Point Arena Light Station

The lighthouse view is well worth the drive!!! When you get to the top of the lighthouse and see nothing in the distance but clear blue skies and beautiful ocean water you don’t want to come back down. The air is clear and crisp and the sounds of the waves hitting the rocks is so calming and peaceful. There are tons of people with their cameras taking pictures trying to capture the beauty of the lighthouse and its surroundings but you truly need to view it in person to witness it’s true beauty!!!

From San Mateo, the drove was 3.5 hours leaving at 7a on Memorial Day. What awesome luck. The best part was the drive was mostly foggy, turned into Lighthouse Rd and BOOM… here comes the sun… just like the song. Entire time there it was simply gorgeous. outside the museum gift shop are free posters! Great staff with cool stories. You are guaranteed the drive was totally worth it… heading back down Highway 1 was exact opposite from morning. Sunny 60s and so beautiful I stopped a few times for quick hikes.

If you enjoy wind swept rocky bluffs and the smell of ocean air you’ll love this place. There’s something about standing on a rocky cliff with the ocean pounding away at the rocks and the wind blowing through your hair that I find so relaxing. It’s almost as if I’ve become one with nature if only for a short time.
The original lighthouse at Point Arena was built in 1870. In 1906 an earthquake destroyed this lighthouse and the one that stands now was erected in 1908.
There is a small gift shop/​museum here. They do offer a guided tour which enables you to find out a little of the history of the lighthouse.
The tour price allows you to climb up to the top of the lighthouse where you are met by another guide who tells you more of the history and points out some of the sights. I thought this was the most interesting part of the tour.
The view from the top of the lighthouse is phenomenal and was well worth the price of the tour. I can only imagine what the view must be from up there during a storm with really rough seas.
In 1992 Mel Gibson & Jamie Lee Curtis starred in a movie called Forever Young. The movie had several scenes with the lighthouse. A great movie, by the way, if you’ve never seen it.
Point Arena Lighthouse is located about 130 miles north of San Francisco just off the Pacific Coast Highway. I didn’t know it at the time but they have lodging right there at the lighthouse. If I was ever up that way again I’d definitely plan to spend a night or two there.

Beautiful coastal views, The lighthouse is unique, the tallest on the west coast. The view is worth the walk up the stairs. In the museum local history is displayed nicely. The staff is very informative .The devil’s punchbowl is a great example of evolution. Forever Young was filmed here .The also have little apartments you can stay in. What a stunning area to relax and enjoy. Great place to take pictures.

View can’t be beat… really. I consider the price reasonable at $ 7.50 per adult. You basically walk up by yourself, and there is a tour guide waiting at the top to tell you about the history of the lighthouse. Pretty neat history too. Museum is definitely small, but has some pretty interesting stories and pictures. Worth the trip!

I stayed in lighthouse keepers house #2. It isn’t fancy, but it has everything that you would want or need. I was in awe the whole time that I was there. If you walk the property every view is breathtaking. I sat outside and watched a heron pull a mole out of the ground and swallow it whole. If you walk down by the gazebo you’ll see seals on the nearby rocks. I want to go stay there again. I love going to the beach and taking photos. I live by Bodgea and Point Reyes and go at least once a month. I also go to Monterey, Fort Bragg, Santa Cruz and Big Sur. Point Arena was one of my favorite, if not my favorite place ever. Make sure you take the time to go to Bowling Ball Beach and Schooner Gulch while you’re in the area. I got to see an otter at Schooner Gulch. Also as you’re driving to the lighthouse. About a mile before it you’ll see people parked on the left. Take a walk out there. The views are wonderful as well.

Unfortunately we arrived after 3pm and it was closed. But the drive there and the views were worth it. Next time will come earlier to be able to enjoy.

For $ 8 you can be in a real light house. Be ready for the 145 steps to go all the way up. Nice view and a little bit of history make this place a fun stop for all ages.

