The Lighthouse Circuit

Access, tours, hours, fees, and closures change often. Always verify with the official source before driving.

Specialty circuit

Ruins & Relics

Decommissioned, demolished, or relocated

2–3 days

For the historically minded: foundations, displaced towers, and a museum-ship lightship. The California coast has more ghosts than active lights.

South to north

The route

5 stops

  1. Año Nuevo Island and its ruined light station off the San Mateo coast

    Stop 01 · Pescadero

    Año Nuevo Light Station

    Ruins on the island

    View lighthouse

  2. Stop 02 · San Francisco

    Fort Point Light

    Demolished — site under the Golden Gate Bridge

    View lighthouse
  3. Historic photograph of the original Cape Mendocino Light

    Stop 03 · Ferndale

    Cape Mendocino Light

    Tower relocated to Ferndale

    View lighthouse
  4. Table Bluff Lighthouse, the relocated Humboldt Harbor Light

    Stop 04 · Eureka

    Humboldt Harbor Light

    Tower relocated to Eureka

    View lighthouse

  5. Stop 05 · Eureka

    Blunts Reef Lightship (WLV-605)

    Vessel preserved at Eureka museum

    View lighthouse
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