Gray's in Fashion

Whale Watching at Pigeon Point Light Station on San Mateo Coast

12.15.2016

{Note: Due to winter weather, before visiting this spot check ahead for any road and trail closures and/or hazards before heading out, and exercise good judgement for overall safety.}

Built in 1872, Pigeon Point Lighthouse is an iconic mainstay on the San Mateo Coast. It's great to visit anytime, but go in winter and get a big bonus: you might spy a gray whale migrating. And Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park is one of the best places for spying them.

The best vantage point for spotting grays is a short stroll away on a boardwalk overlook. Docent tours can be booked ahead of time for a guided walk in the area. If the weather's good and the sea is calm, you can head down to adjacent Whalers Cove, a secluded beach acquired and preserved by Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST).

BONUS EVENTS 2024: Pigeon Point Lighthouse also leads guided History Walks each month.

BONUS STAY: Hostelling International’s Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of only a few accommodations on this stretch of the coast. The four guesthouses, salty and weathered, each have a private room and fully equipped kitchen and are ideally situated next to the old lighthouse. What else is sweet about this spot? Guests have access to a secluded hot tub perched above the bluffs facing the ocean. Jacuzzi jets and whale watching—hot combo!

The Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park is 50 miles south of San Francisco on Hwy. 1. The address is 210 Pigeon Point Rd., Hwy. 1 Pescadero. The day-use area is open from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. 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