The Point Arena Lighthouse is located between Mendocino and Salt Point on the secluded north coast. To get there requires driving many miles along the windy and scenic Highway 1. Seeing that it’s the tallest lighthouse on the California Coast where you can actually climb to the top… it’s well worth the drive.
On the way to the lighthouse on Lighthouse Road are several turnouts offering hugely picturesque shots of the rugged coastline with the lighthouse in the distance. The lighthouse is situated on a headland that also supports the old foghorn building and lightkeepers’ cabins. The foghorn building is now a museum and gift shop with several historical artifacts, pictures and the original Fresnel lens. We joined a docent-​led lighthouse tour from the gift shop that allowed a group of about 10 at a time to climb to the top of the lighthouse. Admission was only $ 7.50 for adults and $ 1.00 for kids. A spiral staircase ascends to the glass room that once housed the Fresnel lense. I have to admit, I was a little dizzy after climbing 11 stories of stairs and ending up in a glass room hovering over a hundred feet above the sea. Then the docent points to a spot not too far away and says, «That’s were the San Andreas Fault makes a turn out to sea». Needless to say… it took a few minutes to get the heart rate back in check. But as one could imagine, the views were incredible. After a few facts about the lighthouse, the docent answered questions and then let those who dared go outside the top of the lighthouse. This was a surprise to us. It was cold, windy and too incredible to leave before capturing pictures in every which direction. We’ve been to quite a few lighthouses along the California Coast and this was by far the most impressive. If you’re ever in this region of the north coast, it should not be missed. In addition, the lighthouse keepers’ cabins are vacation rentals that would make for a great overnight experience.

What a great little tour with historical significance. The tour begins next to the gift shop with old pictures of times past. The tour guide explained everything about how the lighthouse functioned back then, and the old light made of glass is in there too.
We took all the stairs to the top of the lighthouse. There are amazing panoramic views up there and if you hit it right like we did you can experience some whale watching. The area is amazing with the strength of the ocean all around you.

Point Arena Light Station will forever hold a special place in my heart; my boyfriend proposed to me at the top of the lighthouse viewing deck. The views were absolutely spectacular.
Even if your significant other doesn’t propose, it’s a great stop along Hwy 1 for some epic ocean views.

I have taken photos of dozens of lighthouses up along both U.S. coasts and the Point Arena Lighthouse is the best one in Northern California (better than Point Reyes and Point Bonita in Marin). The beauty and mystique of this gorgeous setting comes at a price (it is far away from anything that resembles civilization).
A good 2 hour drive from Healdslburg /​1 hour from Anderson Valley, Point Arena is quite the trek. You have to maneuver through narrow, windy roads that at times collapse into 1.5 lanes (shared both ways) making for some tricky/​dangerous roads even for experienced drivers. I advise not to drive on these roads after sunset as it is tough enough as is during daylight to see around corners.
Once you arrive, you will be rewarded with a spectacular view. Yes, the visiting hours are over after sunrise and before sunset, but the best views for photos are just outside the gates (which is fine if you don’t want to deal with crowds and pay to enter the museum/​lighthouse). Not only is the lighthouse at the edge of the cliff, but the rough waters below provide an amazing backdrop for photos. Just be careful when taking photos on the cliffs.

Love love love it! It’s so tall, so when you climb up all those steps the view is great (as long as it’s a clear day, granted). Interesting history too, how the tower was rebuilt after the 1906 SF quake. I wouldn’t have wanted to be up there during an earthquake, no sirreee. At least on the climb up there are places to pause, it is not as cramped as many a Lake Michigan lighthouse stairway (no places to pass those coming up, etc).
Good museum and gift shop. Captive audience and rabid lighthouse peeps means they can charge what they need to/​want to. Nice gazebo and short trails around the lighthouse too, if you seek longer walks the nearby Stornetta Public Lands or Manchester beach would do nicely. I second or third the suggestion about wearing comfortable shoes.

If you are in Fort Bragg/​Mendocino area this is a must see! Wear comfortable shoes if you are planning on climbing to the top. There are many steps to climb to get to the top but once you are there, the view is spectacular! The guide was great and gave lots of information about the lighthouse as well as information on restaurants and other places to go in the area. This is also a great spot for walking and there is a beautiful gazebo that was used in the filming of the movie Forever Young.
The hours are everyday 10 – 3:30 and admission is $ 7.50 and $ 1 for children under 12 which is so very well worth it!

