Point Reyes Lighthouse

This is a wonderful place to do and see many things! Like for instance, you can get a wonderful opportunity to see whales, learn a bit about old technology that helped guide ships, an amazing view of the peaceful ocean, and the best of all, a great workout!
But do be advised, depending on the time and season that you do tend to visit, it may be foggy with a chance of cold breeze (Cloudy with a chance of Meatball reference).
Anyhow, this is a great place to take your kids, dogs, cats, alligator, grandparents, and/​or even aliens from outer space to explore one of the many great things about the West Coast, which just so happens to be the Best Coast!

Thing’s I wish I’d known:
— The Lighthouse closes at 4:30pm (I knew this) and if you don’t get down there in time, there really isn’t anything to see. There are 300 steps that twist their way down to the lighthouse so if you are just stuck at the top, you won’t be able to see anything. There were a ton of people heading in as we were leaving that had no idea it was a waste of a walk.
— There is about a half mile walk from the parking lot/​entrance up to the stairs to the lighthouse. Allow enough time if you are near closing time.
— There is a small parking lot at the top near the lighthouse entrance, but its definitely not enough to manage all of the visitors. Be prepared to park precariously on the edge of the road.
— It can be crazy foggy there. (Hence the need for a lighthouse) It was amazing how 200 feet from the entrance to the lighthouse area was warm, with the sun blazing, but at the actual lighthouse visability can be so limited that you can’t see 10 feet away.
— This is a wildly popular tourist attraction. There were people from all over the world. I felt like I was shuffling in line for the Eiffel Tower with the hoards of tourists. It’s not exactly the wonderful natural experience that the photos lead you to believe it is.
Bottom line, its a beautiful outlook point, but head there on off season times to really enjoy it & allow waaaay more time than you think you need.

Pretty cool for either (1) picturesque sunsets or (2) whale watching.
A couple things to note:
–The road lead up to the lighthouse is pretty poorly maintained. If your car has lower suspension you’ll feel the bumps, haha!
–Once you get to the end of the road and park, it’s about 0.4 miles to the lighthouse.
–Lighthouse is closed after 4:30pm, so you won’t be able to get down to it.
–There’s a lot of fencing – I wish it was a bit more open.

Be warned: it can get very foggy, windy and cold is you don’t get lucky with weather. It went from sunny and 75 on the drive up to like 50 in no time. Also while there is a small parking lot at the top about 0.5 mile from the lighthouse it fills up quick and the road leading to the lighthouse is pretty narrow and can cause a traffic jam. We chose to park a little further down and walk up to avoid that. After watching someone hit the car in front of them trying to get out of their parking spot on the side of the road, I think we made the right choice.
The lighthouse itself is very cool and you feel like you are at the end of the world. You do have to walk up and down the equivalent to 30 stories to make it to the lighthouse and when it’s foggy, you can barely see it from the top (if at all). It was a definite adventure and we would love to go back on a clear, warm day.

I had been here about 7 years ago… by the time we had gotten to the Lighthouse it was so foggy and you couldn’t see anything, so it’s been on my list of things to go back and do! I love Lighthouses and I love the ocean. If you do not know that you need to expect the unexpected with Coastal Weather, then please so more research before you come out! Yes you drive a while to get there! I love the «California Cows, perfectly black and white». Once you get to the Lighthouse there is a ¼ mile walk to main part. If you have a Handicapped plaque you may drive up further. Once you get there, yes there are 308 stairs that you need to go down, and yes come back up. It is a narrow walkway but there are a few places to stop and take a breath and rest for a few minutes. I absolutely loved it. I made it down and back up the stairs and felt proud of myself. The views were absolutely amazing. The weather was beautiful, and no fog on the day we went. The winds were very high which you expect being near the water. Bring water, snacks anything you think you may need to tide you over for the few hours you could be there. It’s beautiful. You can go in the middle and bottom part of the lighthouse but not the top. It is small, but if you can appreciate the beauty of Lighthouses you will love it! Just beautiful!

