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    Point San Luis Lighthouse

    4.2 (40 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 3:30 PM

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    Our great tour guide sharing the history

    Our garden group visited the lighthouse in mid-March. Everyone was impressed with a wonderful and inspiring afternoon of history and dramatic views of the coastline. Our tour guide, Jonathan shared some of the history of the Lighthouse. We learned that it was founded in 1890 and added to the National Registry in 1991. And a lesson about how the unique Fresnel lens was designed to guide the ships in and out of the harbor. The fee was worth the van ride up the hill and learning about this gem, located in one of our central coast towns. I would recommend this tour to out-of-towners and locals as well.

    sherry u.

    Fun, interesting, informative activity. Loved learning about the history of the lighthouse and touring the rooms. Gorgeous views. Park near Avila beach and ride in a van to get to the lighthouse. The ride is on a narrow winding road and it's understandable why there's a van taking guests back and forth. Fee is $25. Tour is about an hour. Quaint gift shop on site. Guides are friendly and knowledgeable.

    Nikki S.

    The land that surrounds the lighthouse at Point San Luis is all owned by PG&E, so there's only limited access to it. One way to get there (and the way we chose) is to take a guided tour, led by docents. The trail they led us along is pretty strenuous, but the docents allow more than sufficient rest times, and share lots of information along the way about the history, flora, and fauna of the area. Tip: The views along the trail are sometimes nothing short of breathtaking, so if you're any kind of a shutterbug, plan on frequent pauses to use your camera :-) When we arrived at the lighthouse, both the tour there and the video we were shown was both interesting and informative. We really enjoyed both our time at the lighthouse, and the hike to get there. Tip: Plan on approximately 4 hours total for the round trip and the lighthouse tour. Be sure to bring along water to drink, and maybe a little cash to buy souvenirs at the lighthouse.

    Beautiful wildflowers!
    Hector G.

    Can I just say, amazing!!! This light house you might think, it just looks like a regular house, why should I spend my day hiking to get there. The answer is it is not just a regular house, it is a building full of history. There are two ways to get to the light house. One, you must sign up online for the hike because you have to pass through PG&E's property and the only way is that a docent takes you. The other is to rent a kayak and land by the lighthouse. They are only open for tours to the public on Saturdays and Wednesdays (again, it's not everyday). One more thing, you need some cash to pay a $5 donation when you get to the lighthouse. Our hike started early in the morning about 9 am and our guides were Gary and Stephanie. I suggest that you wear good hiking shoes because the terrain has loose dirt and stay on the trail at all times because there is poison oak everywhere. Be sure to take water and perhaps a small snack because we got back to the parking lot again around 1pm. Follow the rules and you should be fine. Also, if you have problems with your knees or have difficulty walking I do not recommend it. You can actually skip the hike and take a trolley (I believe Gary said it was $10, but I wasn't sure if it was both ways or $10 each way, ask when you make your reservations). Gary was a great guide, he is very knowledgeable about the area and the lighthouse. You walk at a steady pace and you stop to learn about trees, plants, terrain, and history about the family that lived in the lighthouse and how the children used to walk the same path to get to school There are some resting points and the whole hike (to the lighthouse and back) is about 3 miles. I learned that in Avila Beach they used to hunt and kill whales for their oil and that Avila Beach would be red from the blood. The lighthouse was remodeled, but it is still have the original hardwood floors and many other things. When you get to the lighthouse there is also a small souvenir shop. You get to tour the house and all the way to the top where the light used to be. I won't tell you more about it because I don't want to spoil the fun! I'd rather you hear it from your guides. P.S. wear sunscreen and watch your step and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

    Point San Luis Lighthouse
    Soo H.

    I must stay alone and know that I am alone to contemplate and feel nature in full; I have to surrender myself to what encircles me, I have to merge with my clouds and rocks in order to be what I am. Caspar David Friedrich I think of The Monk by the Sea by Caspar David Friedrich when I think of lighthouses. I imagine lighthouses and their keepers to be solitary figures before the vastness of nature. I was excited to learn you can go inside the Point San Luis Lighthouse. There are tours on a cute trolley or you can hike up the hill to visit the lighthouse. Built in 1890. Keeper's quarters and lighthouse are in a single building. Restored and maintained by the Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers beginning in 1995. On the ride up to the lighthouse there are good views of Whaler Island. View from the grounds of the lighthouse was incredible. Craftsmanship throughout the lighthouse was impeccable. Kitchen had the original appliances and pieces of coal for the stove. Original furniture was in all the rooms. Nice seeing kid toys from the child that use to live here. Would have loved living here when I was a kid. I have been fascinated by flashlights and light in general since I found my parents flashlight. I use to go into the night and shine light into the dark places. Coolest part of the tour was climbing to the top of the lighthouse and seeing where the light shown to keep sailors safe from the rocks below. Tour was very educational explaining how the lighthouse operated and how the keepers lived in days long gone by. That would have been the life, waiting at the edge of the sea as the sun set and it came time to turn on the light that would send spokes of illumination out into the darkness.

    Jennifer S.

    The Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers have done a wonderful job in the restoration of the lighthouse. Definitely plan on going back to see it progress.

    Awesome docent Bob.

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    We did the 3.75 hike round trip. It was a perfect morning for a walk. The docents did a great job of explaining history and geology.

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    Ask the Community - Point San Luis Lighthouse

    Review Highlights - Point San Luis Lighthouse

    Thanks to my fellow Yelpers my freind and I stumbled across this place while on a weekend getaway to the Central Coast.

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