Point Pinos Lighthouse is a fun little stop while visiting Monterey in California. If you are driving the Pacific Coast Highway and you like to visit lighthouses, make sure to stop there.
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We recently spent a weekend on the California’s coast in Monterey.
Monterey is a small fishing town which used to be known for its sardine canning factories. The factories have since closed but Monterey is now a busy tourist area and also home to California’s best aquarium: the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Monterey is a great stop while driving along the famous Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1), and it is also an easy day trip from San Francisco. The drive is only about two hours.
There are so many fun things to do in Monterey, but if you are a fan of old lighthouses, you are in for a treat! Point Pinos Lighthouse is very easy to visit and close to downtown Monterey. Officially it is located in the city of Pacific Grove.
The lighthouse is easily accessible by car, and is in an amazingly beautiful location surrounded by a golf course and the Pacific Ocean. This is also very close to 17 Mile Drive scenic route, so it could easily be combined in a trip there as well.
POINT PINOS LIGHTHOUSE
Point Pinos Lighthouse has been guiding ships to Monterey Bay ever since February 1, 1855. It is the oldest lighthouse in California and on the whole west coast that has been operating continuously. And yes, it is still in use!
It was named after the Spanish explorer Sebastian Vizcaino who came to the California coast in 1602. It is said that the area used to be heavily wooded by pines, and the name given to it; Punta de los Pinos can be translated “Point of Pines”.
After the Mexican war, Congress decided to build seven lighthouses on the West Coast. One of them was Point Pinos. The construction started in 1853, but the shipment of the lenses and prisms from France was delayed, and so the lighthouse was not complete until 1855.
In 1975 the lighthouse became fully automated. In the beginning a whale oil lantern was used which was then replaced by lard, and later kerosene. An electric light replaced the old lanterns in 1919. Now the light can be seen 17 miles out from the ocean.
There also used to be a fog horn in Point Pinos, but it is no longer in use.
VISITING POINT PINOS LIGHTHOUSE
When we visited Point Pinos Lighthouse it was still under restoration. Unfortunately, we were not able to visit inside the building, but we were told that it should re-open its doors soon.
In the last three years they have restored the lantern room and the safety railing of the tower. During that time it has been closed. But the outside of it is now open and we loved seeing it.
A big part of the visit were the great docents guiding the guests. We heard wonderful stories of the building itself and the life of the lightkeepers.
And, I was able to get a stamp into my Lighthouse Passport book. Each of the lighthouses in the United States have their own stamp which is usually carried by the docents or souvenir stores.
There is a small parking lot for visitors in front of the lighthouse, and they also had restrooms in a separate building.
In the old cemetery across the street, we saw some deer just casually resting by the graves. They did not seem to care about people at all, and our kids were excited to see deer from so close. So be on the lookout for them!
Visiting Point Pinos Lighthouse is only one of the many fun things you can do while you are in Monterey. Make sure to also visit Monterey Bay Aquarium, and if you are planning to drive along the Pacific Coast Highway then 17-Mile Drive should also be on your list.
We also love Carmel-by-the-Sea which is a small coastal town only about 15 minute drive from Monterey.
And if you like lighthouses then California coast is definitely a right place to be! Our favourites are Point Arena Lighthouse, Point Cabrillo and Point Reyes. And if you are in San Francisco then you can check out Point Bonita as well.
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Do you like to visit lighthouses? Which one is your favourite?
We have visited Monterey a few times but seem to have missed Point PInos Lighthouse on all of our trips. We definitely search out old lighthouses! Hopefully the renovations will be complete when we get there. We will have to look at picking up a Lighthouse Passport.
Yes, if you have an opportunity to go back to Monterey, you should go visit the lighthouse too.
I did not know that you have something like a lighthouse passport? Now that is interesting. This particular lighthouse was fascinating with its history – I have never heard of any of those using whale oil. I wonder how that really worked. Pity the place was under renovation when you visited. I hope you can make it again sometime.
I think Americans love collecting things and I have fallen into that trap.. ha ha. There is stamps almost everywhere.
Point Pinos light house in Monterey, California is a beautiful place close to the Pacific Coast Highway and the scenic 17 mile drive. Thank you for sharing the remarkable background of how the light house was created in 1855 and is the oldest lighthouse in the west coast named after the Spanish explorer Sebastian Vizcaino. Light houses are precious buildings guiding ships off the coast line. Also I came to learn about the lighthouse passport book and that every light house in the United States has a stamp of its own.The deer upfront looks cute!
I agree. Lighthouses definitely are precious and piece of our history.
It’s always so amazing to see the Point Pinos lighthouse built in 1855 and still maintained and functional. Saw one recently in Murano in Venice. I would really like to venture for 17 mile drive which sounds interesting. The views should be beautiful.
This place is so beautiful. You would love it!
Wow! It would be nice to visit. Thank you for the heads about the restoration. We’ll make sure to drop by when they have reopened the doors.
I hope you have fun!
It’s so amazing that the lighthouse has been built in 1855 and that it is still functional. That’s proper good technology over there. I would love to visit it when the tours start, I can imagine it had a fascinating, vintage interior. It’s good that there is parking available just in front, that always stresses me out when I plan a trip somwhere.
Yes, the technology has changed over the years but it has always been functioning.
Wow, Point Pinos Lighthouse in operational since the 19th century? How cool is to know about the history. I would be really interested when the inside tour starts. I am sure the 7$ would be totally worth.
I think it’s definitely worth it.
What a charming little lighthouse! I’ve been to plenty of lighthouses in Maine but never thought to look for them on the west coast. Thanks for reminding me they are a great piece of history on any coastline. I will need to check into that lighthouse passport program, too!
The Lighthouse Passport Program is quite fun. You should definitely get the passport book.