A few months out of the year you can sign up for a guided tour of the lighthouse and its grounds. You meet the ranger at an abandoned motel and then follow them into the lighthouse property. It's two hours of walking so make sure to wear comfortable shoes. You'll see beautiful landscapes, historic buildings on the property and you'll go inside the lighthouse itself. You will not get to climb to the top of the lighthouse though. It's a beautiful way to spend time so I highly recommend you do this tour at least once if it's available during the time you're in the area. read more

First lit in 1875, the Piedras Blancas lighthouse is a National Historic Landmark as well as a designated Outstanding Natural Area! It's surrounded by a marine sanctuary and the beaches and rocks are full of seabirds and elephant seals and more. If you can manage to get tickets for a tour, I highly recommend you jump on it - they're infrequent with limited availability - but so worth it! The tour starts at an old, out-of-use motel nearby - then you all get in your cars and follow the guide into the light station complex. After parking, you meet the tour guide for the grounds and they give a talk. Then you're free to explore for the rest of your allotted time. There are lots of historical buildings on the grounds to explore - with little "museums" in the gift shop, fog signal house, and lighthouse itself. You can even still see the foundation area of the original 1906 keeper's house - but the building was moved to nearby Moonstone Beach. You can't tour it but it's available to rent for overnight stays! Sadly, the top three floors of the lighthouse had to be taken down due to repeated earthquake damage - so the original lens (a first order Fresnel) was moved and is on display in nearby Cambria. But the signal is still functional and flashes every 10 seconds on its temporary replacement lens. They do have plans to fully restore the lighthouse to all its former glory - but are still trying to raise the funds - they have a GoFundMe on their website if you're interested. The grounds have tons of trails all around with amazing views of all the beaches and "piedras blancas" or "white stones" - covered in sea birds and seals! Definitely don't miss out on at least some of them. My only complaint is that they only give one tour a day (starting at 945am) and only allow you a total of two hours to explore - which is definitely not even close to being enough imo. Our tour guide's talk was 40-45 mins long so that left only about an hour to see all the museums and buildings and explore the trails. And they're strict on the time limit too :( But it's still totally worth it - and actually it's probably better for the protected nature environment lol! So see it if you get a chance bc it's a rare luxury! read more

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Booked a Monday 2-hour tour in the early morning of the tour, and it turned out to be the best experience of our central coast trip. The coastal fog cleared enough on the late June day for us to enjoy glimpses of Piedras Blancas rocks and breaching whale. Plus the native plants were in peak bloom. No one minded that the docent led tour lasted longer than the original 45 minutes, after which we were allowed to roam the well-groomed grounds until noon. Most of the tour group were still there when we left at 11:45 am. The fact that only tour groups are allowed in felt exclusive, plus you are away from the mass of summer tourists. My advice... the advertised tour dates are Tues, Thurs, & Sat, but we booked ours for a Monday. It doesn't hurt to check for available dates on the booking website. read more

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Light the Good Fight Originally built in 1875, Piedras Blancas Light Station (PBLS) has undergone a myriad of changes over the years but continues to serve as a fully functioning automated light station even to this day. We're admittedly lighthouse junkies, and PBLS has been high on our list of ones to visit for quite a while, but their limited visiting schedule has kept us from visiting it until recently. The Good: *Listed in the National Register of Historic Places *Just a short drive from the San Simeon Elephant Seal Rookery, which is a (free!) must-see during Dec - March during the breeding season. *The views are, well, just take a look at the photos... Words don't do it justice. *Gift shop *Docent Dave is a fucking legend. Just one of those people that you like almost instantly after meeting. I'm not sure if it's the dad joke, the snazzy pineapple Hawaiian shirt, or what, but he's the man. *The lighthouse itself wasn't too bad either and is a fantastic example of the fine handiwork done back in the day. It was just a bummer that we couldn't climb to the top of the stairs for what surely would've been a remarkable view. *You can stay in the original 1906 lighthouse keeper's cottage (see website for details). The Meh: *Reasonably priced tickets at $10/adults, $5/kids (6-17), and free for children under six. The Ugly: *Tours are Tue, Thu, and Sat only, and you *must* make a reservation. Tickets are available thru the Recreation.gov website or app. Conclusion: If you're a fan of lighthouses and/or nature, then make some time to come visit this gem ASAP. read more

