California lighthouses to visit are spread along the entire coast, from a low-tide island in Crescent City to a hilltop museum in San Diego. Some you can climb, some you can only tour with a docent, and a few you can only admire from the grounds — but each one sits in a place worth the drive on its own.
This guide covers the 13 California lighthouses to visit that are open to the public, north to south, with what you can actually do at each one and the limited-hours warnings that catch most first-time visitors off guard.
At a Glance
- Route: Crescent City to San Diego, following Highway 1 and Highway 101 down the coast
- Time needed: 3-5 days for the full coast, or one lighthouse as a day trip
- Best season: Fall (September-October) is often clearest; summer is foggiest; gray whales pass December through May
- Know before you go: Most California lighthouses to visit are open only limited days — check the official page the morning you go
How to Visit California Lighthouses
The single most important thing to know about California lighthouses to visit is that almost none of them keep regular daily hours. Point Vicente opens one day a month, Point Bonita three days a week, Point Sur and Piedras Blancas are docent-led tours only, and Battery Point is reachable only at low tide. Before you drive to any lighthouse on this list, check its official page the morning you go — hours, tour days, and tower access change with seasons, staffing, and weather.
Fog is the other theme that runs through this whole list of California lighthouses to visit — fall is often the clearest season on the coast, and summer the foggiest, so if you want photographs, aim for September or October.
North Coast California Lighthouses to Visit
The north coast holds three of the most remote California lighthouses to visit, and all three reward the drive.
Battery Point Lighthouse, Crescent City. First lit on December 10, 1856, Battery Point is one of the first California lighthouses to visit and one of the first built on the coast. The Del Norte County Historical Society runs tours of the keeper’s quarters and a tower climb, staffed by volunteer keepers. The critical rule: the island is reachable only at low tide, and the land bridge disappears at high tide while the tide rises very quickly, so check a tide table before you go. Hours run April through September, tides permitting, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and October through March, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends — check current. Admission was not verified — check current prices.
Point Arena Lighthouse, Mendocino County. The original tower was first lit on May 1, 1870, and destroyed in the 1906 earthquake; the current tower was first lit on September 15, 1908. It offers daily guided tower tours plus a Fog Signal Building Museum holding the original 1908 first-order Fresnel lens, and a 23-acre outdoor museum. The tower is 115 feet tall with 145 steps, and it was the first steel-reinforced concrete lighthouse built in America — its iron staircase was salvaged from the 1870 tower and reused inside. Fees and hours were not verified — check the official site.
Point Cabrillo Light Station, between Mendocino and Fort Bragg. Construction began in 1908, and the third-order Fresnel lens was first lit on June 10, 1909, by the first Head Lightkeeper, Wilhelm Baumgartner. It is one of the most complete light stations in the United States — 12 of the original 15 buildings survive. The museum sits on the lighthouse main floor, and Lantern Room climbs are guided only, on a limited schedule. The 6,800-pound Chance Brothers lens was removed in 1972, restored, and relit in 1999, and the light is still an active federal aid to navigation.
Bay Area California Lighthouses to Visit
Four California lighthouses to visit cluster around San Francisco Bay, and all four are day trips from the city.
Point Reyes Lighthouse, Point Reyes National Seashore. Built in 1870, with its first-order Fresnel lens first lit on December 1, 1870, Point Reyes served for 105 years before retiring in 1975, when the Coast Guard installed an automated light below the historic tower. The visit starts with a 0.45-mile uphill walk to the Visitor Center, then 313 steps down to the lighthouse. Hours were not verified — sources conflict between Thursday-to-Monday and Friday-to-Monday schedules, so check the National Park Service lighthouse page before you go. The stairs close when the wind exceeds 40 miles per hour, the parking lot holds only 38 vehicles, and there is no food west of Inverness. Our Point Reyes travel guide covers the rest of the seashore.
