I didn't know that I loved lighthouses until I had the tour of the Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove. Now I am drawn to lighthouses for their beauty, their history, and their unique mystique. The docents at Point Pinos Lighthouse were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. The grounds are impeccable, and the exhibits within the lighthouse are a slice of living history. The setting is stunning, right at Asilomar Beach. You'll want to leave time to walk along the water after you explore the lighthouse. Even if you are not into history or the military or lighthouses, you should definitely drop in to visit this space. You will walk away having digested a bit of unique beauty. Check the hours online -- they are very specific and limited, and it's easy to get shut out. Many people don't know that women often worked the lighthouses back in older times. This is just one fact that stayed with me after my visit. A candle on the water helps lost sailors find their way home. read more

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This is the oldest working lighthouse on the West Coast. It is absolutely beautiful. The volunteers are amazing and very knowledgeable. The weather was great today and we could not have asked for a more perfect visit. If you are into history or lighthouses or the military this place should be on your radar! This is 100% hands down!!!! read more

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I love seeing lighthouses and was excited to visit the Point Pinos Lighthouse, but unfortunately they close at 3pm and we arrived around 3:12pm on a Sunday. I was hoping since it was after hours, we would be able to walk around the grounds, but unfortunately, the lighthouse is gated, so there was limited viewing of the lighthouse. There is a small parking lot on at the entrance on Alisonar Ave. Surrounding the lighthouse is the Pacific Grove Golf Links golf course. If you want to visit the lighthouse, make sure you come at their open hours (see my picture for hours and admission fees). read more

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Nice lighthouse, cost $7/adult, there were volunteers that share a bit about the history. We went through the whole thing in less than 30min, too bad you can't go all the way to the top to see the panoramic view. They have limited hours, make sure you check online to see if they're open. read more

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Amazing museum with interactions. On the end of the day kids cought Flag folding procedure and helped the keeper. read more

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Food was excellent! Server was excellent! We had Urbano! Thank you! We will be back! It was a fun girlfriend's brunch! read more

Point Pinos Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

If you are a lighthouse junkie, if you have never visited this place, give it a try. I learned quite a lot of information pertaining to this one. Some of the staircases are tight maneuvering through and small steps, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself. read more

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Love it here and love coming to enjoy the views, sounds, and peace, especially early overcast mornings.

Convenient parking lot. Wonderful exhibit! Historic Site. We were the last group of the day and the child was given the opportunity to fold the flag. read more

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Gorgeous and relaxing drive to check out this clean and beautiful sight. While we didn't pay the admission to enter the lighthouse, appreciated that we could walk around and admire the gardens and building, engage with helpful volunteers, and check out their tiny gift shop. Would recommend popping by, easy parking read more

This lighthouse, one of the oldest, in California, caught my attention because of the Victorian theme. I immediately planned a trip here with my daughter. Ended up the whole family minus one came with us. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. Learned quite a bit about this lighthouse. I wish the top floor was open to public though. I enjoyed taking photos today. Everything around us was just so gorgeous despite the gloomy weather. read more

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Point the Way The oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast, Point Pinos has been keeping this stretch of airline safe for ships since 1855. While certainly not the tallest, measuring up to a scant 43' at its peak, Point Pinos certainly makes up for it in charm and style with its Cape Cod-style architecture and colors. The Good: *Currently free** to walk around the lighthouse while it's undergoing renovations. *Gorgeous views *Gift shop *Restrooms *Docents are friendly and very knowledgeable. *Easy access to the Monterey Bay Trail. *Free parking The Meh: *Gift shop is closed during renovations The Ugly: *Their current hours (Sat & Sun) to access the lighthouse are kind of a joke. But, as of our last visit, we were told that should change within the next month, or so. TLDR: Great place to visit, but make sure you check the times to get in on that narrow window to visit. **Under normal circumstances, there's usually a $5/per fee to access. So be aware and bring cash JIC. read more

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Beautiful location and great historical site! The docents were so fun and knowledgeable! Eddie the dog says thank you too. Worth a visit! Check it out! read more

