Lucy the Elephant

Yes! Lucy the Elephant offers guided tours that take you inside her belly, up a spiral staircase through her body, and onto the howdah (the observation deck on her back). The tour lasts 30-45 minutes and includes fascinating stories about her 140+ year history.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for children ages 3-12, and $8 for seniors 65+. Children under 3 are free. You can purchase tickets at the gift shop or book online at lucytheelephant.org.

Lucy is open year-round. Standard hours are 10am-5pm with tours every 30 minutes. Summer hours are extended (typically 10am-8pm). The last tour departs 30 minutes before closing. Check lucytheelephant.org for current seasonal hours and special event schedules.

Lucy was built in 1881 by James V. Lafferty Jr. as a real estate gimmick to attract potential buyers to the undeveloped beachfront area of South Atlantic City (now Margate). Lafferty actually patented "animal-shaped buildings" and built three elephants in total - Lucy is the only one that survives.

Lucy was built in 1881, making her 145 years old. She is America's oldest surviving roadside attraction and has been a National Historic Landmark since 1976. Over her long life, she has served as a real estate office, tavern, summer cottage, and tourist attraction.

Lucy stands 65 feet tall (6 stories) and weighs approximately 90 tons. She is made of a wood frame covered in tin sheeting, with approximately one million pieces of lumber used in her construction. Her legs are 22 feet in circumference.

The ground floor gift shop and lawn area around Lucy are wheelchair accessible. However, the interior tour involves climbing a narrow spiral staircase with 22 steps to the observation deck, which is not wheelchair accessible. Staff can provide a virtual tour experience for those who cannot climb.

For smaller crowds, visit on weekday mornings or in the off-season (September-May). For the best photos, visit in the morning when the sun lights up Lucy's eastern side, or at sunset for dramatic silhouettes. Summer weekends are busiest - book tickets online in advance.

There is metered street parking on Atlantic Avenue near Lucy. Arrive early in summer as spots fill quickly. Free parking is available on residential side streets a few blocks away. The Margate beach parking lots at the end of each street are also an option.

Yes! The howdah observation deck on Lucy's back offers panoramic 360-degree views including the Atlantic Ocean, the Margate skyline, Atlantic City's casinos in the distance, and on clear days you can see for miles. Visitors often spot dolphins from the deck in summer.

James Lafferty built three elephant buildings. "Elephantine Colossus" in Coney Island (1885) was destroyed by fire in 1896. "Light of Asia" in Cape May was demolished in 1900. Lucy in Margate is the only survivor, saved from demolition in 1970 by the Save Lucy Committee.

Lucy the Elephant holds immense historical significance as America's oldest surviving roadside attraction and a National Historic Landmark since 1976. Built in 1881 by James V. Lafferty Jr., Lucy represents a unique moment in American architectural innovation - Lafferty actually patented "animal-shaped buildings." Lucy is the sole survivor of three elephant buildings Lafferty constructed, making her an irreplaceable piece of American cultural heritage. Her near-demolition in 1970 and subsequent rescue by the "Save Lucy Committee" also represents a landmark moment in historic preservation advocacy.

Inside Lucy you'll find exhibits about her construction and history, including original photographs and artifacts. The tour takes you through her hollow interior, past exhibit displays, up a spiral staircase, and onto the howdah (observation deck) where you can see panoramic ocean views.