Point Bonita Lighthouse, Marin Headlands. Completed in 1855, Point Bonita was the third lighthouse built on the West Coast, after Alcatraz and Fort Point, and its second-order Fresnel lens was lit on April 30, 1855. The original tower stood 300 feet above the sea, but fog so often hid the light that the upper half was moved to a lower site in 1877. It was the last manned lighthouse on the California coast, automated in 1980. The visit is a half-mile trail through a tunnel that opens only during visiting hours. The Park Service brochure lists Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. — check current on the Park Service site before you go.
Alcatraz Lighthouse, San Francisco Bay. First lit on June 1, 1854, Alcatraz was the first lighthouse built and the first navigational lamp lit on the West Coast — and the oldest of the California lighthouses to visit. The original tower was damaged in the 1906 earthquake; the current 84-foot tower was completed in 1909. You see it from outside only, as part of an Alcatraz Island visit by ferry — interior tower climbs are not a regular public offering, so do not plan the trip around a climb. Ferry prices were not verified for this guide.
Fort Point Lighthouse, San Francisco. Fort Point’s second lighthouse was first lit in 1855, and the third tower, still standing, dates to 1863-64, deactivated in 1934 when the Golden Gate Bridge blocked the light. The fort itself is open to the public through the National Park Service, and the lighthouse tower is an exterior feature, not a climb. Keeper James Rankin served here for more than 40 years.
Central Coast Lighthouses
The Central Coast has the tallest towers and the strictest tour rules of any California lighthouses to visit.
Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Pescadero. Built in 1871, Pigeon Point’s first-order Fresnel lens — 1,008 prisms, 16 feet tall, 2,000 pounds — was first lit at sunset on November 15, 1872. At 115 feet, it is one of the tallest lighthouses in America, tied with Point Arena as the tallest on the West Coast, and one of the most photographed California lighthouses to visit. The tower is closed until restoration is complete; restoration started in February 2024, and the lighthouse may still be viewed from the grounds. The Fog Signal Building holds the original lens, with guided history walks on Sundays at 2 p.m. The lens is due back in the tower next year, but do not count on a 2027 reopening date. Admission and parking are free; dogs are not permitted except service animals. Check the State Parks Pigeon Point page for current status.
Point Sur Lighthouse, Big Sur. First lit on August 1, 1889, Point Sur has been in continuous operation since. It is the only complete turn-of-the-century light station open to the public in California, and it is open only through docent-led tours — which makes it one of the most distinctive California lighthouses to visit. The schedule on the live State Parks page is three-hour walking tours Saturday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Sunday at 10 a.m., and Wednesday at 1 p.m. The walk rises 360 feet with two stairways, the longer with 61 steps, and tours meet on the west side of Highway 1 at the farm gate, 19 miles south of Rio Road. Fees are $20 for adults, $10 for ages 6 to 17, and free under 5. Tours are first come, first served — arrive 30 minutes early, and confirm times at pointsur.org or (831) 625-4419, since times change and tours may be cancelled for weather. Check the State Parks Point Sur page before you go.
Piedras Blancas Light Station, San Simeon. First illuminated on February 15, 1875, Piedras Blancas is a Bureau of Land Management historic park and wildlife sanctuary. Tours are guided only, year-round, booked through Recreation.gov — listings say 9:45 a.m., about two hours, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, plus Monday and Friday in summer — check current. The tower was originally 100 feet tall; a 1948 earthquake damaged it so badly that in 1949 the upper three levels were removed, leaving a truncated tower of about 70 feet. The area is a wildlife hotspot — elephant seals, sea lions, sea otters, and migrating whales. The Bureau of Land Management page has current tour information.
Southern California Lighthouses to Visit
The Southern California lighthouses to visit are the easiest to reach — most sit near cities, with one-day-a-month tours as the catch.
Point Vicente Lighthouse, Rancho Palos Verdes. Built in 1926, Point Vicente has guided vessels to and from the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors since March 1926. Tours run one day a month — the second Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., except March, when the first Saturday hosts the Whale of a Day Festival — conducted by the Coast Guard Auxiliary. The 67-foot tower sits on a bluff about 130 feet above sea level, and its light is visible for more than 20 miles. One flag: an October 2026 listing states the tower is closed until further notice due to maintenance, while second-Saturday tours are still listed — check current status at vicentelight.org before you go, and do not promise yourself a tower climb.