Point Pinos Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

We had just eaten lunch at the Pt. Pinos Grill, and noticed that the Pt. Pinos Lighthouse was open. I had seen the lighthouse many times when my husband used the driving range at the golf course for practice, It sits on a hill behind the driving range, overlooking Monterey Bay. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to view inside this landmark and got in line for tickets, which you get inside the little giftshop building across from the Rest Rooms. We then strolled around the grounds, and climbed the staircase leading to the living quarters of the lighthouse. It was Victorian charm from the moment we entered. I love to drive around Pacific Grove, noting the dates on the historic houses. Ever since I first stayed at the Gosby House many moons ago, I have enjoyed the Victorian air of the town. The lighthouse combines the quirkiness of Victorian style with an inspired setting on a point of land with a sweeping view of the bay. The rooms on the main floor were the living quarters and kitchen, and the friendly volunteers filled us in on the purpose and function of the light. The living room recalled a past time and the cozy kitchen actually reminded me of my Grandmother's kitchen. When we climbed up the twisty staircase, we arrived on the second floor, with a commanding view of the bay. We were also treated to seeing some of the radio equipment used during the WWII surveillance carried our by the lighthouse keepers. A friendly and informative volunteer shared information about the various uses of the light house that kept it relevant to the changing times. It was a delightful opportunity to be transported back in time to a scientific wonder! read more

Lovely time strolling inside the premises of the point pinos lighthouse, The view is breathtaking. They told us it's the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast. The lens is still the original one when it was first lighted up in 1855. This place is on the national registry of historic places, wow :-) It has big garden to run around for the kids. We could not enter the house and lighthouse, due to covid protocols and undergoing renovations, it was still closed. Has a small giftshop. Has clean bathrooms as well. So we just enjoyed the premises. Dogs are not allowed, but security allowed us to take our puppy as long as we carried him inside. We got great pictures in different spots inside, definitely worth a visit. read more

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One of the most beautiful lighthouses I've ever been to. It's actually the oldest lighthouse in California, it was previously installed on Alcatraz Island and relocated here. For that fact alone it is worth visiting. We were not able to see inside today due to an event close by but walking around outside was worth it alone. All the staff was very helpful and knowledgeable and the scenery literally could not be better. If you're interested in history, lighthouses, or anything to do with California you need to check this place out. read more

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What an amazing visit. The Docents were so helpful, very educational, and really good at fielding questions. When I wanted more info they obliged. The lighthouse itself was fun to visit. Seeing the living quarters, learning more about one woman, Emily Fish, was seeing a kind of pioneer in action. For 31 years she operated this lighthouse. (1893-1914). Sounds like she was a character and a "Lady". Learning about the 'Fresnel Lens' how it could be wound to turn for four hours of light before needing to be rewound again in the middle of the night (you had to see this to believe it) but it was like a cuckoo clock - sort of! The longest and of course oldest continuously in use lighthouse on the Pacific coast, imo...it's a must see. Be ware, the hours are limited and well worth the visit!!! read more

I wish we could have visited. I feel weird for reviewing when we couldn't get in. Yelp mistakenly lists the hours open on Monday. A sign on the gate said only open on Sat & Sun. Bummer. This is so someone can correct the hours. read more

I am a sucker for random sites. Small driveway entry off the street, easy to miss. Free dirt parking lot. Admission was $5. I just came to see the building so I did not go inside. Small light house. Built into actual house. Not your typical lighthouse design. Point Pinos Lighthouse was a neat place to drop by if you are in the upper area of Monterey. read more

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How have I been to Pacific Grove so many times without knowing this was here? Thanks to following the See Monterey social media pages, I learned of Point Pinos and planned a visit. It's located in Pacific Grove, not far from downtown and Lover's Point Park. There's a small lot and plenty of street parking. The grounds are lovely with windswept pines and a cute little garden. To visit the lighthouse, you pay a small fee at the gift shop. It's $5 a person and they do take credit cards. I'd recommend starting with viewing the 8 minute short documentary about the lighthouse before doing the rest of the self guided tour. It acclimates you nicely to the history of the property and what to look for in certain rooms, While the tour is self guided, there are docents on each floor to answer questions and happy to share their knowledge. I found it very interesting and well laid out, learning a few things about the area during the heyday of the lighthouse and life along the coast during WWII. You can't go to the very top but still worth the admission, with a lot to read up on each room. If you're a history buff and enjoy lighthouses, definitely make a stop here. Nice little bit of history preserved on the Monterey Coast. read more

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February 1, 1855 Point Pinos Lighthouse installed a third-order Fresnel lens and became a light in the darkness. It is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the west coast. Inside you can get an idea how the lighthouse keepers of old lived. I viewed the kitchen, living room, bathroom, meeting room, and upstairs where the light is kept. The furniture and furnishings were all from the old days. It was interesting how they used a cistern to collect rain water that ran down the roof and the gutters for cooking and drinking. At home I won't drink the tap water till it's filtered through the carbon filter built into my fridge. From the ocean facing windows is a lovely view of the Pacific Ocean. It would have been a good life being the keeper of the light. read more

