Local Lighthouses

Where can you enjoy some of the most dramatically beautiful coastal views? Light this way! From overnight stays to full moon displays, here are five lighthouses worth a wander.

Week: 03.08.2018
Regions: Northern CA

Point the Way

Point Bonita Lighthouse Full Moon Night Tours

Perched on a remote promontory 124 feet above the ocean, with its dramatic setting and expansive views, Point Bonita Lighthouse lures day-visitors throughout the year. But on full-moon nights, ranger-led tours reveal an even more dramatic place. Waves crash below and the city shi
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Gray's in Fashion

Whale Watching at Pigeon Point Light Station on San Mateo Coast

Built in 1872, Pigeon Point Lighthouse is an iconic mainstay on the San Mateo Coast. Go in winter and get a big bonus: you might spy a gray whale migrating. Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park is one of the best places for spying them.
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Wildflowers & Wine!

Top 10 Wildflower Hikes in Sonoma County

Wildflowers and wine—now that’s a pairing! Go to the place that’s best in blooms and tasting rooms. Sonoma County’s miles of rolling open space and coastline burst with vibrant wildflowers in spring. We’re talking more colors than a double rainbow: poppies on parade, snowy milkma
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Light at the End of the Road

Visit Point Cabrillo Light Station for Whale Watching and Big Coastal Views

Looking for the light at the end of the road? How about a light station?! Dramatically perched at the tip of a headland and surrounded by 30 acres of open space, Point Cabrillo Light Station is legendary for more than its picturesque location with sweeping views of the Pacific. T
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Vantage Point

Point Arena Light Station and Gray Whales

Point Arena Light station
What's the secret for spying gray whales during winter's migration season? Location, location, location! And location doesn't get any better than from the top of the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast. The historic 115-foot Lighthouse Tower at Point Arena Light Station in Mendo
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

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  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

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  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

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  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

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  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

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  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

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  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

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  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

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