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Discover the coolest lighthouses in California and indulge in the fantastic ocean views and history on the Pacific coast. Volunteers often lead tours of the museum at the Interpretive Center. The breathtaking views from the Point Vicente Lighthouse and the Palos Verdes Peninsula are hard to hate. If you're looking for a romantic destination or relaxing surroundings, the Point Vicente Lighthouse location offers both.
Cabrillo Beach – Harbor Beach
So big and bright in fact that the light was dimmed during World War II, to keep Japanese submarines from finding land. Even after the war, neighboring residents complained about how bright the light is. To avoid any issues with the neighbors, light keepers painted the landward side of the lantern room a pearly opaque white. Local storytellers claim the Point Vicente Light Tower is home to a lady ghost who lost her lover at sea. The shadowy images that look like a woman are just reflections from the third order Fresnel lens atop the 67-foot tower.

Angels Gate Lighthouse
Point Fermin Lighthouse is now the crown jewel of Point Fermin Park and has opened its doors to visitors after having served as park employee housing for years. When you are done, you can walk back the way you came on the half mile trail to your car. This is a beautiful area to explore, and I really enjoyed being able to see another California lighthouse. We walked into the bottom of the lighthouse and spent some time looking around the small museum and gift shop. After 10 minutes, you should see the lighthouse coming into view as well as the other historic houses built on the bluffs.
Point Bonita Lighthouse
Most famous is that of the ghost lady who, having hurled herself into the same sea that took her sailor sweetheart, walks the tower every night awaiting his return. Explanations that the phantom is caused by reflections from the huge lens have done little to dissuade lovers from joining the lady in her somber watch. This active lighthouse’s 67-foot tower is featured in a variety of movies and TV shows as it sits on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles.
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More California Lighthouses
Designed differently than any other California lighthouse, Angel’s Gate is situated on a forty-foot concrete square. Built to withstand rough seas, the framework is structural steel, with steel plates to the second floor. The lighthouse was automated in 1973, thus eliminating the need for keepers. The light is integrated into the keeper's quarters in the Point Fermin Lighthouse in San Pedro at the Port of Los Angeles, just 30 miles south of downtown L.A. The lighthouse is open every day except Monday and is free to visit—although a donation is suggested—including the afternoon guided tours for a more comprehensive trip. The lighthouse was put out of commission during World War II to prevent enemy attacks along the coast and hasn't been turned on since.
Battery Point Lighthouse
The lighthouse on Anacapa Island and the one at Alcatraz Island can be visited, but you’ll have to take a scenic boat ride to each of those (ok we’ll twist your arm). A couple lighthouses, Point Montara and Pigeon Point, have hostels in the old lighthouse buildings so you can stay overnight on-site. The Point Sur Lighthouse must have been one of the loneliest places in California when it was first operated in 1889.
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She has traveled to 60 countries before the age of 30 while running several digital travel publications. Her writing and podcast have been featured in Forbes, CBC Canada, National Geographic, the Huffington Post, and CNN Arabic, amongst others. She’s obsessed with bouldering, houseplants, other people’s pets, and anywhere she can see the ocean. Hidden under the south end of the Golden Gate Bridge, Fort Point is accessible from the Presidio or a short walk from the Golden Gate Bridge Visitor Center. The lighthouse grounds are the perfect place for watching gray whales migrating throughout the winter.
It's been shaken by earthquakes and swamped by a tidal wave, but Battery Point Lighthouse is still standing. Built in 1856, this lighthouse is quite literally a house with a light on it, instead of the towering column structures that most lighthouses resemble. It's located in Crescent City in Northern California, right off of the scenic Redwood Highway and just 20 miles south of the Oregon border. It sits on a small piece of land about a half-mile from the lighthouse parking lot, but you'll have to time your visit accordingly. It's only accessible during low tide, so be sure to check conditions before driving out there.
The original Angels Gate Lighthouse was constructed in 1913, in Los Angeles Harbor, San Pedro, CA. Fermin Lighthouse is also in the Los Angeles area and is open to the public. If you're bringing your pet, please note that dogs must be on leashes at all times. Here are some tips to help you plan your adventure (perhaps paranormal) to a Los Angeles lighthouse with an interesting story. Allison Green is a travel blogger, writer, and podcaster who grew up in the Bay Area of California. She has spent time living in New York, Prague, and Sofia, but has returned to live in the East Bay.

The new horn, nicknamed “Blatting Betty,” was disliked by local mariners for years. The last major change for the lighthouse came January 1, 1973, when the lighthouse was automated. On October 11, 1923, Head Keeper Frank Weller was working on Los Angeles Harbor Light No. 6 with his launch tied fast to it, when the steamer Coalinga collided with the beacon and lunch, forcing the keeper to swim for shore. The keeper’s uniform coat and cap were lost overboard during the collision. The Union Oil Company of California, the owner of the steamer, reimbursed Keeper Weller $46 to cover his loss.
Even though the lighthouse is not open, you can get a close look at the tower if you take a National Parks tour to Alcatraz Island. Located at the southern tip of the Point Reyes National Seashore, this lighthouse offers guests some of the best Northern California scenery. This 115-foot-tall lighthouse is one of the tallest lighthouses in California!
It was built in 1889 on volcanic rock near the bridge, making for some cool photo ops. The lighthouse is still active until this day, but it is now fully automated, and visitors can go on walking tours, ghost hunts and whale watching, and Halloween tours. Point Sur Lighthouse should definitely be on your list of things to visit when you are in Big Sur, as it is one of the coolest, if not the coolest California lighthouse. A less scenic but more visible replacement for San Diego's Old Point Loma Lighthouse, the new one was built in 1891.
Point Arena is one of the tallest lighthouses on the Pacific Coast and they allow visitors to hike up to the top. Tall structures signal seamen great distances from the shore, while low ones help them to navigate in fog and low visibility. Some lighthouses are freshly painted in contrasting colors making them a distinct landmark. Others are weathered and blend with the landscape, but still shine their lights brightly. Even though the nearly 300-year-long era of manned California lighthouses is now over, many of these light towers are now automated and still in use today. Meanwhile, other lighthouses are no longer on active duty but remain historic sites to visit, adopted by non-profit organizations determined to save them.
Just south of Los Angeles, this California lighthouse was the first light to help sailors navigate the San Pedro Bay. The Point Vicente Interpretive Center is nearby and provides lighthouse history and exhibits. There were only three lighthouses built using this style, and this is the only one that remains.
Piedras Blancas Light Station Natural Area is located seven miles north of San Simeon along the San Luis Obispo... Point San Luis Lighthouse has a small cove beach on the harbor side of the rocky breakwater that protects... Wherever you plan on going next in California, there’s still time to make your road trip more eco-friendly. The replica of Angels Gate is located west of Site Six on the Chemehuevi Indian Reservation land.
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