Point Reyes Lighthouse

As mentioned in the bioluminescence kayaking post, on our way to Tomales Bay, we stopped at Point Reyes lighthouse.

Point Reyes Lighthouse

It was a two hour drive from Sunnyvale and the parts along Highway 1 are an absolute treat to the eyes. The Point Reyes National Seashore Park has a lot of different beaches apart from the lighthouse. As we were short on time, we could not stop at any other points. Point Reyes is the windiest place on the West coast and the second foggiest place in North America. Luckily for us, it was a clear day and the wind wasn't too bad!

This is the view from the parking lot.

A short walk leads to a small gift shop and restrooms. From there, 300 odd concrete steps take you downhill to where the lighthouse is located. It was a lot smaller than I had imagined it to be. The view from the lighthouse was no different from up top. If you want to avoid the walk up and the down, you can totally skip it.

300 Steps

The interiors of the lighthouse were bare except for a massive instrument with the clockwork mechanism, glass prism and lens that is housed inside. A guide inside gave us a brief overview. The lighthouse was built in 1870 and it warned mariners about rocky shores for hundred years before it was decommissioned in 1975. The guide also explained the mechanism of the equipment but I wasn't too keen on it.

Lighthouse from up close

Guide explaining the Lighthouse mechanism

The climb back up was the toughest part and made me huff and puff! I did not enjoy that at all. As you can gather, I wasn't too impressed by the trip so I wouldn't recommend it. Honestly, I liked the lighthouse at San Diego much better than this one.

What: Point Reyes Lighthouse
Where: Point Reyes Lighthouse, Inverness CA
Hours: Thur-Mon 2:30pm-4:00pm
Fee: Free