It was my first time to visit point Reyes and I would love to come back to this beauty again in the future. The air, ocean breeze, and majestic views were what I so craved for. It was a bummer that the lighthouse was closed. According to Unilocal,it closes at 4:30. And we arrived there around 3. But saw a sign on our drive up there that the lighthouse is closed on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. But trusted the info in Unilocal.Hence, we saw the lighthouse but didn’t get a chance to go down there.

SO DISAPPOINTED. I’ve had this (mini) hike on my list for years and the experience just wasn’t what I had anticipated. We started the trek from the East Bay, and after getting stuck in a bit of traffic, finally arrived just over 2 hours later. We were re-​routed to Drakes Beach, where we were told we needed to purchase tickets for a shuttle that would take us to the Lighthouse and Chimney Rock. After waiting in line, we asked the ticket attendant if there was enough time to do both hikes, prior to the final return shuttle at 5:30pm. He said there was more than enough time to do both. At this point, I feel as though it should have been stated that the lighthouse stairs were CLOSED due to strong winds. You could only go the ¼ mile in to the top of the stairs, looking down at the lighthouse. It was extremely cold and windy (about 35 mph winds) so we opted to return to the shuttle stop. Although the buses run every 15 minutes, the shuttles weren’t able to accommodate everyone and it took over 45 minutes to get on a shuttle, and decided to forego Chimney Rock, as did the majority of others on the bus.
In reality, I understand that weather is uncontrollable, however, I feel like visitors should be warned ahead of time if the stairs are closed. I really wish the attendant would’ve been open with us when I asked, and let us know we wouldn’t be able to go out to the lighthouse. we would have opted for another activity, instead of wasting our day waiting in windy lines for an activity we still have yet to experience.

I love visiting Tomales Bay and driving to Chimney Rock and the lighthouse. If you have time check out North Beach on your way. The sign will be on the east side. The lighthouse has plenty of steps and can get chilly in the winter. There are no restaurants or markets around there so bring snacks, something to drink and plan your meals accordingly.

Having been a NorCal resident for the past few years, I have heard my fair share of hype and good storytelling about the lighthouse at Point Reyes. A big fan of the area myself, I never had the opportunity to go check out the landmark itself.
On a limb with some friends after a 10 mile hike, we decided to stop by and check out this historic location.
We got there around 2pm and the place was packed to the brim. Although there’s a parking lot next to the start, cars were stacked behind cars. Luckily, there’s parking on the side not too far away.
The first thing we noticed was that the wind was ridiculous. Apparently, it was greater than 50 mph wins, and so the ranger was closing up the lighthouse steps when we got there (how disappointing! :(). At first I thought we would drive up to the lighthouse, but it’s a small walk there in itself. It takes about 15 minutes I think? But with the extreme winds, we took several breaks.
Now, you may be wondering, why is this guy giving this place 3 stars? How outrageous! Although you do get a nice coastal view while walking to the lighthouse, I was very disappointed. Even from far away, I could tell that the building, to me, didn’t seem all that interesting. Please don’t get offended by me, but I found no fascination staring at it.
And yes, since it was hella windy, we werent allowed to sneak down next to the lighthouse to get a closer view. But given the hype and all the hubbub about the Point Reyes Lighthouse, I guess I expected more.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have as great of a time as I would have wanted, and that wasn’t because of the wind.
have fun and prosper,

Perfect little area to get away for a good chunk of a day. The coast is beautiful and the hike to the lighthouse only sounds worse than it really is! Only took about 15 to 20 minutes to get to the hundreds of steps down to the lighthouse. The legwork is so worth it! The view is amazing.

WARNING: 300+ steps are required to reach the lighthouse. You are going down on the way there but obviously going up on the way back. Walkway is very narrow with rails.
Went to Point Reyes Lighthouse in the mid August and the weather was clear but warm around the area. But when you walk up to the lighthouse, the weather changes drastically because of course you are by the water. Located southwest of Bear Valley Visitor Center, getting to the lighthouse is quite easy. Roads are curvy and car sickness might happen but there are signs that guide you where to turn. The information booth at the Bear Valley Visitor Center told us the light house opens at 10 AM but the room with all the gears and mechanisms that use to make the lighthouse go opens at 2:30 PM. They close the walkway at 4:30 PM so plan accordingly. The lighthouse have small walkways around it and below it so if it’s crowded, might be hard to walk around. Parking situation is horrible here. There is a lot near the entrance to the pathway leading to the lighthouse but not many spaces. People are parking off to the side of the street and they will block the street. The street is also very narrow so sometimes only one car can drive around at a time. Drive carefully. I think there is a sign saying it is a .4 mile walk from the parking lot to the lighthouse. There is a visitor room right before the stairs where you can learn about animals and a gift shop for souvenirs. Outside near the street parking you can spot deer eating the vegetation and other wildlife. Overall it’s worth a stop.

