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Point Reyes Lighthouse (Marin County)

Address: 27000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Ca. 94937

Point Reyes Lighthouse is also known as the Point Reyes Light is located at the westernmost end of the Point Reyes Headlands and Sir Francis Drake Blvd. The Point Reyes Lighthouse was built in 1870 to prevent ships from crashing into the rocky shores and reefs. The Point Reyes Lighthouse is 35 feet tall, shaped like a tapered cylindrical tower, and situated in the Gulf of Farallones. On December 1, 1870, was when the first time the Point Reyes Lighthouse shone its light. Dynamite was used to clearing an area and level a spot for the lighthouse to be situated. Visitors will need to walk through the 313 steps downhill towards the Lighthouse. In the early days, lighthouses reflect light out to the sea by using mirrors which could only be seen at 8-12 miles away. But the Point Reyes Lighthouse used a Fresnel lens from 1870-1975 that could be seen at about 24 miles away. The lighthouse’s lenses and mechanism were constructed in France in 1867. The light was only lit between sunset and sunrise. In 1975, The U.S. Coast Guard put in place an automated light, and Point Reyes Lighthouse was discontinued from service. The ownership of the Point Reyes Lighthouse was transferred to the National Park Service which maintains and preserves the historical lighthouse. The Point Reyes lighthouse also survived the April 18, 1906 earthquake and the lens slipped off its tracks was the only damage.

It took us about 2 hours and 20 minutes (80 miles) to drive from Daly City via US 101 and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. My family and I enjoyed our fun scenic drive and some winding roads to Point Reyes Lighthouse via US-101. We passed through several beautiful beaches such as the North, South, and Drakes Beach situated along the coast, small local ranches, water reservoirs, small towns, local cheese stores, and many more interesting places to see.

We arrived at the main parking lot of the Lighthouse at around 9:30 a.m. on a weekend and parked at the main parking lot. It was limited parking especially in the afternoon as it gets crowded. We even saw a few cars parked on the side of the road a few yards away from the main parking lot. We walked for about 15 minutes (0.45 miles) from the parking lot to the Lighthouse Visitor Center on mostly an uphill paved road or walkway. We were lucky that it was a clear sunny day with a beautiful view of the ocean and saw a few deers, coyotes in the surrounding area. We passed through the Visitor Center, Lighthouse Vista Point, and finally reached the entrance to the stairs leading down to the lighthouse. There was a warning sign indicating that the ascend going up from the lighthouse is strenuous. The stairs that lead to the lighthouse below are composed of 313 steps equivalent to a three-story building. The inside of the lighthouse is currently not accessible at the moment. There were two viewing decks where you can rest or take pictures from the top of the lighthouse.

The ocean view in the lighthouse area was gorgeous and very relaxing but can be very windy. We also had an opportunity and walked around the outside walkway of the lighthouse. We explored the area and learned about how the lighthouse was built, saw the original 1867 clockworks, and the first-order fresnel lens. The tower has 16 sides and is 35 feet tall. We even saw a few species of birds such as the Pelicans and Falcons flying around the area. After our experience below at the lighthouse, we then went up the flight of stairs and proceeded on to the observation deck located near the stairs. My daughter enjoyed and learned history at the Ocean Exploration Center which is located inside the Visitor Center. Overall, it was a very unique and one-of-a-kind memorable historical experience for me and my family.

Tips: The only gas station in Point Reyes is located in the town of Point Reyes Station 11401 CA-1. The parking lot area is limited and can only accommodate 38 vehicles. We saw a few cars parked a few yards away from the main parking lot but be sure that you are not blocking any part of the road. Please respect and observe all “No Parking” signs. You can’t go inside the lighthouse but can walk around the outside of the Lighthouse. Two public restrooms are available in the main parking lot and near the Visitor Center by the green garages. Always bring a jacket or blanket as the weather is unpredictable and bottled water to hydrate as you go up and down the 313 steps of stairs. No cell phone reception but they have a payphone located near the green garages. No drones are permitted in the area. And lastly, be aware that the stairs are narrow and lots of people passed through them both ways especially during peak hours.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about Point Reyes 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.

Click here to find a hotel close to Point Reyes Lighthouse in Marin County.

