Watch as Triple Tower Tuesdays offer free views of Erie from above
The Bicentennial Tower, center, stands at the foot of State Street in Erie, Pa., on March 2, 2026. Beyond the tower, across Presque Isle Bay, is Presque Isle State Park, background.
One day a month, for only five months, Erie residents and visitors can make their way for free to the tops of a trio of towers with some stunning views of the city, Presque Isle Bay and state park, and Lake Erie.
Triple Tower Tuesdays return this year on the first Tuesday of May through September at the Bicentennial Tower, 1 State St.; Erie Land Lighthouse, 2 Lighthouse St.; and Tom Ridge Environmental Center observation tower, 301 Peninsula Drive, Millcreek Township.
You don't have to reach the top of all three on the same day but it could be fun to give it a try. The Bicentennial Tower and Ridge Center tower do have elevators for those who don't want to use the stairs.
We went to the top of the Erie Land Lighthouse and the Ridge Center tower to give you a look at what the climb includes.
Join us as we ascend to the lighthouse top:
See what it's like going up the Ridge Center tower:
“Triple Tower Tuesdays offers front-row seats to the best views in town," said Averie Shaughnessy-Comfort, executive director of the Presque Isle Light Station, which operates the lighthouse.
"Plus, it’s a great way to learn about Erie’s local, maritime and natural history," she said.
What are the tower hours?
The Ridge Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from April 1 through Oct. 31.
The Land Lighthouse is open Fridays through Mondays, and Tower Tuesdays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Memorial Day and then from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Bicentennial Tower is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Memorial Day, then 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Labor Day.
How much money do I save on Tuesdays?
Regular rates for the Bicentennial Tower are $6 for ages 13 and older, $2 for ages 7-12 and free for ages 6 and younger.
The regular cost to climb the Land Lighthouse is $7, or $13 for a combo that also includes the Presque Isle Lighthouse at the state park.
The tower at the Ridge Center is always free to climb.