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We came here a a big group to celebrate my friend's birthday. When we were getting into our tour groups I mentioned to a staff member, Joni, that it was someone's birthday. She brought me a "Happy Birthday" banner that we all took a photo with! It was so nice! The lighthouse tour takes you all around the lighthouse and reviews all sides of the coast as well as all the historical buildings and structures. The yellow, purple, and white flowers blooming in June were so beautiful and really added to the experience. This is a great way to spend a couple hours with history and some absolutely beautiful nature! read more

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Great way to spend a couple of hours. The meeting spot is a mile or so away at an abandoned motel, Piedras Blancas at 9:45 am. Ranger gets there around 10 and you caravan to the lighthouse. A guide meets you and gives you an Overview and time to ask questions. There are porta potties and a small gift shop. read more

Piedras Blancas Light Station - You meet at a motel about a mile past the lighthouse @9:45 am - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Simeon, California

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This place was amazing! Tour guide Kathy was super friendly and very knowledgeable! You have to book reservations way ahead, but if you plan ahead the experience is definitely worth it. It is well organized and planned out, it is definitely an experience and worth the money. After the tour they let you walk the grounds alone for a limited amount of time, which is cool because it is a marine and wildlife sanctuary. If you are reading this, I'm sure you are also browsing other reviews, they do have you meet at another location prior to the actual lighthouse. My recommendation is to back into the parking space while you wait for the ranger to guide you all to the lighthouse grounds, it makes it easy to follow them rather than to try to back out when everyone else is at the same time. read more

If you are in the area, you should take the Piedras Blancas Light Station tour. The funds go to support the upkeep of the light station. Also it is the only way to have access to the light station and the beautiful area that surround it. I was hoping to go up the stairs to the upper areas of the light station, but only the bottom level is open due to safety issues. The tour includes a half mile trail of easy walking at your own pace. If it is not too foggy, you will get a beautiful view of the Pacific coastline, the white rocks, and the different types of seabirds. We heard several elephant seals, but the best view was the elephant seal viewing area, which is just down the road. When we went in August, the buckwheat was in bloom, and the pink puffballs were gorgeous.  You can register for a tour online at recreation.gov, and the tours meet at the former Piedras Blancas Motel,1.5 miles north of the light station on Highway 1.  Just FYI, bring warm clothes and sturdy walking shoes. It is very windy by the coast. In August, I wore a fleece and long pants and wished I had brought a toboggan and gloves. read more

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"Abbreviated" tours being offered now on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The usual tour is 2 hours, but it's now 20 minutes with an option for questions at the end. You're free to roam the premises until noon when they close. Booking this tour (recreation.gov) is the only way you can get close to the working lighthouse. You're allowed in, where there's a mini museum, but not *up* since it's not earthquake safe. Be sure to meet at the abandoned Piedras Blancas motel, where they'll put you in groups and have you drive through the gate together to start the tour. read more

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Did you know you can go on a tour of the light station?! Sign up and pay online at recreation.gov. Easy peasy and very reasonably priced. When it was time for our tour, all the participants met at a location in San Simeon, then we followed a ranger to the lighthouse location. It was a great tour. Very interesting and informative. All the rangers/guides/employees were super friendly and knowledgeable. read more

It is very soothing and calming watching wildlife. We got to see quite a lot of seals last week here. One of the must do things if you are in San Simeon area. Drove to the lighthouse twice before realizing we needed to book tour. If you are planning to visit the Lighouse...it is not open to the public to visit without tour guide. It is only by booked tour so plan accordingly if planning to visit. read more

This place! It's like time stopped and everything suddenly became more beautiful than i ever imagined. What a perfect first night for a weekend getaway.....i honestly could spend the rest of the trip holding my honey's hand and soaking in the view. Everything about this place put all of the world behind us. This is a getaway! read more

Very fun family activity, especially when the weather is clear and it's whale season! Lots to explore and the sea lions were amazing. So much wildlife and the tour guides were super knowledgeable. Breathtaking views everywhere. read more

Piedras Blancas Light Station - The Piedra Blanca itself - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Simeon, California

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What a terrific tour. Lots of info and lots of time on your own to explore. The coastline is amazing, the grounds are pristine, and the tour was great! Paths are well groomed and maintained so it's very easy to walk around and amongst all the sights. Elephant seals, otters, sea lions, variety of birds and even migrating whales are included!!! A small and interesting museum is onsite, plus a great video with so much information Highly recommend this tour. Every cent spent on tickets and souvenirs goes to the renovation of the lighthouse and surrounding buildings. read more