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We found ample free parking on the street and walked around the grounds. Though chose not enter the lighthouse, we still enjoyed our short visit. read more

Point Pinos Lighthouse - entrance - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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I'm a huge fan of lighthouses so I knew the Point Pinos Lighthouse would be the highlight of our visit to Monterey. Because of the limited hours (it's only open 1-4 pm from Thursday-Monday), we opted to stay in the area for an additional day just to see this lighthouse. I'm so glad we did because this lighthouse was worth the wait! We got the chance to wander the property before the lighthouse was actually open. We were impressed with how well-maintained everything was. The volunteers were really nice here too. When one docent mentioned to a tour guide that we wanted to see inside the beautiful house, she let us in a few moments early and gave some great information about the lighthouse's history. Everything inside was as wonderfully preserved as well. You can tell there's a lot of love that goes into keeping this lighthouse looking lovely. Decorated with clothing and furniture from the period, we could really see how first keepers might have lived. This house feels much bigger than it's "sister" lighthouse at Point Loma in San Diego, making it even more wonderful to tour! The docents were great here. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. The tour guides were knowledgeable and very interesting. I even thought the little gift shop was cute. The volunteer in the gift shop was really nice and informative as well. These thoughtful docents made our visit to the Point Pinos Lighthouse even more wonderful. If you like lighthouses as much as we do then you'll have to see this beautiful lighthouse that overlooks the lovely Monterey Bay. Point Pinos was truly the highlight of our trip! read more

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2018: So this place is a little strange in their rules. (1) No picnics or outside food. Although I can understand the logic, all other lighthouses we've visited across the US are open to picnics. Why not install picnic tables? Most ppl visiting a place like this will throw out their trash. Our kids were SO sad they couldn't picnic at the lighthouse. (2) Hours of operation are odd. BE AWARE closed T/W. Open at 1pm. We were there early (12:30 & the lady working arrived to show someone the lighthouse) and there was no opening a little early for us. Again, I understand, just find it odd. The drive around the lighthouse is beautiful and the walking trail is lovely. There are deer on the adjacent golf course. Pristine location. read more

If you are in the area, I recommend stopping by this adorable little lighthouse. We spent about 90 minutes touring the three levels of the lighthouse and listening to the volunteers tell us about the history of the place. It was very educational and engaging for our kids ages 10 and 7. They have a cute little gift shop too. We also loved the grounds and saw deer close up grazing in the golf course next door. There is free parking on gravel nearby. read more

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We had our very first visit to Point Pinos Lighthouse, I was so impressed! The workers there were very informative. It was very interesting. There were so many great points of interest and information given about the lives of each of the Light Keepers and their families that lived there. Also the women that were behind it all. I look forward to next time we visit! read more

The women were extremely knowledgeable about the lighthouse, it's history, and the lighthouse keepers. It was a wonderful experience, I highly recommend visiting!! read more

Only 31 reviews for this charming lighthouse with a ton of history? That is pretty sad. It's a totally free attraction but there is a small donation box, if you are not super cheap. They didn't ask us for a dime but we dropped in $5. There were two docents, both of whom were friendly and had plenty to say and they were obviously excited to share their knowledge of the history of the lighthouse and it has tons of history. You could probably spend an hour here if you listen to the docents and explore all the levels of the building (there are several, including a small basement) and read the little informational cards. You actually can learn quite a bit by coming here. The history during the World War II period was particularly interesting. The views outside are spectacular. I happen to be a lighthouse nut (yes, there are a few of us) but for my money, you simply cannot take a bad picture with a lighthouse in the frame. This building is particularly attractive. Plus, we saw at least three deer nearby, within a couple hundred yards or less. Instead of visiting yet another t-shirt shop on Cannery Row in Monterey, make the 20 minute drive over to Pacific Grove, explore the lighthouse, learn something new, and experience some amazing views. There are also benches around the lighthouse if you want to relax and watch the waves. read more

Very picturesque historical spot to stop at while you do your Scenic Route. No entrance fee per se, but they do have a donation box that keeps the oldest operating lighthouse in America going. The suggested prices are - Adults - $4 Kids - $2 At the very minimum, you'll spend about 30 mins and continue along your Scenic drive or go the other way to Lovers Point. Great place for adults and kids alike. read more

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Cute lighthouse from the outside. Just wish we could have gone inside and toured the place. We were too early. Turns out that they are open 5 days a week. Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Their hours are from 1pm to 4pm during those 5 days. A $2 admission (donation) will you get you inside with all the proceeds going directly to restoring the lighthouse. Next time we're in the Monterey/Carmel area, we will be back! A little trivia answer. Point Pinos Lighthouse is the oldest "continuously operating" lighthouse anywhere on the Pacific. Pretty cool! read more

