Escape the roar of Daytona's Main Street with Biketoberfest at the Lighthouse in Ponce Inlet

Although Main Street, packed wall-to-wall with motorcycles and the people who love them, remains a must-see destination during Biketoberfest, sometimes you just need to get away from the crowds.

Happily, one of the Volusia County’s most treasured historic landmarks also is rolling out the red carpet for motorcycle fans during Biketoberfest, the annual four-day event that runs Thursday-Sunday in Daytona Beach and throughout Volusia and Flagler counties.

The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, about a 25-minute ride south along scenic State Road A1A from the noisy party on Main Street, is welcoming bikers on Friday and Saturday with “Biketoberfest At the Lighthouse.”

Here’s what you need to know:

Come see the lighthouse and 'Motorcycles on the Beach'

The two-day event offers extended hours to visit and tour the historic Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum at 4931 S. Peninsula Drive in Ponce Inlet.

The attraction will be open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, an hour later than its usual closing time. To sweeten the deal, the museum is hosting an aptly timed exhibit, “Motorcycles on the Beach,” that chronicles the history of the area’s connection to the two-wheeled machines.

How much does it cost?

The motorcycle exhibit as well as full access to the museum and the historic light station tower is included for the regular admission: $6.95 for ages 12 and older; $1.95 for ages 3-11; free for ages 2 and younger.

What’s the history of the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse?

First activated in 1887, the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse tower rises 175 feet, making it the tallest lighthouse in Florida and among the tallest nationwide.

Visitors can trek the 203 steps to the top for a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean, Ponce Inlet and the Halifax River.

The lighthouse began as the Mosquito Inlet Lighthouse, with the purchase of 10 acres of land on March 21, 1883, according to history on the museum’s website. Its lantern room was based on the design used at Florida's Fowey Rocks Lighthouse in Key Biscayne.

Tragically, the chief engineer on the project and three others drowned in the inlet when construction began in 1884. Despite this setback, the tower was completed three years later in 1887.

The kerosene lamp in the first order fixed Fresnel lens (made in Paris) was first lit on Nov. 1, 1887, by Keeper William Rowlinski. The new light could be seen 20 miles out to sea.

By the 1920s, the Mosquito Inlet Lighthouse added bathrooms, indoor plumbing and electricity to all the keepers' buildings, as well as a new generator in the pump house. In 1926, the name of Mosquito Inlet was changed to Ponce de Leon Inlet for real estate and tourism purposes.

During World War II, the keepers' families left the light station when the buildings were turned into barracks for the Coast Guardsmen standing watch against enemy submarines.

In 1972, the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association was founded as a non-profit, organization to restore and operate the property as a museum. Also that year, the light station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as one of only a handful of 19th century light stations with all its original buildings intact.

What’s nearby the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse?

There’s an assortment of restaurants with scenic views of the river, the inlet or the ocean, all within a short drive from the museum.

Although a main portion of the Ponce Inlet jetty remains closed for repairs following back-to-back tropical storms a year ago, other favorite outdoor spots in Ponce Inlet are fully open. The list includes Lighthouse Point Park, the Happy Trails Dog Park, Ponce Preserve Park and the beach.

Also be aware that the Marine Science Center is closed during October for maintenance and construction. It will reopen on Nov. 1.

How can I find out more on the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse?

Visit ponceinlet.org or call 386-761-1821 for more information.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Biketoberfest at the Lighthouse aimed at motorcycle fans in Daytona