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MARVELOUS MONUMENT The only way to see the Piedras Blancas Light Station is to reserve a spot on one of their tours ($10 for Adults, $5 for Youth). Days and times are limited, so plan ahead. It's worth it! First, you will meet at an abandoned motel, which is easy to find off of the Pacific Coast highway. Then, you'll caravan about 4-miles south to the lighthouse where they will open the gates for your arrival. Our well-informed guide told us the history of this stunning area, which became a light station in 1874. We learned about the the Fog Signal Building and Watch Room, the Fuel Oil Building, the Lighthouse, the Coast Guard Housing, the Wharf, the Otter stop and the marine biologists who track the whale migration here. Since it was a foggy morning, we immediately understood why this place was critical for mariners before navigation became electronic. Afterwards, we were invited to explore the trails, the buildings and the lighthouse on our own for a couple of hours. The easy paths were beautifully maintained, and the sea views were phenomenal. The lighthouse was remarkable inside. You'll never look at brass the same way again, once you read the poem about it! Unfortunately, the stairs to the top had yet to be renovated, so we weren't able to climb them. That's the only reason I am only giving this cool place four stars. Kitty corner from the lighthouse is a gift shop with some tempting prints and postcards as well as some cute books for kids. Ring the big outdoor bell for fun. Though there were about 40 people on the tour, divided into three groups, we felt like we had this picturesque place to ourselves. Station yourself here! read more

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Gorgeous light house near San Simeon and Hearst Castle. Wish the road would have been open so we could have driven closer, but it was beautiful nonetheless read more

Piedras Blancas Light Station - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Simeon, California

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What a wonderful tour full of information and history!! The tour is definitely 2 hours, but you'll be interested throughout. Meet at the motel up the highway (9:45am, vacant motel) then your groups are lead, by car, down to the lighthouse property. There you will begin your walking tour. Don't be intimidated by the "walking", it is an easy walk and good for all ages, young and old. It is a dirt trail with some cement and a few stairs. However, we have brought my grandma in her wheelchair too, so it's wheelchair friendly. The lighthouse and it's surrounding grounds are constantly being taken care of and renovated. Always something new to learn! Each tourguide will give you a bit of a different take on it, as well. Although the tours are daily, I'd recommend checking the weather so that you aren't too cold and that you visit on a day that is not too overcast. And if you really want to see it in all of its beauty, go in the spring when the flowers are in bloom! Beautiful! Thank you!! read more

Beautiful lighthouse just a little past the elephant seal vista point. We decided to check it out but didn't realize you have to hike from the elephant seal vista point parking lot (at least a mile). I'm not sure if they ever open up the road to the lighthouse but the day we visited it was all locked up. Since it was pretty hot we decided to enjoy the views of the lighthouse and sounds of the barking elephant seals from the road! Make sure you check out their website before going if you really want to do the tour. read more

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So, you don't have to do the tour to see the light station but for $10, why wouldn't you? 2 hours of information and a pleasant walk around the light station and its surrounding buildings for $10? Of course, you should do the tour. Read the website because tours are only offered on certain days and at certain times. You do NOT meet at the light station. You meet on the coast side of Pacific Coast Highway at an abandoned motel about a mile north of the light station. Don't worry, you won't miss the spot--you'll see all the cars and the people. This ain't Manhattan. You pay your money ($10 for adults, $5 for kiddos, although 4th graders got the tour free the day we were there because, well, I don't know) and then you get back in your car and caravan to the light station. Of course, the quality of docents may vary but ours was great and I think they all have likely been giving the tour for years. In other words, they know their stuff. You'll learn about this light station (can't recall why it's a light station versus a lighthouse) and other lighthouses or stations, the marine life in the area, the history of the area, and so on. It's really all very interesting. The actual light station itself is far prettier from the outside than the inside. We only could go in the tiny lower floor portion but by that point, the tour was near its end. If you have a couple of extra hours, enjoy history (or lighthouses/stations) and are up for a very easy hike along the coast, go for it. It's worth it. read more

Piedras Blancas Light Station - The lighthouse (or light station). Under renovation but you can go in the lower first floor area. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Simeon, California

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I took this tour today for the second time. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Be sure to wear good walking shoes. I wore good walking sandals but kept getting pebbles under my feet, so don't do that. Wear a hat or visor and a windbreaker; it can be windy, it can be cold. Love the docents; they were all delightful. read more

