Lucy the Elephant
Lucy the Elephant is a six-story elephant-shaped wood frame and tin clad building, constructed in 1881 by James V. Lafferty in Margate City, New Jersey. Its history begins in 1881. For a second stop, Boardwalk Hall is 4.6 mi away.
A landmark inside Margate City
Pleasantville is the nearest base
Pleasantville is 5 miles north, with 5 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Philadelphia
Philadelphia is about 58 miles northwest and New York City is about 98 miles north (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Established in 1881
Lucy the Elephant dates from 1881. About ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep and Oct
May, June, July, August, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 67–84°. When to go ↓
An airport 10 miles away
Atlantic City (ACY) has airline service, about 10 miles from Lucy the Elephant.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
How the seasons run
Here are the months at Lucy the Elephant, with their weather.
Lucy the Elephant
Lucy the Elephant is a six-story elephant-shaped wood frame and tin clad building, constructed in 1881 by James V. Lafferty in Margate City, New Jersey. Lucy was built with the purpose of promoting real estate sales and attracting tourists to the area. Today, Lucy remains the oldest surviving roadside tourist attraction in the US.
- Type
- Landmark
- Established
- 1881
- Listed
- National Historic Landmark (1976) · listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places (1971) · National Register of Historic Places (1971)
- Wikipedia readers
- 35K a year
Nights near Lucy the Elephant
Rooms are nearest in Atlantic City (77) and Ocean City (49).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Lucy the Elephant | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margate City 59% vacation homes | in town | — | 2 1 hotel · 1 campground | 5,194 | $709K | — |
| Atlantic City | 5 mi northeast | 10 min | 77 66 hotels · 3 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 hostels · 1 campground | 38,787 | $207K | D− |
| Ocean City 66% vacation homes | 6 mi southwest | 10 min | 49 30 hotels · 7 motels · 12 inns & B&Bs | 11,101 | $841K | — |
| Egg Harbor Township | 7 mi northwest | 10 min | 26 14 hotels · 7 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds | 48,435 | $313K | C+ |
| Galloway Township | 12 mi north | 20 min | 47 29 hotels · 10 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 3 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 38,380 | $299K | B− |
| Absecon | 7 mi north | 10 min | 14 8 hotels · 3 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 9,209 | $286K | C− |
| Upper Township | 12 mi west | 20 min | 20 4 hotels · 3 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 11 campgrounds | 12,355 | $412K | — |
| Somers Point | 5 mi west | 10 min | 7 2 hotels · 3 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins | 10,590 | $309K | C− |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also within reach
A wider trip can take in these, within 57 miles.
Big draw32 mi Park & preservePine Barrens
15 mi Stadium & arenaBoardwalk Hall
Big draw54 mi MuseumUSS New Jersey
Big draw53 mi Stadium & arenaLincoln Financial Field
Big draw53 mi Stadium & arenaXfinity Mobile Arena
Big draw55 mi Ancient siteIndependence Hall3.0M visitors a year
Big draw57 mi Theme parkSix Flags Great Adventure2.2M visitors a year
Big draw57 mi MuseumEastern State PenitentiaryPhoto credits
Pine Barrens: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Boardwalk Hall: Jack Boucher, Public domain · USS New Jersey: Camera Operator: PH3 BRYANT, Public domain · Lincoln Financial Field: The original uploader was Betp at French Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Xfinity Mobile Arena: Jen Smith, CC BY 3.0 · Independence Hall: Mys 721tx, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Six Flags Great Adventure: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Eastern State Penitentiary: Davidt8, Public domain
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A visit to Lucy the Elephant: questions
Is Lucy the Elephant in Margate City?
Yes. It’s inside Margate City, NJ.
When is the best time to visit Lucy the Elephant?
May, June, July, August, September and October, with highs of 67–84°.
How far is Lucy the Elephant from Philadelphia and New York City?
About 58 miles northwest of Philadelphia and about 98 miles north of New York City, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Lucy the Elephant?
Atlantic City (ACY), about 10 miles away. The nearest big hub is Philadelphia (PHL), about 54 miles.
Where should I stay near Lucy the Elephant?
Atlantic City (5 mi, 77 places to stay), Ocean City (6 mi, 49 places to stay) and Egg Harbor Township (7 mi, 26 places to stay).
Locals’ advice in Margate City
There are no tips yet, so start one in Margate City’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.