It’s National Lighthouse Day — How about visiting ‘Old Barney?’

It was on this day, Aug. 7, 1789 that Congress approved an Act for the Establishment and support of lighthouses in the United States, according to the American Lighthouse Foundation. Therefore, this day has been deemed National Lighthouse Day since the 200th anniversary of that act, the foundation said on it's website.

Lighthouses are no longer in use as an integral part of navigation and a life saver for sea captains and sailors off the coast of New Jersey as they had been many years ago, but they're still important. They're important to our history and today to tourism.

My all time favorite by far is "Old Barney" in Barnegat Light at the northern tip of Long Beach Island. If you've never been and you're able enough to climb to the top, it's absolutely well worth the trip. On summer weekends you're sure to find it crowded, but my favorite is off-season and during the week. It's almost empty and the park surrounding it and the adjacent jetty make for an awesome day trip and photo op.

If you're gonna celebrate national lighthouse day either today or any day this summer, Barnegat Lighthouse aka Old Barney is my hands down choice of where to have the celebration.

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