This place was AMAZING! You do have to get a reservation to go and then you meet at a hotel where they take you in. You get split up in 3 different groups and then they give you about a 30 minute overview of what the light station is. We had Darby as our tour guide and they were AMAZING! Kept apologizing for being newer, but did not take away from the experience - we all start somewhere!!! The grounds are beautifully kept and so knowledgeable, read more

Loosely translated as a rock covered in seagull crap, the Piedras Blancas Light Station tour is worth the two hour time investment. Without spoiling the tour, I'll just give you some bullet points. - You can either book online or just pay in cash at the tour gathering area. You don't need a reservation as they seem to take everyone that shows up. Larger groups ( over 10 people) should book online to get special treatment. - Everyone meets up at the abandoned hotel up the road about a mile. I think they tell you to be there early, but they really didn't start collecting money and putting people into smaller groups until after 10. This gives you some time to walk to the cliff edge behind the motel. There were elephant seals on the beach the day we took the tour. - They have several docents so your group will be about 10 people or less. - It's a full two hour tour going Inside building and a small hike outside so bring sunscreen and a hat. - Kids under 6 are free - Kids in fourth grade are free - Other kids are $5 - Adults are $10 - Bathrooms at the motel and at the light station. read more

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I thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the light station. We only visit the San Simeon area once a year and could never seem be here on a tour day. This trip I planned ahead and visited the website to see what days and time the tour was offered. Helpful tips- Visit Piedras Blancas Light Station.org to verify days and times Tour is $10 each (cash) Meet at 9:45 am about a mile north of the light station at a blue and white abandoned hotel. Don't worry about where you park because you will be following a guide car to the light station. Wear walking shoes , you will be walking on dirt trails , cement, and stairs. This tour is wheelchair friendly . Tour is approximately 2hours Ask for guide Mark Arnold , he is a PHD and was a college professor. He has a passion for his history and a gift for storytelling. He has a vast knowledge of local landmarks and folklore. This is a must visit if you like to learn while on vacation . read more

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My husband and I came here during a mini-vacay with 3 other couples in December 2016. We had a group of 8 and one of our friends pre-paid for us and made a tour reservation, although they said no reservations are needed for groups less than 10 people. It's $10 per adult ($5 ages 6-17 and free for kids ages 5 and under). The tour lasts about 2 hours so bring comfortable shoes (no hiking shoes necessary). Tours are offered on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays only. Note that you have to meet at 9:45AM by the old Piedras Blancas Motel which is about 1.5 miles north of the light station. Once they take roll call and ensure all tour fees are paid, then everyone follows one of the guides in their cars down to the gate. Unfortunately, pets are not allowed on the tour. It was a good thing we had a reservation because they already knew we had a party of 8 and we were all in the same tour group. For smaller parties, they put you into groups with other people. Our tour guides were actually an older married couple and it was very sweet to see them in action together. Although neither of them are biologists, they did had very good knowledge of the natural habitat and wildlife in the area. Since they live there, they know what types of animals are there and where are good places to view them. There's also a gift shop for souvenirs during the tour. Just note that you get to enter the lighthouse, but cannot go to the top of the tower. With that knowledge ahead of time, you won't get your hopes up during the tour (LOL). Overall, it was a fun walking tour and we did get to see Brush Rabbits, Elephant Seals, Turkey Vultures, Dolphins, Peregrine Falcons...just to name a few.... 8/100 Reviews 2017 read more

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The Piedras Blancas Light Station first illuminated the night sky in 1875 to warn mariners away from the rocky California shore. When the lighthouse was constructed it was 100 ft. tall today, after years of earthquake damage, it is 70 ft tall and it still is in operation. The gate is locked, but they do have regular tours in the morning for only $10. I was fortunate to take a photographer's tour in the afternoon that lasted until the sunset. On this tour I was able to walk about on my own. And it is easy to walk around the flat point the lighthouse sits on. They hope to be able to offer this tour again; it was more expensive than the regular tour and it is an ideal time to visit. All the tours are run by volunteers and all the money raised goes towards restoration of the lighthouse and surrounding buildings. Only the first floor of the lighthouse is completely open. You can go to the second floor with a guide. I enjoyed the outer buildings also. Not every building is open the Coast Guard has private homes and buildings on the point. If you walk along the short trail--you can see otters floating in the coves, seals bobbing in water & spread out along the beach, wave's crashing, and birds fly by to perch on rocks. This tour lasted until sunset. Then I sat on the point and watch the sun drop into the pacific. The light station is managed as a historic park and wildlife sanctuary, and is also a part of The National Landscape Conservation System. It should be a must see if you are in the area. read more

Piedras Blancas Light Station - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Simeon, California

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Poor tour hours and availability. Not a great view and less interesting than I hoped.

