The bucket list Canadian adventure you didn’t know you could do
This wasn’t just a vacation—it was a chance to live in, help preserve, and experience a historic place
This summer, our family traded city commutes and laptops for a boat ride across Georgian Bay—and for four days, we became lighthouse keepers on Flowerpot Island.
It wasn’t just a vacation. It was a chance to live in a historic place, help preserve it, and experience it in a way few people ever get to.
And here’s the surprise: Flowerpot Island isn’t the only place where you can do this. Guest lighthouse keeper programs run across Canada—from Porphyry Point on Lake Superior, to Cape Spear in Newfoundland, and to remote lighthouses along British Columbia’s coast.
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A rare chance to ‘work’ on vacation
Our adventure began with a 45-minute boat ride from Tobermory, followed by a hike through the woods carrying everything we’d need: food, clothing, and sleeping bags. With no electricity on the island, only a propane stove and a solar charging jack, we were truly off the grid.
In exchange, we stayed in a rustic cabin and spent our days helping with the tuck shop, greeting visitors, sharing the island’s history, and caring for the grounds with light gardening and upkeep.
Saphia and her family on Flowerpot Island.
At times it was hard work, but it was rewarding to know we were keeping a Canadian landmark alive. At one point, rain poured just as a cruise ship arrived, bringing hundreds of visitors—it was chaotic but exhilarating.
Heather Keast, a volunteer with the Friends of the Bruce District Parks Association who helped start the host program, explained: “The host program started as a way to care for the island, and it’s grown into a chance for people to experience its beauty and history firsthand. After all these years, it’s incredibly fulfilling to help preserve this place while sharing it with visitors.”
A landmark with deep roots
Standing at the lighthouse site, we imagined what life here was like more than a century ago. The original Flowerpot Island lighthouse, built in 1897, guided ships through storms until it was dismantled in the 1960s. For decades, generations of keepers and their families lived here, braving Georgian Bay’s wild weather long before GPS and radar made their jobs obsolete.
The current light tower at Flowerpot Island.
Today, an automated light tower and the restored keeper’s home still welcomes visitors, along with trails, shipwreck views, and the island’s famous “flowerpot” rock pillars.
Keast added: “Flowerpot Island is such a special place. Being a host gives you the chance to see it in a way most people never do—from quiet mornings at the flowerpots to sunsets on the porch of the keeper’s home.”
The island’s history and ongoing restoration make it clear why the Guest Lighthouse Keeper program is so sought after.
A program in high demand
The program began in the early 2000s as a way for volunteers to support restoration efforts while sharing the island with visitors. Today, it’s extremely popular, with a waitlist stretching across Ontario and overseas.
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Saphia and her family on Flowerpot Island.
“We get more applications than we can handle,” noted Bill Caulfeild-Browne, Chairman of the Board for the Friends of the Bruce District Parks Association. “The fee for the stay and boat ride is modest, about what you’d pay for an overnight camping trip, and the experience is priceless.”
Stars, storms, and silence
The real magic came at night. When the last boat full of tourists pulled away, the island became almost silent. As lighthouse keepers, we had Flowerpot Island nearly to ourselves—just a handful of campers scattered far enough away that we rarely saw them. It felt like stepping back in time.
One morning, I woke before sunrise to watch the light touch the famous flowerpots—an unforgettable quiet moment.
(Saphia Khambalia)
On our last evening, our family lingered on the porch of the keeper’s home, watching the sun dip into Georgian Bay. “Hands down one of the best trips of our lives,” I thought, seeing the water’s colours change and knowing we’d lived the island’s history, even if just for a few days.
With no light pollution, the sky exploded with stars. Some nights we stood under a brilliant full moon, other nights we watched storms sweep across the bay. It was a side of Georgian Bay that felt both raw and deeply peaceful.
More than just a vacation
For us, this wasn’t just a summer highlight—it was an experience we’ll carry for years.
Being a lighthouse keeper on Flowerpot Island was a true bucket list adventure, but it was also something bigger: a reminder that travel can be about more than just escape. Through programs like this, everyday people can help preserve historic gems, keep stories alive, and pass them on to the next generation.
And that, for us, made all the difference.
If you’re interested in becoming a lighthouse keeper, be sure to apply early and reach out to the organizations that run these programs to learn more.