Top [10] to Visit & Photograph • PhotoTraces

30 California lighthouses shine a beacon out to the ocean alongside the shoreline. From California’s oldest Lighthouse, Point Pinos, to the historic Old Point Loma, these fantastically constructed buildings face the ocean and the winds to alert us of impending hazard. 

16 out of the 30 lighthouses are open to vacationers, and 6 supply in a single day lodging for guests who need to keep the evening in California. 

This submit covers the most effective California lighthouses to go to and {photograph}. 

10 Most Exiting Lighthouses in California

We ranked these lighthouses from journey and panorama pictures views, with essentially the most photogenic on the high.

1. Point Sur Lighthouse

Point Sur is among the most well-known lighthouses on the Pacific Coast Highway, situated about 20 miles south of Carmel by the ocean and Point Lobos Natural Reserve. 

This Lighthouse is constructed on a 330ft volcanic rock to miss the world under. From level Sur, you may view the scenic Pacific ocean and the coast. 

Point Sur was the previous US navy base that operated through the chilly battle. The operate of the bottom was to detect soviet submarines touring in opposition to the California coast. Today, vacationers can go to the bottom on tour at weekends from 10:00 am till sundown. 

The tour is scheduled based mostly on the month of the yr. During summer time (April to September), excursions are scheduled from 10 am to 2:00 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. During the winter (October to March), excursions are scheduled on Sundays and Saturdays between 10 am and 1 pm. 

The tour hosts enjoyable and themed actions like ghost excursions, the place you may be taught concerning the historic spirits that haunted these areas. 

If you need to keep the evening, you may lease a hostel in Big Sur (South of Big Sur) and Caramel by the ocean (near the north). 

2. Point Bonita Lighthouse

Point Bonita Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse situated at Point Bonita on the Marin Headlands tip on the San Francisco Bay entrance. Point Bonita Lighthouse directs the best way of ships coming into San Francisco.

The unique lighthouse was a wood construction inbuilt 1855 through the California Gold Rush years. Later it was changed by the present brick lighthouse.

It is the final manned lighthouse in California.

The lighthouse remains to be lively and is run by the National Park Service. The Coast Guard maintains the sunshine and fog sign.

The lighthouse presents incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and San Francisco. Point Bonita Lighthouse is among the most iconic lighthouses in California.

The lighthouse is open to the general public from 12:30 pm to three:30 pm on Sundays and Mondays. Pets and bikes will not be permitted on the premises.

3. Pigeon Point Light Station – Pescadero

Pigeon Point gentle station was constructed in 1872 and stays the tallest lighthouse on the west coast.  The lighthouse tower is below renovation and could also be unavailable to the general public, however guests can nonetheless entry and take footage of the environment. 

The distinctive characteristic that makes Pescadero price visiting is the incredible seashores across the Lighthouse’s neighborhood. 

Pigeon Point Light Station is situated alongside the pacific coast freeway, which is midway between Santa Cruz and  San Francisco. 

 Visitors can entry the Lighthouse from 8 am to five pm, and admission is freed from cost. 

There are good hostels across the neighborhood of the Lighthouse. You can spend a number of days in these wonderful hostels at an reasonably priced value. However, be ready to regulate to the restricted companies the hostel could present. 

4. Piedras Blancas Lighthouse

If you’re keen on lighthouses, Piedras Blancas Lighthouse, the favored Lighthouse on the central coast of California, is price a go to. This Lighthouse is situated alongside a scenic freeway simply north of San Simeon. 

Piedras Blancas began operation in 1875 and remains to be functioning apart from its higher stage, which has been eliminated.

The Lighthouse is open to guided excursions on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday all yr spherical. Visitors can solely tour exterior of the constructing and never contained in the tower. 

It’s an thrilling place to take pleasure in with the household. Kids will love the sight of sea lions, sea birds, and elephant seals through the winter months. 

5. Alcatraz Lighthouse

The Alcatraz lighthouse began operation in 1852, which makes it the primary Lighthouse in California. 

This Lighthouse is situated within the mid-region of San Francisco Bay close to the Alcatraz jail. 

You’ll need to guide a reservation to view the Alcatraz lighthouse up shut. The Lighthouse isn’t obtainable to the general public, however you may nonetheless get a sneak peek into the tower if you take a nationwide parks tour to the island of Alcatraz. 

See additionally: Best National Park Scratch Off Maps

You can get your ticket on-line through their official web site or on the park, however tickets are normally offered every week earlier than the tour. 