We feel lucky to have seen the card/brochure for Piedras Blancas Light Station in the lobby of our hotel on Moonstone Beach at check in. Although we've been to the area several times before, we were unaware of tours at the light station. The tours meet at 9:45AM at the "former Piedras Blancas Motel located 1.5 miles north of the light station" (it's an old closed down motel). We met about 15 other groups in their cars there where we paid $10 per adult ($5 for children 6-17) to the park ranger, who then led our car caravan south on PCH to the light station. We were divided into about three groups of 10-12 people per group. The tour lasted about 2 hours, and our tour guide Tom gave a thorough, informative and interesting tour. We learned about the system of light stations on the California coast and the history of the Piedras Blanca Light Station, including the voluntary restoration occurring there. The scenery and the native plants were incredibly beautiful and worthy of photos. If you have field glasses, bring them, although field glasses are provided at a couple of points on the tour, you may want them for spotting wildlife, especially otters. It is always cool along this area of the California Coast, so bring layered clothing. It was in the mid to high 60's in early July on our recent visit and is a in the high 50's to low 60's in the winter. read more

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The Piedras Blancas Light Station is the perfect place to stop on the Pacific Coast Highway. They offer guided tours, have pristine grounds, and offer a gift shop with artifacts that date back to the 1800's. The grounds are surrounded by endless wildlife, from the elephant seals, to sea otters, and even peregrine falcons. I highly recommend taking the two hour guided tour that is offered. The guide is very informative with facts about the history of the grounds and lighthouse and they even cover the environmental aspect of it as well. It's a well-balanced tour with two major components that make the Piedras Blancas Light Station so unique and beautifully maintained. All the volunteers and staff were also very helpful and knowledgeable on any questions that were asked. Overall, my experience was great. It was so great that I can't wait to go back and enjoy one of their special evening tours. I'd love to the grounds and lighthouse in a golden evening light or at twilight. Either way I recommend heading North on the PCH, to find this gem about 30 minutes from Morro Bay. read more

Piedras Blancas Light Station - The lighthouse keeper keeping it nice and tidy on Lighthouse Day. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Simeon, California

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Such an amazing Lighthouse!!! It is well kept and beautiful grounds!! I went on National Lighthouse day too, so everyone from the Lighthouse was dressed up, it was so fun! It's great that you need to make reservations before going, it keeps it from getting too busy and easy to keep maintained. The tickets were fairly cheap and it includes a guided tour along the grounds and all of the buildings. There's some beautiful wildlife there as well, and on some spots along the tour they offer binoculars to see the sealions and birds. They even have a little gift shop to remind you of this cute little spot with so much history! This inspired me to go to other Lighthouses as well, but I know they won't all be as quaint as this one. read more

Piedras Blancas Light Station - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Simeon, California

This review is only for events, not visiting the lighthouse itself. The lighthouse is lovely. Just don't use them for your events. My husband and I were in a bind, trying to find a location for a small elopement in May 2021 with only two months to spare. We understood it was a funky time for COVID - with a lot of locations on the cusp of opening up - so we made sure to check with venues that our request was possible before proceeding. We spoke with staff at Piedras Blancas and confirmed our event via phone and went back and forth via email to secure the location. Staff had given us the strong impression that our request was doable, and they were working on an LOA to secure our agreement. We submitted our application at their request and waited for the LOA we were told was coming. And waited, and waited. By April, the staff had straight-up ghosted us. We called and emailed multiple people and never received a single response or acknowledgement. We were left with less than a month to scramble and secure another venue due to their poor communication and management. If we had even just received a quick, "We're sorry but we're unable to accommodate you anymore" phone call, all would've been fine. Instead, staff chose to ghost us less than a month before our elopement and left us to scramble and find a new venue, which meant new accommodations and a reception space, too. To this day, we've never heard back from staff about this. I'm incredibly disappointed with how they chose to handle this. Do not entrust the lighthouse with your event needs. read more