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Point Reyes National Seashore

Shipwrecks @ Pt. Reyes: 12781 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Inverness, Ca. 94937

Cypress Tree Tunnel: 17400 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Inverness, Ca. 94937

Drakes Beach: 3 Drakes Beach Road Pt. Reyes Station Ca. 94956

Elk Preserve at Tomales Point: Pierce Point Road Inverness, Ca. 94937

Point Reyes National Seashore is maintained by the U.S. National Park Service and a preserved park situated on the Point Reyes Peninsula in Marin County Ca. The Point Reyes National Seashore includes headlands, estuaries, uplands, and wild coastal beaches. The preserve is very rich with shorebirds and other wildlife such as the Tule Elk at Tomales Point, elephant seals at Drakes Bay Beach, and whale watching at Point Reyes Lighthouse.

We drove for about 90 minutes from San Francisco to Point Reyes via US 101 North and Sir Francis Drake Blvd. On our way, we had to pass through a few farmlands, meadows, water reservoirs, farm animals, and a famous cheese company called Nicasio Valley cheese company. My wife bought their famous organic cheese called “Foggy Morning”.

We created our own trip itinerary which consisted of Drakes Bay Beach, Cypress Tree Tunnel, Tomales Point, Shipwrecks Point Reyes, and The Marshall Store Restaurant. The iconic Shipwrecks also called Tomales Shipwreck is an abandoned 380 ft. cargo steamship. We drove through Sir Francis Blvd and almost missed the Inverness Store which is where the Shipwreck is located at the back of the store. We purchased some snacks at the store as a courtesy since we used their parking lot to access the Shipwreck. There was an outside public restroom (porta-potty) available on site. From the parking lot, we walked for 5 minutes and saw a warning sign indicating that the property owner gives permission to visitors to pass and use the trail to access the Shipwreck area. When we arrived at the location, we didn’t realize that the ground was wet, muddy and there were a few insects present. All the visitors were courteous and we all took turns taking pictures. Most of the visitors were also wearing a mask and practiced social distancing. We took a few pictures of the Shipwreck with a picturesque backdrop. We only stayed there for about 15-30 minutes.

Our next destination was the Cypress Tree Tunnel which took us about 12 minutes (6 miles) via Sir Francis Blvd. We drove through a long road and end up parking outside on the side of the road because the gate entrance was closed due to Covid restrictions. From the gate, we were amazed by the tunnel of Monterrey Cypress Trees on the driveway leading to an old building with a radio station. My wife and I took a lot of pictures underneath the tunnel of the Monterrey Trees with the sun’s rays as our backdrop. We even walked all the way to the old building and came back. We wore our masks and practiced social distancing as there were a lot of visitors on the day we visited. My wife took great pictures and stayed there for about 10-30 minutes and drove off.

Our next destination was Drakes Beach which took us about 10 minutes (5.5 miles) from the Cypress Tree Tunnel. Drakes Beach is a remote, wide stretch of beach backed by a dramatic sandstone cliffs. We thought that we were lost since we were the only car on the road. After a few minutes, we passed through a huge meadows with lots of cows and a view of the ocean as a backdrop. We pulled over on the side of the road and took pictures of the beautiful scenery. The parking lot at Drakes Beach wasn’t crowded when we arrived. We even noticed that there was a Park Ranger on-site to enforce the rules and safety. The beach is beautiful, clean and the sand was very soft. There were families that day that were having a picnic on the beach. We only stayed at Drakes Beach for about 30-45 minutes.

Our final destination was the Tomales Point/ Elk Preserve which took us about 35-40 minutes (18.5 miles) drive from Drakes Beach. We drove through narrow long backroads with lots of twists and turns, meadows, and farm animals throughout the scenic route. During our drive, we passed through Kehoe Beach and drove after a few miles, and finally arrived at our destination. Elk Preserve at Tomales Point is also close to the famous Mc Clure’s beach. It was a beautiful sunny day and both the parking lot for the Elk Preserve and the Mc Clure’s Beach was overcrowded and full. So we had decided to just let my wife and daughter do the trail hike to see the Tule Elks while I double park and waited for someone to leave. Per my wife and daughter, the trail was long and hilly. My wife, daughter, and a few hikers saw a Coyote on top of the hill but later decided to leave. My daughter and wife told me that the trail was a moderate hike and had beautiful scenery overlooking the ocean. The experience was well worth the adventure, driving on narrow roads and crowded parking areas. I suggest coming in early in the morning to beat the crowd and find a parking spot.

Tips: We had our car tank full since there is only one gas station around the area which is located at the Point Reyes station. We ate at “The Marshall Store” Restaurant on our way going back home. They have good selections of food (crab sandwich, oysters, steamed crab, etc) and outdoor seating. We were lucky enough to have watched the beautiful sunset at their outdoor seating area. Some people ate and watched from their car in the parking lot of the bay water.

Let me know if you have any questions and what you think about Point Reyes National Seashore 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

Click here to find a hotel close to Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County.