signage, offensive decorations, nudity and profanity. Questions go to the Chamber at 954-941-2940 or [email protected].

One stretch of water, start to finish

All three events take place along the same few miles. The tour boats leave from Riverside Drive and cross to the inlet. A'Glow is a few blocks inland at Frank McDonough Park. Based on last year's route, the parade will travel north up the Intracoastal past the city's docks. The landmark that gives Lighthouse Point its name sits at the inlet end of that stretch. It's under active repair, and according to its own historian, it depends on the money visitors spend to see it.

If your home sits on that waterway, you'll see this season up close, from the tour boats in November to the parade lights in December. If you're curious how that water frontage figures into your home's value, The JM Phillips Group can run the numbers with the same rigor we bring to every Lighthouse Point listing. Get Your Instant Home Valuation, and we'll follow up with a local read on what it means.