We went with another couple and were a bit apprehensive about a TWO HOUR tour of a lighthouse. 1/2 of the year, they limit the days of the week that they tour. Summer time they provide tours more frequent. This is an all-volunteer effort by the central coast residents who care about this historical landmark. We could not have been more wrong about how could a lighthouse tour take 2 hours without boring us to death. We were the most fortunate group that day because we got HARRY for our docent-led group of 6. He kept us spell-bound for over 2.5 hours!!!!!!!!!!!! Harry knew his subject matter on regional history, topography, geology, ecology (mammalian and floral) as well as telling an understandable technical story of the lighthouse. There wasn't anything that was asked of Harry that he did not answer in terms that were adult-oriented and clear to non-technical people. The walk is basically flat and covers less than two city blocks. Hats off to the people such as Harry and his friends of the Piedras Blancas Light Station. He taught us that there is so much more in this world to treasure. TAKE THE TOUR. If you don't, you will be missing one of the best and most interesting feature of the entire Central Coast. For those of us who have National Park cards, bring them for the discount for the tour. The very end of May and start of June are perfect times to go as the sea coast flowers/plants are all in bloom. Impressive photo opportunity. read more

Piedras Blancas Light Station - The light from the tower. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Simeon, California

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The tour of the PB light station was THE highlight of our vacay. I'm a lighthouse nerd, and have visited many throughout the pacific coast from So Cal to Washington. First, tours are only available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. You can buy tickets online or in person day of event. Meet at the old Piedras Blancas Motel building (just about 1/2 mile from the elephant seal viewing area in San Simeon). A tour guide will meet the group at 9:45 to sell tickets, from there you caravan to the lighthouse. Our tour had about 12 people. Our guide was Ellis; who was FANTASTIC. He was so knowledgeable. He lives at the station currently and keeps the place in order. We loved seeing the WHALES! This is migrating season so we must have seen 12 whales during our two hour tour time. So much to see here, I wish we could've had more time to check out the trails on our own. Beside that, I have no complaints. There is a gift shop with trinkets to remember your trip and all proceeds help maintain the station. There are also a couple "captains quarters" like houses on property that are rented out for vacationing. We WILL be back and I'm considering adding them to my list of organizations to give to at the end of the year. read more

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Tour groups were the perfect size (we had 9). You get to see the whole grounds of the light station, and a majority of the tour was spent outdoors. The views throughout the whole tour were spectacular, absolutely gorgeous. **Keep in mind that we went on a beautiful sunny day (the tour guide said that there is fog on some days). Also, our tour guide stated that the blooming season of the vibrant yellow flowers is in June (when we went). $10/person, $5/ages 6-17 - the prices are absolutely worth it. Don't be intimidated by the word "hike". It's more of a paved "trail"-and there are many stops where the tour guide will speak. By no means, you definitely do not have to be in shape to do this. The only confusing part was the meeting place prior to the tour--you do NOT meet in front of the lighthouse gate. When you're coming from Hearst Castle, drive until you see the light station....then you have to pass it! The meeting place is at the Pierdas Blancas Motel/Hotel. It's a couple minutes beyond the lighthouse gate....don't worry, you won't pass the motel (there are no other obvious buildings along the way...we thought we passed it because we were driving for a while), and the driveway entrance to the motel is pretty obvious. You'll know when you reach the place. I would definitely do this tour again, it was gorgeous, and we learned a lot of information from our knowledgable tour guide. Absolutely recommend! read more

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Perhaps one of the best tours I've ever been on. For any enthusiast of California history, it's a must. This is officially one of California's state monuments. And like others, it is fighting to be restored and not torn down. I highly recommend a visit here if you are in the area. The cost for the tour is only $10. Our guide was great. Very knowledgeable, had a great sense of humor, and someone you notice is passionate through his mastery of all that went on in that whole area. There was a kid in our group, and I could tell that he had the best time ever. He came prepared with a booklet of plants/flowers. He sure felt special to have this opportunity to go here without the school field trip feel. All the money collected (from the cost of the tour as well as the sales from the gift shop) goes towards restoration of the monument. I believe that it is worth it. I regret not purchasing anything from the gift shop. I even tried to give our guide a tip, but they are volunteers who are not allowed to accept it. He did say that it was probably the ultimate compliment, though. It shows that he did a great job. read more