Point Pinos Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Point Pinos Lighthouse is a jewel on the coast in Monterey county. It is full of historical furniture, clothing, and artifacts from days gone by. I love lighthouses, and this one has lots of interesting history. Here is the link to an excellent blog post about the history. (with photos) https://www.seemonterey.com/blog/post/point-pinos-lighthouse-the-guiding-light-since-1855 I'm adding two photos of me taken when the lighthouse was being painted on a foggy day in September 2016. read more

Point Pinos Lighthouse - Point Pinos Lighthouse being painted ~ Sept. 12, 2016 - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Beautiful light house. Very inexpensive thing to do in Monterey. It sits right by the beach and a golf course. A lot of history in this little house & it's very educational read more

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This was such a cool spot to see a lighthouse like Pete's Dragon. I am so glad I was able to view this hidden gem in Monterey. It's free ppl but donations are welcomed. This is one of the oldest still operating light houses for visitors along the coast All visitors are required to sign in. Parking located in front or inside and Lighthouse if directly across from the cemetery. Don't mind the deer there as well. Most importantly it's historic & all the stuff is back in the 1800's. Super friendly ppl instead with history and background on the lighthouse. Also, most lighthouses were run by women in the olden days. There was always someone in the lighthouse operating it. Fun fact: BUOY weighs 4 tons and floats! Say what. You can't actually go to the top of the light house but very close to it. It's very small inside as well. Sitting outside and overlooks the ocean. read more

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Super fun side trip for the afternoon. $2 adult fee for ascending. read more

Point Pinos Lighthouse - A gorgeous day to drive around the Monterey Bay - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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If anyone is expecting a big "Lighthouse", this is not for you. We drove hours to look at a small house with a light on the roof. It's a cute historic place and the volunteers are extremely nice. But no big light like the ones you see in the movies. read more

Point Pinos Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

This place has a golf course in front of the property and behind it so the property is pretty small. There is plenty of dirt parking in front of the lighthouse and some street parking but I'm not sure if it's for the golf course so park there at your own risk. The admission is a suggested donation of $2 for adults and $1 for children ages 7-12, children 6 and under are free. The place is maintained and restored with donations so if you appreciate history or lighthouses try to donate more if possible. You will spend about 30 minutes going through the lighthouse. The staff present were very friendly and knowledgable. Most of the lighthouse is accessible but if your Tall: The basement ceiling is low so if your tall you have to watch your head. If you have limited movement or a small child: The stairs will be hard to get up and down from. Your will be limited to the first floor. Maybe with some assistance you might be okay going down into the basement. read more

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What a neat find! The docents working were EXTREMELY knowledgeable and a wealth of information about not only the lighthouse but the area in general. The ask a $4 donation per adult ($2 for kids) to help maintain the lighthouse. It's set up for different time periods in different rooms. I dig old buildings with history so this was worth the price for the time spent. Definitely worth a stop just to see an old piece of CA coastal history. read more

Such a beautiful sight. You get to actually go inside the lighthouse and see all the rooms. It is small and tight and stairs are narrow but it's amazing history and such a cute little house. The actual light house on the top is blocked off but you can still see it. read more

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This review is on behalf of another visitor who was in a wheelchair...The sign says there says they are wheel chair accessible. However, you cannot go into the lighthouse at all because all of the entrances have steps. The gentleman was trying to do what he could to show a video on a laptop. He tried taking her into a garden but the one entrance to the small area that had benches so the person with her could sit was not wide enough to enter. The gentleman had a great idea to show the video to the woman on the small gift shop. Again this guy was trying to do what he could. I was in the gift shop when he stepped in & said something the person working in there about his idea. She scoffed at the idea saying she didn't have any room. The gentleman points out that they do say they are handicap accessible. And then the person in the wheelchair & the person comes in. Nasty gift shop lady in a hateful tone "Well, I guess I have no choice now." That was one grumpy gift shop worker!!! At least she is able to get herself around as she needs to but she wanted to hinder the gentleman trying to do what he could to improve the visitor of someone in a wheelchair. You may claim to be handicap assessible but if your lighthouse has no means of access & you have volunteers who don't want to be accomodating, then you are NOT handicap accessible. read more

This lighthouse is a must see. For $2.00 you get a fun and informative lesson on the property's history. You can see everything in about 90 minutes. The lighthouse is ran by some of the sweetest woman I have ever met. They are so kind and genuinely care that you have a good time and love to interact with everyone that walks through he door. read more