November is when the south tip of Gasparilla Island gets a regular schedule. The two lighthouses run on different days. The Gasparilla Island Lighthouse, the Range Light at 220 Gulf Blvd, has climbs on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Port Boca Grande Lighthouse, just past the Hill Tide Estates gate inside Gasparilla Island State Park, has climbs on Fridays. Together they offer a lighthouse to climb on three days of every week, and the Port lighthouse museum stays open around them for most of the rest.
Both towers are run by the same nonprofit, so the split works like a weekly rotation. The rest of this post covers the November dates, the cost of each climb, how to pay the park fee, and how to plan a day around the schedule.
One nonprofit, three historic buildings
The Barrier Island Parks Society, known locally as BIPS, began in 1989. It manages and operates three historic structures: the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse, the Gasparilla Island Lighthouse and the Amory Memorial Chapel. With one organization running both towers, their climb days don't overlap, so the two can be planned as a single week.
The Port lighthouse is the older of the two. It began operating on Dec. 31, 1890, served as a lookout for German U-boats in World War II, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The Sun reported in August that it still works as a lighthouse today.
That August story covered the Guardians Across America Celebration at the Port lighthouse. BIPS and the Florida Lighthouse Association held it to mark America's 250th and National Lighthouse Day. BIPS executive director Sharon McKenzie told The Sun that almost 500 people watched the livestream. "Traditionally, because a lot of people are snowbirds, we don't have a lot of people in August, but we had a great turnout today," she said. If August could draw that many, November should be busier, and the climb schedule is set up for the season crowd.
How the two climbs split the week
The Range Light started its twice-weekly climbs in October, according to The Sun's account. BIPS also says public tours there run from October through April. At the Port lighthouse, the History Tour climbs happen on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Here is how the two calendars line up for the rest of November, based on the BIPS events page:
| Date | Day | Lighthouse | Listed time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 6 | Friday | Port Boca Grande, History Tour Climb | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Nov. 7 | Saturday | Gasparilla Island Lighthouse | See BIPS listing |
| Nov. 11 | Wednesday | Gasparilla Island Lighthouse | See BIPS listing |
| Nov. 13 | Friday | Port Boca Grande, History Tour Climb | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Nov. 14 | Saturday | Gasparilla Island Lighthouse | See BIPS listing |
| Nov. 20 | Friday | Port Boca Grande, History Tour Climb | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Dec. 2 | Wednesday | Gasparilla Island Lighthouse | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
The first Range Light climb of the month is listed for Wednesday, Nov. 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 220 Gulf Blvd. On Dec. 2, the same climb runs until 4 p.m. Climb hours can change from week to week, so check the listing for the date you want.
The two climbs differ in more than the day:
- Gasparilla Island Lighthouse (Range Light): $15 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Climbers must be at least 48 inches tall.
- Port Boca Grande Lighthouse: $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12.
The height rule at the Range Light is the one most likely to affect plans with grandchildren visiting. A child too short for the Wednesday or Saturday climb can still do the Friday climb at the Port lighthouse, and it costs adults $5 less.
When the Port lighthouse museum is open
The museum inside the Port lighthouse has its own hours, separate from the climbs. The two published schedules differ on one day. Florida State Parks lists November through May hours as Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Monday and on major holidays. From June through October, the same page lists Tuesday to Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday. In August, The Sun reported that the busy season would bring a seven-day schedule starting in November, also 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
That leaves Monday as the only open question. Both sources agree that Sundays are back for the season, which is the main change from summer. Before planning a Monday visit, check bips.org. Entry to the museum is free once you've paid park admission. It also has a small gift shop with souvenirs, apparel and jewelry.
Paying the park fee changed in October
The Port lighthouse sits at 880 Belcher Road inside Gasparilla Island State Park. The park is open from 8 a.m. to sunset every day of the year, and the fee is $3 per vehicle. As of Oct. 5, 2026, the state park collects fees at the Dunes parking lot through a Remote Off Grid Kiosk. The kiosk has a touchscreen and takes credit or debit cards, and you leave the printed receipt on your dashboard. The other lots still use the QR code or the website.
If you're driving guests down for a Friday climb, know which lot you're heading to before you park. At the Dunes, payment means a card and a printed receipt. Everywhere else, it's your phone.
The Range Light grounds are open every day
Climbs at the Range Light happen only on set days, but the grounds stay open all week. BIPS says the butterfly garden and 7.4 acres of walking trails at the Gasparilla Island Lighthouse are open daily. That makes 220 Gulf Blvd a good stop for a Monday or Tuesday morning, when no climbs are scheduled at either lighthouse. It also works on a climb day if one person in the group would rather stay on the ground while the others go up.
BIPS also runs programs at the Range Light between climbs. In October it held a Build Your Own Screech Owl Nesting Box session for a $15 materials fee, and RSVPs were required. Programs like that are posted on the BIPS programs page before the climb listings fill up.
The first week of the season is a full one
BIPS has scheduled several events for the first week of November. On Monday, Nov. 2, the Light Keeper's Open charity golf tournament is set for Coral Creek Club from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Wednesday, Nov. 4, A Brew With A View runs from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Port lighthouse, with Ashey Cook of the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center speaking about vertical oyster gardens. The first Range Light climb of the month is that same day, so one Wednesday covers both lighthouses, with the morning at the south tip and the rest of the day on Gulf Blvd. The BIPS events page is updated on a rolling basis, and all of these listings can change before the date.
Planning a guest day around the rotation
For guests who are visiting for one weekend, the schedule suggests an order:
- Friday, south tip first. Pay the $3 park fee, climb the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., then go through the museum and gift shop on the way out.
- Saturday, the Range Light. On Nov. 7 and Nov. 14, climb at 220 Gulf Blvd. Measure any child near 48 inches before you go. Afterward, walk the trails and butterfly garden.
- Sunday, the museum without the climb. This is new for the season. Both published schedules have the Port lighthouse museum open on Sundays from November on.
Guests who arrive midweek can switch the order. A Wednesday at the Range Light and a Friday at the Port lighthouse gives the same two climbs on a quieter part of the calendar.
The Hill Tide gate is one of the closest addresses on the island to the Port lighthouse. If you'd like suggestions for planning the season around the south tip, from the Friday climbs to a slower Sunday at the museum, Melissa Csank knows this end of the island well. Schedule a Private Consultation.