As far as being a landmark and a historical site, the lighthouse definitely must be a five star. If you call ahead and get reservations and meet at the little Motel up the street, it is closed, and just a parking lot. You will get met at the appropriate time by the people who will guide you into the lighthouse. I want to be sure and do this on a day when the lighthouse has all the people set up to give a review of what it might have been living there and running the lighthouse. I found that tour to be quite entertaining and really fun for me. To see the locals dressed in costume to tour the buildings and to finally get to the lighthouse was a joy. I guess I kind of like that old history stuff, and this definitely supplies plenty. Be sure to enjoy the bookstore and the trinket store, for those of you who are still trinket collectors. And if you make it back down to Cambria be sure and look at the light that came out of the lighthouse some time ago and has been preserved there. Modern times brought for a more modern light on top of the lighthouse, not as pretty to me as the historical light, but I understand it's better for the ships at sea. I appreciate the lighthouse protecting our Coast, and protecting our ships from colliding over the decades and centuries of Sea travel. Thank you to all of those who have work on the lighthouse or work in the lighthouse to give us this beautiful display. Thanks for the history I appreciate it read more

Thanks to our tour guide Mike who is knowledgeable and very passionate in what he does.We enjoyed our tour even its raining.I'm amazed that the light house is still functioning. Also, I love the fact that the place is a santuary for many animals. I learned from Mike that marine biologist comes here and able to watch and study the whales that are coming from San Francisco as this place is conveniently located near them when they pass. So you might get lucky when you visit. We were able to see some cute baby sea elephants that are learning how to swim. Tip: When youre coming from Hearstle Castle side and meet the tour guide in the old motel at 0845am, dont hesitate to go straight and pass by the piedras blancas lighthouse gate as what happened to us was I felt lost and turned back thinking I missed the meeting place. read more

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We took a 2-hour tour (coincidence: lighthouses are used to help sailors navigate -- queue in "Gilligan's Island's" "2-hour tour" song here) at a cost of $10 a person, unless you get senior discount ($7.50?). We met at a nearby motel parking lot (about 2 minute additional drive north of the lighthouse), where we paid for the ticket and were instructed to follow the Park employee to the closed gate of the lighthouse. We were split into groups of 10, each with a dedicated guide. We were in Group 4 with the manager of the station who was very knowledgeable and passionate about the historic landmark. Without spoiling what was said in the interesting tour, I'd like to highly recommend taking it. The money goes into the restoration of the lighthouse, its surrounding area, and to the education about local wild life. We learned about the history of the lighthouse, the supporting structures, the wildlife, plants, and so on. As a photographer, I grabbed quite a few, nice pictures as well. Once you're done with the tour, go visit the nearby Elephant seals (there's a vista point/viewing area a few minutes south.) We had the fortunes to see some of the seals mate, and also to see the interaction between mother and baby seals. read more

Great view and stopping point on that endless drive back from the Bay Area to LA. On my visit, there were at least 100 sea lions basking on the sand. The all-protein diet can be a bit wearying. Driver beware -- after snapping photos and hopping back onto PCH, I promptly received a speeding ticket. The speed limit alternates between 55 and 65, changing every mile or so, creating a speed trap cash cow for sea lions of the human variety. Sad face. read more

According to the person running the front desk at the Ragged Point Inn [check THAT place out! A hidden gem!] tours of the Light Station/House were scheduled to meet at the now-closed Piedras Blancas Hotel on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and it was suggested that we arrive at 9:30AM. We took our tour on a Thursday along with about 35 other people, which the guides split into two groups once we got onto the property via a caravan from the hotel. Our guides were Shannon and Roger, and both were well-informed and nice. When we arrived we noticed about 6 people doing native plant restoration on the land. The $10 tour fee each was a great deal for a two hour tour. The terrain was mainly flat and on well-maintained trails. Native plants are well-marked with signs listing common and scientific names. Bring layers of clothing and a baseball hat or ski cap, even if it's sunny out, as the winds can be wicked on the point where the lighthouse is located. If you have a good pair of binoculars, I would suggest bringing those so you can see the nesting Peregrine Falcon nest nearby on Piedra Blanca [the largest one] itself, or the numerous Pelagic and Brandt's Comorants. If you don't, they have some there which you can borrow for free. We also were able to see 6 Otters and numerous Elephant Seals nearby. There is a nice Gift Shop on the property with various items for purchase including cook books based on original lighthouse recipes, historical accounts of lighthouse life and T-shirts, sweatshirts and other wearable items. We enjoyed the tour so much, we would go again. read more

So cool to visit and learn about lighthouse and history. Looking forward to visiting Big Sur lighthouse someday.