Historic SitesFeatured

Lucy the Elephant

Margate · 30-45 minutes

Walk through America's oldest roadside attraction! 6-story elephant, National Historic Landmark since 1881, with ocean views from the howdah.

Visit Website Call 609-823-6473

About Lucy the Elephant

Lucy the Elephant is a six-story elephant-shaped building and one of the oldest surviving roadside attractions in America. Built in 1881 by inventor James V. Lafferty Jr. as a real estate gimmick, she's now a National Historic Landmark and the only elephant you can walk through at the Jersey Shore. Tours take you inside Lucy's belly, up her spiral staircase through exhibits on her 140+ year history, and onto the howdah observation deck with panoramic ocean views where visitors often spot dolphins in summer.

Highlights

✓National Historic Landmark since 1976
✓65 feet tall (6 stories), weighing 90 tons
✓Only surviving elephant building of 3 built by Lafferty
✓Howdah observation deck with 360° ocean views
✓Saved from demolition in 1970 by grassroots campaign
✓$2 million restoration completed in 2022
✓Nearly 1 million pieces of lumber in construction
✓America's oldest surviving roadside attraction

Insider Tips

💡Book tours online during peak summer season - tours fill up quickly
💡Arrive 10-15 minutes before your tour time to check in at the gift shop
💡Best photos from across Atlantic Avenue in the morning light
💡Climb to the howdah for 360-degree ocean views
💡Check for special events like Sunrise Yoga and Lucy Lights (winter)
💡Combine with free Margate beach right next door
💡The spiral staircase has 22 steps - wear comfortable shoes
💡Sunset tours offer spectacular views from the observation deck
💡Bring binoculars to spot dolphins from the howdah
💡The gift shop has unique Lucy souvenirs found nowhere else

Features & Amenities

guided toursobservation deckgift shopphoto opportunitieshistoric landmarkocean viewsspiral staircasevictorian architecturebeach adjacentdolphin watching