This lighthouse was a beauty. It takes quite a drive to get there, but the views near the lighthouse are gorgeous. The lighthouse itself is a bit old and rusted, but try not to let that bother you. :) There is a small gift shop at the entrance of the lighthouse, so be sure to bring some $$ to buy souvenirs.
Be ready for 300+ steps to get down to the lighthouse, and then the same steps to get back to the top. It’s do-​able for anyone of any age; just keep a steady pace.
The winds are strong, so wear some warm clothes! Perfect to visit on a sunny day.
Parking lot is small though, you might end up parking along some roads right outside of the lot itself.

I had the honor of visiting this place twice, once in December, and recently in July.
In the winter, they are only open from Friday-​Monday while in the summer, they are open Thursday-​Monday. Refer to this link for specific hours:
It is a tad bit warmer to visit in the summer but both times I went, it was super windy. Summer times mean less fog and you can get pretty pictures of the lighthouse and the coast.
It was a two hour drive from Orinda but it was mostly curvy, country/​hillside roads. Once you reach the Point Reyes National Park area, the roads are a bit bump and there’s a good amount of bumps that you gotta go over slowly or it will be super painful for your car and butt.
During the summer, you can drive all the way to the lighthouse parking lot but in the winter, when road conditions aren’t optimal, there are guards that will direct you to park further down and there’s a shuttle system that takes you up to the lighthouse.
The parking lot at the lighthouse has a handicapped section but there’s a gate so if you need handicapped parking, you might have to get the gate opened. If you park in the regular lot, it is about a ten minute walking to the actual lighthouse (uphill and downhill). My dad has a weak knee so the walk was a bit tough and he passed on going down the 308 steps to reach the actual lighthouse. Those steps going down are okay but going up, man, that is a great workout. They do have benches along the staircase for you to sit and rest if you get tired. My mom and I sat on one of it and when it was super windy, you can feel the bench shaking and it was a bit scary.
The lighthouse and its «museum» isn’t much but it’s the scenery surrounding it that makes it amazing and breathtaking. During my most recent trip, they are building a small house at the top to expand the museum.
Definitely make a trip if you are in the area; great for explorers and photographers. If you get to drive up to the lighthouse, about five minutes away, on the right hand side, you will notice a long Cypress tree tunnels. This is another great photo op that you can easily pull over for!

Absolutely breathtaking, gorgeous views. Almost surreal. We started our day with lunch in Point Reyes Station, then drove up to a couple beaches on the coast. The lighthouse was our last stop, and it totally exceeded my expectations. The roads are winding, narrow and bumpy, but the drive is 120% worth it. I’ll never forget our time exploring Pt. Reyes.
Caution: to get to the actual lighthouse, you have to get down (and consequently, back up) about 300 stairs. Even if you can’t make it all the way to the lighthouse, the views throughout the whole area are AMAZING.

Beautiful views from the lighthouse nestled on cliffs overlooking the pacific. Saw both whales and sea lions. Only four stars because we had to take a $ 7 shuttle (sounds like that’s only weekends, you can drive on weekdays) that took forever so we spent almost two hours between waiting in lines and on the bus. The beach where you get tickets was really cool, you can see sea lions up close and so was the lighthouse. The sea lion overlook, which is the second stop, was less cool. You can’t get close to the sea lions and the lifeboat station is not that interesting if you’re like me and prefer outdoor spaces and views to museums. I would go back again!

Der lange Weg zum Leuchtturm aus dem Film «The Fog» lohnt sich. Der Ausblick ist einzigartig und die Landschaft auf dem Weg hierher ist mit das atemberaubendste was ich je gesehen habe !!!