Although it’s possible you’ll present up on the location to purchase your ticket (should you’re fortunate sufficient), it’s greatest to get the ticket on-line earlier than the tour to keep away from delays. 

Don’t need to stroll? The hop-off bus tour, hop-on tour, and the Chinatown stroll tour are nice choices for you. 

6. Point Vicente Lighthouse

Point Vicente lighthouse is Located in Los Angeles, South California  Civilian keepers initially constructed this Lighthouse earlier than handing it over to the US Coast Guard for operation and upkeep. 

Today, it options an automatic radio station used because the commutation middle in rescue operations. Visitors can entry this Lighthouse each second Saturday of the month from 10 am until sundown. 

An thrilling spotlight of the Point Vicente Lighthouse is its interpretive middle, the place you may have enjoyable and be taught concerning the historical past of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. This Lighthouse is a superb place for whale watching for individuals who go to from December to May. 

7. Battery Point Lighthouse – Crescent City

This Lighthouse is situated on the outskirt of Crescent City between the Oregon and California border. Battery Point lighthouse is a home with a smaller lighthouse roof (when in comparison with different parts on the market) however with a singular place.

 Battery Point Lighthouse has additionally been haunted prior to now. Sources claimed that there are invisible footsteps of individuals shifting up the steps of the Lighthouse at evening and even incidents of chairs shifting inexplicably across the Lighthouse. 

This Lighthouse is located on the Crescent metropolis outskirt.   The Lighthouse could be accessed when it’s allowed by the tide. Visit their web site to check the present situation of the wave, not figuring out if the highway is accessible or not. If you need to do greater than stroll across the Lighthouse,  you need to plan your visits accordingly. 

Battery Point lighthouse is open from April to September between 10 am- 4 pm however solely on weekends throughout different months. There are many handy areas to spend your evening in Crescent City. 

8. Point Reyes Lighthouse – Point Reyes

Although Point Reyes Lighthouse isn’t the most effective Lighthouse or the distinctive lighthouses on our checklist, visiting the world is price it. 

The Lighthouse is constructed on a cliff in Point  Reyes National seashore. You should undergo a path from the town’s customer middle to go to the Lighthouse. Just stroll down as much as 313 steps on this path to achieve your vacation spot. 

Because it’s a windy space and for safety causes, the ultimate a part of the trail is closed. So be sure you test the official web site so that you received’t be disenchanted upon arrival. 

To attain the Reyes lighthouse, situated at their nationwide seashore, you drive from level Reyes station to the top of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, about 20 miles. 

Although Point Reyes National Seashore is accessible for guests from 6 am till sundown, if climate permits, the Lighthouse is accessible from  Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4:40 pm. 

When you need to keep the evening, there are a number of lodging choices that you’ll find alongside the Point Reyes National seashore roads. 

9. Fort Point Lighthouse

Fort Point is a small lighthouse alongside the Golden Gate bridge in southern San Francisco. It began its operation in 1864 however was later decommissioned in 1934 when the golden gate bridge blocked its gentle. 

US Army engineers constructed the Lighthouse to guard San Francisco bay from assaults. During your go to to the Presidio park grounds and the golden gates, you may discover the Fort Point National Historic Site, obtainable to the general public from October to May, Friday to Sunday, between 10 am to five pm.  

Located across the southern space of the Golden Gate bridge, guests can entry Fort Pointe from the Presidio. The Lighthouse is accessible to the general public from Friday to Sunday and from October to May between 10 am – 5 pm. 

10. Point Cabrillo Lighthouse – Mendocino

The Point Cabrillo Lighthouse has its location in northern California round Cabrillo. Visitors can entry the rooms across the floor ground and a museum that explains some options of Cabrillo’s historical past and construction. Visitors can’t climb into the Lighthouse until there’s an important day, which is normally up to date on their official web site. 

While the park is open 24 hours, the Lighthouse is accessible every day to the general public from 11 am to 4 pm. You’ll need to donate $5 to enter the lighthouse constructing. If you need to keep the evening, the most effective place to search for lodging is in Mendocino. 

California Lighthouses | Conclusion

Be certain to discover our checklist of the attractive California lighthouses illuminating the lights for many years. These uniquely constructed buildings are ingenious monuments that face the ocean and the winds to guard us. 

These distinctive lighthouses are California’s most photographed icons. In addition, the decommissioned lighthouses are restructured into vacationer points of interest and museums that present guests with an unforgettable trip expertise. 

Make certain you will have a correct plan earlier than visiting any of those California lighthouses. Always test for updates on their official web sites.

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