Stopped there one afternoon for a tour of the light house. We ate lunch (sandwiches from town) at one of the picnic tables. Parking is free, but $ 7.50/pp gets you a stair climb to the top of the light house and that includes an in depth history lesson on the lighthouse and surrounding area.
The climb wasn’t too difficult (61 year old woman made it fine). The steps are generously wide and fairly shortly-​spaced (vertically). Every story or so there is a window with a bench for pictures and resting. The climb took roughly 5 minutes. At the top, there is a museum representative who provides a verbal history of the lighthouse and the physical characteristics of the land including its erosion.
You can walk around the outside ledge of the lighthouse top and also access the glass light enclosure on the tip top where the larger lens used to stand. The story and history was more interesting than I expected, but the museum tour guide sounded like she was just reading her lines and didn’t really try to engage us emotionally, a bit disappointing. Also, it was about 90 degrees up in the glass enclosure and was barely comfortable; we should have asked to have the tour presentation on the floor below which was much cooler.

OMG I haven’t written a review for the lighthouse yet!!! HOW did I make this goof?!?
We’ve been visiting it for the past ten years — back in the days when visitors could still pack into the top and see the magnificent lens and clock work. Now the huge first order Fresnel lens can be seen in the fog house building. The stairway to the top of the lighthouse now empties into the area that once housed the lens and visitors are treated to a panoramic view of the point and its coves.
Plan to spend a few hours here and indulge yourself in the history of the area. You’re on vacation and you’re breathing some of the cleanest air in America. This isn’t a racetrack, its Mendocino.
If you’re up for a walk after spending hours driving along the coast, drive down Lighthouse Road to where it doglegs to the right — you’ll see spaces for a few cars near a fence opening. Park and walk out onto the Stornetta public lands… the trail will take you to Sea Lion cove and an enigmatic set of concrete platforms that were once part of a loading chute. This depression will let you get right to the edge of the water which is usually very calm. At low tide you will see some fascinating tide pools.
Continue your journey by driving to the lighthouse entrance gate and parking along the road to see the many pinnipeds basking on the rocky reef that is exposed at lower tides. Stay back from the bluff edges, though, as they can give way due to the violent storms that strike this promontory in the winter. A long lens and tripod come in handy for some stunning shots.
Continue and pay your entry fee at the gatehouse if its staffed or just continue the drive to the fog house building. There is a first class gift shop if you’re in need of a remembrance (or you forgot to pack a sweatshirt for the chilly coast). But be sure to continue into the fog house building that now houses the actual Fresnel lens with its 666 cut glass prisms. Wander about and immerse yourself in the history of logging, ships, wildlife, wrecks, and even movies. Yup, this was the lighthouse in «Forever Young» and a scene in the 2014 release of «Need for Speed».
The friendly docent will answer any questions on the lighthouse and will announce the start of the next tour to the top. Be prepared for a bit of a workout as you ascend the interior wrought iron staircase that is over 100 years old. Your reward will be the panorama of the coast viewed from the top. If the weather is cooperative, take a walk along the outside and get some of that fresh air I mentioned earlier. During whale watching season, this is the place to be!
Far too many people fail to take a walk out to the gazebo which sits beyond the former lightkeeper houses that now server as guest accommodations (yes, you can spend the night here with reservations!) Go to the gazebo with a loved one! Its the same gazebo from the movie except without Jamie Lee Curtis or Mel Gibson hanging about. If you wisely brought your camera you can get some amazing pictures.
I hope you enjoy your visit as much as we do. If you’re a lighthouse buff, this is heaven… if not, its a wonderful way to spend a few hours on the Mendocino coast which take you back to the days when life was a bit slower and people actually had conversations with each other minus electronic devices. Yup, forget about cell service… you may actually get to converse with your kids.
Enjoy!

