Oh, Brother!

Spend the Night at East Brother Light Station on the Bay

Photo of the East Brother Light Station in the San Francisco Bay Area

Spending the night on a tiny island in the Bay? Intriguing. Spending the night in a lighthouse perched on that island? Sound the foghorn! East Brother Light Station Bed & Breakfast Inn sits on a small patch of land in the strait that separates San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. Active for more than 130 years—and surrounded by Baymazing scenery—the lighthouse was saved from destruction by dedicated locals who won a National Historic Site designation.

Close up photo of East Brother Light Station in the San Francisco Bay Area

Getting to the island is a 5-minute boat ride. Getting onto the island is a 4- to 12-foot climb straight up a ladder, depending on tides. Your friendly hosts will show you around and pop some champagne for an hors d’oeuvres social hour and fireside chatting. All four rooms in the main lighthouse are named after the views they look out to—including “San Francisco” and “Marin.” They also come with bathrooms, though no showers (water here is derived entirely from rain).

Young woman on the light deck looking out at the sea from East Brother Light Station in the San Francisco Bay Area

The postage-stamp-size island can be strolled in just minutes, leaving plenty of time for savoring the views, like cormorant-covered West Brother Island. Dinner’s a four-course farmers’ market affair, with fresh veggies from East Brother’s garden. The wine’s on cue, too! Before bed, take the spiral stairs to the top of the lighthouse to view the stars and swirling moonlit current. Fall asleep to the lullaby of the foghorn, which sounds every 30 seconds. (You get used to it after a while.) Nighty light!

East Brother Light Station in the San Francisco Bay

East Brother Light Station, 510-233-2385. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  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.

    View
  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.

    View
  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.

    View
  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.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  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.

    View
  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.

    View
  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.

    View
  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.

    View