Lighthouse ZZZs

Overnight Cottage at Point Arena Lighthouse Mendocino Coast

It’s the closest point of land to the Hawaiian Islands in the continental United States and it might well be the best view on the coast. The historic 115-foot lighthouse tower at Point Arena Lighthouse in Mendocino County sits on a spit of land jutting two miles into the ocean. It’s also one of the few lighthouses you can climb to the top of for a brilliant balcony panorama of the Pacific Coast. Daytime visitors come and go, but for a truly magical experience surrounded by the sea, spend the night here! Point Arena has six ocean-facing cottages, including a brand-new one with a gourmet chef’s kitchen (Assistant Keeper’s House 4).

All but one of the cottages are equipped with full kitchens and back patios with picnic tables. Wood-burning or gas fireplaces keep things warm and cozy. Bring your favorite people: The setting is pure Pacific Coast and a great hopping-off point to nearby Manchester State Beach and Bowling Ball Beach. The lighthouse and the surrounding Point Arena–Stornetta Public Lands, a California national monument, are a prime place for a hike along the bluffs.

BONUS: Your stay includes lighthouse tour admission. Night tours are also offered some weekends—you’ll climb the tower in the dark to reach the lantern room, the way that lighthouse keepers used to do it!

Point Arena Lighthouse is at 45500 Lighthouse Rd. in Point Arena. Assistant Keeper’s houses 2 & 3 are dog-friendly! No dogs in the other units.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View
  2. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

    View
  3. A group of people clamored around the summit marker at Mission Peak in the Bay Area

    Your Mission Is Less Crowded

    Mission Peak is one of the Bay Area’s most popular mountains, with many hikers climbing every weekend. Skip the crowds with this 6-mile loop up the less-traveled southern route.

    View
  4. Hike top Angel Island Mount Livermore San Francisco Bay

    Good Heavens

    The 4-mile hike to the top of Angel Island offers Bay-mazing scenery. Some people claim you get a five-bridge view: Richmond-San Rafael, Bay, Golden Gate, San Mateo-Hayward, and Dumbarton bridges.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

    View
  2. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View
  4. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View