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Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Address: 210 Pigeon Point Rd, Pescadero, CA 94060

The Pigeon Point Lighthouse was built in 1872 to prevent ships from crashing into the region. And in 1853, a carrier cargo vessel named “Pigeon” was wrecked after which the lighthouse was named. The Pigeon Point Lighthouse is 116 feet tall, shaped like a tapered cylindrical tower. The lighthouse and its scenic grounds are surrounded by beautiful native plants and relaxing panoramic ocean views. There is also a hostel available onsite situated at the foot of the lighthouse for overnight stays. Downtown Pescadero is about 8 miles away from the Pigeon Point Lighthouse with a few selections of cafes, restaurants, and shops.

It took us about 30-40 minutes (22 miles) to drive from Daly City via CA-1 South/Cabrillo Highway North. My family and I enjoyed our relaxing scenic drive to Pigeon Point Lighthouse via Ca-1. We passed through several beautiful beaches situated along the coast, small coastal towns, local hotels, organic farms, along the way. Pigeon Point lighthouse is after the Bean Hollow Beach in Pescadero which is about 3.5 miles away.

We arrived at the Lighthouse at around 10 a.m. and parked at the free parking area in front which is made up of sand and gravel. There was also a few extra parking outside by the dirt road. We only walked for about 5 minutes to get to the lighthouse from the parking lot. It was a beautiful sunny day and saw a few big waves that crashed loudly onto to the surrounding rocks that protect the Lighthouse. The inside of the lighthouse is not accessible at the moment and the entire lighthouse was surrounded by a fence. We took lots of pictures at the Vista Point and the surrounding area near the lighthouse. There were a few picnic tables near the Vista Point area within the vicinity of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. There are warning signs for safety to watch out for the cliffs due to erosion. A few people were sitting on a bench and just enjoying the amazing and beautiful view of the ocean with the Lighthouse in the background.

Tips: There is ample free parking available in front of the Lighthouse or you can park outside on a dirt parking area. You can’t go inside the lighthouse but can walk around the outside of the Lighthouse. Public restrooms are available near the parking area. Always bring a jacket or blanket as the weather is unpredictable. There is a Hostel available onsite for rental that is good for stargazing at night or just for an overnight stay.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about the Pigeon Point 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.

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Pie Ranch (Pescadero)

Address: 2080 CA-1 Pescadero, Ca. 94060

Established in 2005, a roadside farmstand barn situated on Hwy-1 offers fresh, sustainable, locally farm-grown produce, goods, pies, and preserves. Their mission is to bring health to the food system from seed to table. The profit they generate supports their own non-profit educational farm programs.

It took us about an hour drive from Daly City and it’s 47 miles via CA-1 South Cabrillo Highway. Our drive to the ranch was very scenic and relaxing on Hwy-1 towards Santa Cruz. The Pie Ranch is after Highway 1 Brewing Company and it’s a good stopover on your way to Santa Cruz. It has easy access on and off from the freeway and we parked on a large gravel and sandy parking area. The ranch also has a porta-potty available for customers located on the side of the barn near the parking area. My daughter and wife liked the clean outdoor picnic tables and all the pumpkins situated in front of the Pie Ranch entrance.

We were surprised to see a wide variety of selections inside the barn such as the organic pies, organic produce (tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, eggs, strawberries, etc). They also sell drinks such as kombucha, sourdough bread, t-shirts, and books. We bought small sizes (about 2-3 servings) of pumpkin cutie pie, pear ginger streusel cutie pie, apple streusel cutie pie, cheesy garlic twists, organic cherry tomatoes, strawberry, olallieberry, and jay berry jams. The price for the small size pie is $8 while the whole pie is $25 and they don’t sell per slice. The small pies were not too sweet, nice crust that is not too flaky or buttery. There is no seating available inside but has outdoor tables that are ideal for a countryside picnic experience. My daughter loved the fact that they have pumpkins situated all over the outdoor picnic area due to the upcoming Halloween event/celebration.

Tips: Try to get there earlier on weekends due to large crowds and they can run out of baked pies. Some customers usually call in their order to reserve their pie orders. Pie Ranch is before Ano Nuevo State Park and Swanton Berry Farm. Swanton also has a variety of freshly baked pies that they sell. Don’t forget to stop by at all the beautiful beaches along Highway 1 coast.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about Pie Ranch after your visit in the comments below. And kindly subscribe, comment, and 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.