If my parents took me here when I was younger, I definitely don’t remember. Thanks to a beach house rental opportunity through work, a few of us spent a weekend in the Dillon Beach area. Our first full day included driving to Point Reyes Lighthouse. Parking was a challenge since the small lot was pretty filled when we arrived, had to wait for something to open up. Not a terribly clear day but not so shrouded in fog that the endgoal (walking down those 308 steps/​30 stories to the actual lighthouse) wasn’t visible.
It’s quite a hike first with views of the shoreline, then windblown trees that created a great natural «tunnel» pathway, flanked by the red rock formations and wildflowers. Restrooms along the trail before the Lighthouse Center are much better than the ones at the parking lot. The visitor center had useful maps, typical postcards/​magnet souvenirs, fun facts and even a taxidermied pelican to peruse if that’s your thing. The whiteboard handdrawn depiction of the day’s weather forecast was brilliant, very Pictionary-​esque. Past the grey whale skull on display is the stairway along the hazardous cliffs to the lighthouse.
It’s wide enough for two-​way foot traffic, but steps are shallow and there is a handrail and several places to take pit stops. Going down is a great view of the reward at the bottom, and if you look closely at the water you can sometimes make out boats or whales. The lighthouse is located far down the cliff to be below the high-​lying coastal fog, wasn’t too windy that day. The actual interior is small but a mini museum is inside with some fun facts. After some photo opps, the hard part is taking the stairs back up to the top. I’ve run half marathons before, and those stairs definitely winded me (although I wasn’t feeling 100% that day).
We had packed sandwiches and snacks and had a little picnic at the lone table at the top of the stairway. It was a good workout for sure, before we headed toward the Elephant Seal overlook trail and the historic Lifeboat Station. The Chimney Rock trailhead was also nearby, but we decided to continue back to Dillon Beach.

5 stars for a cool landmark and a cheap thrill!
The lighthouse is located waaaaaay at the end of a little two lane road, so be prepared for a bit of a drive. Fortunately the scenery of beaches, rolling hills, and farms is really beautiful and you can pull over if you want to take photos.
There is ample free parking down the road from the lighthouse, but again, be prepared for a bit of an uphill walk. You’ll want to bring a jacket, too, because it can get VERY windy up there. I also recommend ear warmers!
Visiting the lighthouse is free (yay) and if you’re physically fit, you can walk down the infamous steps and check it out up close. I am very active and was winded on the climb back up, so proceed with caution.
I also hear it’s a really great spot to whale watch during migration season! Very cool.
Tip — there is a bathroom near the info building! Chances are you’ll be ready to pee your pants after the drive there, but don’t fret — a restroom awaits you!

Les 3 étoiles peuvent paraître sévères mais j’ai été un peu déçu par mon expédition (c’est le mot) au bout du monde, vers Point Reyes. Au bout du monde car la route pour y arriver est interminable: comptez une grosse demi-​heure depuis Bolinas, à travers de beaux paysages sauvages qui m’ont rappelé l’Écosse, troupeaux et «cattle grids» compris. C’est peut-​être finalement cette route qui vous laissera le meilleur souvenir, car une fois arrivé à Point Reyes, et parcouru à pied le dernier kilomètre (ça grimpe !) qui vous sépare du phare, on découvre un promontoire sans vue particulière si ce n’est sur l’immensité du Pacifique, avec un petit «visitor center» en haut (il était fermé) et l’escalier qui permet de descendre vers le fameux phare (il était fermé aussi). Faites donc plus attention que moi aux horaires d’ouverture et vous aurez peut-​être une expérience plus positive, mais si vous disposez d’un temps limité, il y a sans doute plus intéressant à faire dans Marin County.
PS: le tableau du visitor center (cf. photo) tient le compte des passages de baleines répertoriés pendant la journée. Ouvrez l’œil !

