Address: 45500 Lighthouse Road, Point Arena, Ca. 95468
Point Arena lighthouse is a 115-foot tall historic lighthouse constructed in 1870 located in Mendocino County and 2 miles north of Point Arena. There is also a small gift shop and a museum within the property. The lighthouse was struck by a strong earthquake and was badly damaged that it had to be destroyed. It was rapidly rebuilt in 1908 and became a place for fishermen, foresters, and ranch hands.
It took us about 3 hours and 30 minutes from San Francisco to Point Arena Lighthouse through US-101 North, CA-128, and CA-1. It took us approximately 2 hours on CA-128 which was a very winding road with sharp turns, a scenic route with beautiful wineries, and small shops along the way. We also passed through an area called Navarro which had a lot of redwood trees along the highway and was good for a photo opportunity.
We passed through a few meadows with farm animals and a gorgeous view of the ocean on our way to the lighthouse through CA-1. It was a very relaxing and scenic drive en route to the lighthouse. We stopped at the lighthouse Point Resort with smaller cabins for rent and the Rollerville Café to use the restroom and checked out the Café’s menu. From the café, we drove through the lighthouse Road which is a 2-way narrow road for about 15 minutes that led us to the entrance of the Point Arena Lighthouse. The lighthouse was closed to the public on the day we visited due to the Covid-19 restrictions but was only available for people who stayed and rented the cabins for the night inside the Point Arena Lighthouse. We parked our car at a small Vista Point parking area with a view of the Point Arena Lighthouse and the ocean. There were a lot of people taking pictures with the Lighthouse as their background. There was also a porta-potty available along the Lighthouse Road before the Point Arena Lighthouse entrance.
Overall, it was a great place to take pictures, have a picnic while enjoying the ocean with the view of the lighthouse in the background. Point Arena Lighthouse even has a cabin/house available for rentals.
Tip: There is a great beach near the Point Arena Lighthouse area called Bowling Ball Beach. The beach is part of the Schooners gulch and you have to park safely alongside highway 1. The beach is about a 15 minutes drive and 8 miles away from Point Arena.
Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about Point Arena Lighthouse after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.