Certainly not an «easy-​off, easy-​on» Interstate tourist attraction! This is a working navigational beacon in a tall tower (35m) located on a 5 km access road off the Pacific Coastal Highway (Ca 1.)
Beware of the limited hours (10:00 — 15:30 or 16:30 in summer)!
The original Fresnel lens has been removed and reassembled inside the ground floor museum (former fog horn building). Access to the tower and Lantern room atop the tower is self guided and a strenuous climb of 139 steps in a spiral stairwell (with landings and a rest bench approximately every 28 steps).
Thayer Walker, a docent, was on hand in the lantern room with facts about the building, tower, and life in California around the time of the gold rush. His illustrated narrative about commerce as San Francisco grew after 1850 created a boom in lumber and fishing which in turn lead to the need for navigation beacons along the Pacific coast.
The lower walkway just below the lantern room is accessible and both breath-​taking and very windy!
Well worth the $ 7.50 admission fee (museum and tower).

What?! What?! $ 7.50 per person. No thanks. We snapped a photo and kept going.

What:
— Point Arena lighthouse (115 feet)
— View of Punchbowl, Manchester State Beach and Mendocino coastline from the top of the lighthouse
— Coastal trails on Lighthouse Road (a little away from the lighthouse)
More Info:
— Free car parking in the lighthouse grounds
— The tallest lighthouse on the Pacific Coast where one can climb to the top; Fee is $ 7.50/adult
— Guided and self-​guided tours available
— Check out the lighthouse hours here
— Gift shop near the lighthouse
After spending a wonderful weekend in Mendocino and Fort Bragg, we decided to stop at Point Arena lighthouse while returning to the Bay Area. The lighthouse is located to the south of Mendocino and can be reached within an hour’s drive from Mendocino. Point Arena is the tallest lighthouse in California, where one can actually climb to the top! Although I wonder why Pigeon Point lighthouse (
), which is of same height as Point Arena is considered to be the tallest in California. The Pigeon Point lighthouse has been closed to the public since December 2001.
Unfortunately, the day was overcast when we started in the morning, but we still adhered to our plan to go to the lighthouse hoping the fog would clear up. The weather website claimed it to be a warm and sunny day and undoubtedly it was wrong, so wrong!
The drive from Mendocino to Point Arena was amazing. The roads were not as coiling as I expected and the views of the ocean were unsurpassable. We specifically remember driving on the road that offered a fantastic view of the serene Navarro River from an elevation. We pulled over to capture a quick picture and we on our way to Point Arena.
View of Navarro River —
Ideally, I think one can see the beautiful white lighthouse as soon as you take the Lighthouse Road, which splits from CA1. The foggy weather did not reveal the lighthouse, no matter how hard we tried to find the 115 feet tall structure. As we approached the lighthouse grounds, we saw the beautiful white lighthouse emerging from the fog.
Point Arena Lighthouse —
We went inside the gift shop that sold souvenirs, sweaters, jewelry made of abalone, etc. And needless to say, they were pricey. We badly wanted to go up to the lighthouse, but knew it would be waste of money ($ 7.50/adult) and time given the bad weather. On a bright day, I can bet that the view from the top would blow one’s mind.
View from the coastal trail —
View from the coastal trail -
We waited here for a while and there was still no luck with the fogs clearing up. While returning via the Lighthouse Road, there was a spot where several cars were parked on one corner and we noticed folks walking on the rocks along the coast. We followed suit and were so glad we did it. There was a plethora of grottos in the ocean and several places where one can walk on those grottos. Simply beautiful! We continued on the trail for a bit and noticed a farm at a distance where cows were grazing. This place is marked on the map in this blog post.
View of natural grottos —
We would certainly love to return to Point Arena lighthouse on a clear day to enjoy the breathtaking views from the top.
Tips:
— Excellent vantage point to see whales migrating between December and March

The coastline near the Light Station is quite stunning as is the view from the top of the lighthouse. Admission is charged if you want to take a look around in the small museum and take a tour up to the top of the lighthouse which is a few stories tall. There’s no admission to walk around the grounds outside of the lighthouse or to go into the small gift shop.
We really enjoyed the views of the ocean and «Devil’s Punchbowl» and found the tour itself interesting. Be prepared to climb the stairs, there were quite a few people huffing and puffing their way up to the top of the lighthouse. Not me of course *cough cough*, I mean the other people. ;)
We bought a few things from the gift shop, which was filled with sweatshirts, trinkets, books and postcards among other things. The woman at the cashier was very friendly and pleasant.