Point Reyes Lighthouse is located at the end of the road. From the visitor center, it’s about a 20 – 30 minute drive. The road is winding and so many cows and farms on the way there! Who knew so many cows and farms could be found on the pacific coast! One the weekends, to get to the lighthouse, you have to take a shuttle from Drakes. On Mondays, you can drive yourself to the lighthouse. We went on a Monday, and so didn’t have to use the shuttle. That was nice, because it was still a drive from Drakes to the lighthouse. I would imagine that it would take a bit of time with the shuttle as shuttles go much slower than driving yourself.
The lighthouse is closed Tuesday-​Thursday, so make sure you go on a day it’s open otherwise you might miss out. It’s really pretty out here and the seeing the Pacific coast is amazing! The lighthouse itself is old of course, and you can see the old equipment that was used. You can walk down to the lighthouse if you dare… it’s 308 steps and according to what my mom read, the equivalent of 30 stories. I walked down the whole thing… walking up, my legs were getting super tired! There are 3 rest stops on the way, so you can stop and take a break. I saw many people taking breaks on the way up… and some people who didn’t take breaks were pretty short of breath. I would suggest taking breaks because it’s pretty steep!
At the lighthouse, you will be closer to the water and it looks amazing! I saw at least 2 grey whales! However, they come up and back down so fast and are pretty far out there that it’s hard to get a good picture. You just don’t have enough time to zoom and focus on them… The sign there said there were 6 gray whales that day.
If you want to have a picnic here, there is only one picnic table. It is located before the stairs leading to the lighthouse. For those who can’t make the walk down and back up the stairs, you can view form the top also. It just might be harder to see the whales clearly. People do bring binoculars, so that makes it much easier. I saw plenty of people staying on top view. It’s up to you to know what you can handle…
As far as bathrooms, skip the one in the parking lot. The one in the parking lot is a pit toilet with no running water. If you can make it another 5 – 10 minutes, you will ended up on top before the stairs to the lighthouse by the visitor center where there will be a bathroom with actual running water that flushes! It’s co-​ed though, so while it may be more sanitary than a pit toilet, it’s still a bit dirty, but I’d choose a toilet that flushes and has running water where I can wash my hands!
If you’re going to Point Reyes, then you should check out the lighthouse! It still beeps, so I do think it still functions! The cliffs are high and rocky so listen to the warnings and don’t climb on the rocks!

The Point Reyes Lighthouse lens and mechanism were constructed in France in 1867 and displayed at the World Fair before making it’s home here. Ahhh it’s French! That’s why it’s so pretty! Peak inside and admire the Moulin Rougesque beauty of the contraption. It really is gorgeous and has some strangely romantic qualities.
The whole area that the lighthouse is perched on is quite beautiful. How can you go wrong with the picturesque California coastline? Keep your eyes peeled for whales! The day before we arrived there were 70 sightings and that particular morning they had already counted 13.
The hike back up the from the lighthouse is a bit daunting, as per the sign it says it’s equivalent to a 30 story stair trek. Thankfully it’s an impressively scenic trek and you’ll appreciate the opportunity to stretch your legs after that long drive in.

We must have come on a day that Mother Nature was not angry at this place. Sunny, clear 65 degree day with a cool breeze. I understand that this was completely atypical according to others that were here on 12÷26÷13 and other Unilocal reviews. It would have been a perfect day to get up close and personal with the Lighthouse but the steps were closed. The NPS website says it is kinda open on Thursdays but kinda not open on Thursdays.
Per
: «Beginning May 1, 2013, the stairs leading down to the Lighthouse will be open 10 am to 4:30 pm, Thursdays through Mondays; closed Tuesdays through Thursdays. When wind speeds exceed 40 m.p.h., the steps to the lighthouse are closed for visitors’ safety.» My eyewitness account is that the lighthouse steps are, indeed, closed on Thursdays. Glass half full take is there are over 300 steps so thanks for saving me the trouble NPS. But, if you really want to go down and see it then Thursdays are not for you.
All that aside, it is beautiful here! The drive up is on a winding road flanked with green pastures for happy cows to graze. The ocean becomes visible while rounding some of the curves then disappears and more cows and Historical Ranches come into view. Once parked at the top (good luck with that) there are spectacular views of the beach, rocky coast, and the ocean. The only thing that gets in the way of your view are other beautiful things like the cliff side and some Cypress trees.
The parking situation here turns people into hand/​arm flailing horn honking goblins. Come early if you want to avoid that or just park down the road. It might be a mile hike/​walk up to the Lighthouse steps but it might be worth it to avoid the parking lot that will zap a bit if your happiness.