point arena lighthouse & museum

brennal2013

Beautiful lighthouse.Nice gift shop.Well put together museum.Great "exercise" tour- loved going out on the catwalk! Lodging available for rent as well. Great views!We really enjoyed our visit here. We were here maybe an hour total. Others stayed long enough to do the tour to the top of the lighthouse, whole others took their time and enjoyed the museum. It is a little distance off the highway, so if you are in a huge hurry, slow down and take the minimum 30 minutes here! It really has something for everyone! Historical/mechanical people could spend an hour or more in the small museum alone. Shop in the gift shop. Plenty of room here for little legs and big legs to be stretched. Climb the lighthouse for a good workout and even better views!

BuddyOakes

We stayed for 4 nights during the Pineapple Express of February 2015. It was an experience like no other with weather ranging from sunny to hurricane. Great weekend.

JerryJac

Do not pass this site by. If you are healthy enough, climb the 100 or so stairs up the lighthouse to get a beautiful view. There are places to rest on the way up with small benches.We saw humpback and grey whales shooting out of the water and crashing down. It was amazing for this old guy. I had never seen a whale come completely, except for the tail, out of the water. They were huge and looked like they were playing in the rolling waves. The museum is very interesting, especially the video they play with people who lived there as children recall what life was like at the lighthouse many years ago. This is a worth while stop as you drive along the coast.

RF_LVT

We visited the museum several times during our three-day stay in the head keeper's quarters. We thoroughly enjoyed the exhibits, buildings, and scenery. Not as agile as we had been, my wife and I were concerned about the effort in climbing the steps to the top of the lighthouse. We waited to be last in the group to start the ascent, and stopped to rest at each of the landings. That allowed us to complete the ascent with no aches. The view and the whole experience were well worth the slight health risk.

SacValleyGirl

Well-kept lighthouse at the edge of the north coast in California. The docent was a wealth of knowledge and really interesting to talk to one-on-one. The view from the "cat walk" was amazing, and one of the few lighthouses we've been to on the Pacific Coast where you can go outside when you're at the top. The original Fresnel lens has been removed and is in the museum at the base. Not the biggest lens (go visit Westport WA), but still impressive. The most important part of the visit was seeing the coast erosion that lighthouse volunteers and others are tracking. Seeing the changes of the cliffs through decades of photographs was astonishing. Definitely worth a stop, even if you only visit the museum.

jimv163

Interesting Class 1 Fresnal lens on display. You can walk up 146 steps to the top and get a spectacular view.

BobR711

This is is the closest point in the lower 48 states to Hawaii. What a wonderful view and excellent tour of the lighthouse. If you want a nice experience, you can even book lodging in one of it's cabins. And yes the Lighthouse is situated on the closest point of land to the Hawaiian Islands in the Continental United States. Website: www.pointarenalighthouse.com Website: www.pointarenalighthouse.com

134kyleb

It was a nice little museum; they have a good little shop where you can buy gifts and things to remember your visit.

thetravelling4

If you have the time this is a beautiful drive on hwy 1 1hrs from mendocino. Another beAutiful attraction just keep in mind this place closes early,3:30.

Zelda69

Best place to stay while on Highway 1. Nothing beats it. If I could post the pictures. Such as amazing place.

lnafus

I really liked the history of the lighthouse, the staff were very informative. There are places to walk around and you can walk up to the top for an even better view.

BillF1138

You have to go visit the " closest place to the Hawaiian Islands". Great trip for students of optics and light houses. The walk up to the top of the lighthouse is not for the faint of breath. There are over 140 steps to the top, but the view from the top is worth it.

annc817

It's worth paying the minor fee to go onto the property and see the lighthouse and visit the museum. The knowledgeable and friendly docent at the top of the lighthouse made it worth the 145 steps it took to reach the top. Amazing view from the top too! Museum is small but take time to watch the documentary about the history of the lighthouse and it's keepers. Well worth it to learn not only about the lighthouse but also the surrounding area.

zestey

This lighthouse and its stunning coastline setting makes it a must-see. We did not actually go onto the property itself (there is an entry fee), but the road leading up to the lighthouse provides beautiful views and is worth enjoying.

JamesDMo

Beautiful, able to take stairs to the top (147!), views in all directions. The museum is small, but nicely done. Friendly staff!