Point Sur Lighthouse

3 hour tour of the Point Sur Lighthouse is a great thing to do in Big Sur. Arrive at 9:45am as tour starts at 10am and they close the gates. You spend about an hour walking up with a group, with many stops and stories along the way. You then go into the lighthouse and then to the top where they have a gift shop and other buildings to explore. No snacks, no dogs allowed.

Point Sur Lighthouse, Jan 2024.

It was one of the most interesting lighthouses I have visited. Accessible by Guided Tours only.3.5 hours long tour but well worth it.

Walking tours consist of a rise in elevation of 360 feet and two stairways of 40-60 steps each.

Numbers might make it look difficult, but if I have to put it in layman's terms, it would be like Begineers level for hiking.

Every 5 minutes or so, we stopped along the path while volunteers provided us historical facts about lighthouse and explained the importance of each section of the path.

Some more info might help you.

1) It is south of Bixby Bridge, so on the way, you can enjoy the scenic spot around Bixby Bridge.
2) Tours are only on Sat & Sun. No online reservation. First come, first serve. Tour at 10 am only.
3) Meetup is along PCH -1 South of Bixby Bridge. Volunteers are there around 9.30 am. You have to park along the road and wait for all parties to arrive.
Since drive is through private property, driving is in caravan style, which starts at 10 am sharp.
4) Irrespective of weather, carry a jacket. It is extremely windy along the way, even on a sunny day.
5) Cellphone reception is almost non-existent in that part of PCH-1. Be prepared with a copy of maps or print out of Google maps.
6) Tours are weather dependent. If you don't have cell reception while driving along PCH-1, then it is difficult to find out in advance if Tour is still happening on that day or not. Be mindful of that.

My wife and I made the trip to Northern California in August. This lighthouse is a must-see! Make sure you get there early because they only let so many people in.

Beautiful scenery and entirely run and preserved by the efforts of volunteers. The tour is well worth it with knowledgeable guides and your money goes to the upkeep and restoration. Great piece of local history in a stunning setting.

I went with my friend and our 7 kids and we all had so much fun. Our tour guide Linda was just the best and accommodated the tour to suit a large group of kiddos. The walk up is steep and it's a three hour your but worth it. We saw whales from the top and even though the buildings were temporarily closed we could still peak in door and see lots.
Be advised...they are only letting in 20 people total first come first serve and we barely made it in even after getting there over an hour early. Pack a lunch and show up at least an hour early and you should be fine :)

Need to be there early to queue. Roughly 45 mins in advance. I think it can only allow 20 vehicles per tour. I felt that it was an interesting tour. Cost $15 for the tour.

Pass by this light house many times. Every impression view from highway 1. Today it is my first time to drive to the top. Look a little bit scary,but actually ok. Brilliant view from top.

I spent almost 2 years in the area before I ventured out to tour this lighthouse station. I regret not doing it sooner. It was a very beautiful and history experience. What an incredible Big Sur experience. To anyone considering a tour, you won't regret it. It feels very isolating and exclusive.

Great tour! Take it. So much fun and lots to learn in a good way, but only because the docents make it worthwhile. Thanks guys!

The guided tour is very informative and interesting. Many things to learn and the scenery on top is breathtaking. Plan to spend 3 hours though. My family loved it but smaller kids might get bored due to the length of the tour.

Beautiful spot. The tour was top-notch; our docent was knowledgeable and entertaining. Would recommend

The restoration and upkeep from this volunteer run facility is both beautiful and incredible. The views are absolutely stunning also.

At this time, there are no reservations, everything is first come first serve. Each tour can manage about 40 guests total so they count the number of people in each car.

Such a gorgeous landmark. We desperately want to come back and visit during their open hours.

Great to walk around and enjoy the scenery and old construction.

Absolutely perfect day! Kathee, our tour guide was very knowledgeable and stopped frequently on our way up to share bits of interesting facts and answer questions. This broke up the climb to more manageable chunks and one didn't feel like it was steep at all. It was a relaxed experience even with over 40 people. Dennis, the other guide, was clear with his driving directions and cautions. Would definitely recommend it!!

Another beautiful reason to stop 🛑 and take a few pics.

Fantastic views and interesting tour. Knowledgeable docents on the history and and buildings. I was there for a special Halloween night tour. The staff outdid themselves with a scary theme and stories. It is a steep walk to the top. You park at the bottom and walk up. Normal tours are listed on their website. Highly recommended. Wear layered clothing as it can be very windy and chilly.

The second destination after bigxy bridge from the north tip of BigSur. Highly recommended. As it's a private property, there are only limited tour - Saturday, Sunday at 10 AM and Wednesday at 1 PM. It's a 3 hour tour for 40 people maximum. $15 per individual. No reservations only first come first serve basis. Volunteers are responsible for guided tours, no official employees. 1 mile hike on the top of the light house, it's slow but kinda steep hike, so wear good sport shoes.

This was a great experience! The docent (John) was extremely knowledgeable and made the three hour tour the perfect length. You do spend most of three hours on your feet, and it is a bit of a climb but it's worth it.

We were lucky to tour the lighthouse on a clear and windy day. We can see out for miles. Otherwise it could be wet and gloomy.