Lucy the Elephant

In 1881 a Philadelphia developer named James Lafferty built Lucy on the then-empty sands south of Atlantic City, hoping the spectacle of a giant elephant would lure curious visitors and buyers to his beachfront real estate. He patented the very idea of an animal-shaped building, and Lucy was the first and grandest of a small handful he erected. Framed in wood and sheathed in tin, she was an engineering marvel and an instant curiosity.

Over the decades Lucy passed through many hands and many uses. She served as a real estate office, briefly as a tavern during a rowdier era, and as a private summer home for a time, all while weathering the storms and salt air of the open coast. By the mid twentieth century she had fallen into serious disrepair and faced demolition, her future far from certain.

In the early 1970s, with Lucy slated to be torn down, a group of Margate residents rallied to save her. They formed a committee, raised money, and undertook the delicate task of moving the enormous, fragile structure a short distance to public land where she could be preserved. The move itself was a dramatic feat, inching the old elephant down the street to her new and permanent home.

Restoration followed, patient and ongoing, repairing her tin skin, her wooden frame, and the rooms inside. In recognition of her rarity and her place in American roadside history, Lucy was designated a National Historic Landmark, one of the very few buildings shaped like an animal to earn that honor. The community that saved her has cared for her ever since.

Visitors today can go inside Lucy on guided tours that lead up a spiral staircase hidden in one of her legs into the large room within her body. There, restored and interpreted, the interior tells the story of her long life, from developer's gimmick to beloved landmark, with the great curved ribs of her wooden frame visible overhead.

The climb continues up to the howdah, the small carriage perched on her back, which serves as an open-air lookout. From that unlikely perch, atop an elephant, visitors take in a sweeping view of the beach, the ocean, and the shore stretching toward the Atlantic City skyline. It is a delightfully odd vantage point, and the highlight of a visit.

Summer is Lucy's busiest season, when shore crowds fill Margate and the beach beside her, and tours run at their fullest. Warm days and the nearby sand make her an easy, whimsical stop on a beach vacation.

Spring and fall bring milder weather and thinner crowds, a pleasant time to tour her without the summer rush, though her schedule runs lighter. Winter is the quiet off-season on this residential shore, but Lucy takes on a festive glow during the holidays, when she is decorated and lit, a cheerful landmark against the cold gray sea.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Lucy the Elephant, in Margate near Atlantic City, New Jersey, is a beloved and iconic six-story building shaped like an elephant, a whimsical landmark and one of the oldest roadside attractions in the country. Built in the late nineteenth century as a novelty to attract visitors and buyers to the shore, this enormous wooden elephant, standing several stories tall, has charmed generations and survived to become a cherished National Historic Landmark. Visitors can tour inside the elephant and climb up to the howdah on its back for ocean views. A delightfully quirky and historic landmark, it charms visitors of all ages. With its whimsy and history, Lucy the Elephant offers a fun destination in New Jersey.

Yes, visitors can tour inside Lucy the Elephant, climbing up through the historic wooden structure to see the interior and continuing up to the howdah, the carriage on the elephant's back, for lovely views of the ocean and shore. Because it is a historic structure reached by stairs, the tour involves climbing, so being ready for the steps is wise, and tours run on a schedule. Touring inside and reaching the top is a delightful highlight. Climbing up inside Lucy rewards visitors at Lucy the Elephant in New Jersey.

Lucy the Elephant is significant as one of the oldest roadside attractions in the country and a cherished National Historic Landmark, a remarkable survivor from the late nineteenth century when she was built as a whimsical novelty to draw visitors to the shore. Her endurance through the decades, saved by community efforts, and her sheer delightful oddity have made her a beloved icon. She represents a charming chapter of American roadside and shore history. Understanding this history enriches a visit to Lucy the Elephant in New Jersey.

Lucy the Elephant is open for tours through much of the year, with the mild and summer months especially pleasant for combining a visit with the nearby beaches, though hours can be seasonal. Because tour times and hours can vary, checking the current schedule before you go is wise. For the most pleasant visit and beach pairing, aim for the warmer months, and check current hours, at Lucy the Elephant in New Jersey.

Lucy the Elephant is in Margate near Atlantic City, New Jersey, within reach of the Margate and Atlantic City beaches, the Atlantic City boardwalk, Steel Pier, and the Absecon Lighthouse. That makes Lucy the Elephant a fun stop to combine with the Absecon Lighthouse and the other attractions of the Atlantic City area on a visit to New Jersey.