Point Fermin Lighthouse, San Pedro. First lit on December 15, 1874, Point Fermin is a Victorian Stick-style lighthouse built of California redwood and designed by Paul J. Pelz. It is a free City of Los Angeles historic site and museum, with guided tours Tuesday through Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m., at 1, 2, and 3 p.m., first come, first served, closed Mondays. The interior is open only during public docent tours. The light went dark from December 7 to 9, 1941, in the coastal blackout after Pearl Harbor, and it was never returned to navigational service. Admission is listed as free in city-guide summaries — check current details on the official Los Angeles Parks page.
Old Point Loma Lighthouse, San Diego. Put into service on November 15, 1855, in a Cape Cod design, 422 feet above sea level. It is open to the public as a museum inside Cabrillo National Monument, and visitors may enter and view the living areas. Old Point Loma was acclaimed as the highest lighthouse in the United States — and that elevation was its undoing, since fog and low clouds so often hid the light that it was deactivated on March 23, 1891, after just under 36 years. Cabrillo National Monument charges a park entrance fee — check current prices. The National Park Service page on the lighthouses of Cabrillo covers both lights, and Old Point Loma is one of the most historic California lighthouses to visit.
Planning Tips for Visiting California Lighthouses
- Check the morning you go. Hours, tour days, and tower access change with seasons, staffing, and weather. This guide’s schedule notes were verified on November 10, 2026.
- Build the trip around the coast, not the lighthouses alone. The California lighthouses to visit pair naturally with a coastal drive — our Pacific Coast Highway road trip guide covers the full San Diego to San Francisco route. Our Half Moon Bay travel guide makes a good pairing stop between San Francisco and Pigeon Point.
- Mind the tides and the wind. Battery Point is reachable only at low tide, and the tide rises very quickly. Point Reyes closes its stairs when the wind tops 40 miles per hour.
- Dogs: Pigeon Point does not permit dogs on the grounds except service animals. At Point Reyes, dogs are allowed in the parking lot and boulevard areas only, never on the stairs. No drones at Point Reyes or Pigeon Point.
- Parking: Point Reyes has a 38-vehicle lot that fills early. Point Sur has limited dirt and gravel roadside parking. Pigeon Point has free admission and parking.
- Whale season: Gray whales pass from December through May, with the best viewing in mid-January and mid-March, and cows with calves close to shore in April and early May.
FAQ
How many California lighthouses to visit can you actually go inside?
Of the 13 on this list, the ones with regular interior access are Battery Point, Point Arena, Point Cabrillo (limited Lantern Room climbs), Point Reyes (Visitor Center and observation deck), Point Sur and Piedras Blancas (guided tours only), Point Fermin (docent tours), and Old Point Loma (museum). Pigeon Point’s tower is closed for restoration, Alcatraz and Fort Point are viewed from outside, Point Bonita has limited days, and Point Vicente’s tower status needs a current check.
What is the best time of year for a California lighthouses road trip?
Fall, September through October, is often the clearest season on the coast. Summer is the foggiest. Winter brings storms but also gray whale season, December through May.
Can you climb a California lighthouse?
Yes — several California lighthouses to visit offer tower climbs: Battery Point, Point Arena (145 steps), and Point Reyes (313 steps down), plus limited guided Lantern Room climbs at Point Cabrillo. Point Sur and Piedras Blancas are docent-led tours, and Pigeon Point’s tower is closed for restoration.
Do California lighthouses charge admission?
Fees vary across the California lighthouses to visit: Pigeon Point is free, Point Sur charges $20 for adults and $10 for ages 6 to 17, and Point Fermin is listed as free. Most other fees were not verified — check current prices on each lighthouse’s official page.
Conclusion
California lighthouses to visit are more than photo stops — each one marks a wreck, a fog bank, or a harbor that needed a light. Start with the ones that fit your trip: Point Reyes and Point Bonita from San Francisco, Pigeon Point and Point Sur from the Central Coast, or Old Point Loma from San Diego. Check the hours the morning you go, mind the tides and the wind, and give yourself time to stand at the base of the tower.
