Point Bonita was the 3rd lighthouse on the West Coast and it’s still in use today! The lighthouse is small with only two tiny rooms, but it’s still worth checking out. The lighthouse itself, views, and hike out are awesome and can be a quick or lengthy depending on how long you want to stay.
From the lighthouse and before the bridge, you can see seals below and a small sea arch. Across the way, is the Golden Gate Bridge and from this advantage point, you can see the whole city behind it. The scenery and picturesque views are one of the best parts of this stop.
The Lighthouse
The original structure was built on the hill behind it, but it was in the fog line and had to be moved 20 years later. The reason why it’s still number three is because they blasted a tunnel through the mountain to carry the original light to the new building. That light is the one they still use to this day. You can go into the small room, but it’s cramped and there’s a lot of people.
Hiking Out
The hike out is only half a mile, but some it is pretty steep. The coolest part of the walk is the tunnel and bridge. The tunnel that was blasted is now a part of the trail and you get to go through the volcanic hill. On the outside, you can see the bright red hardened lava. The other mandatory part to get to the lighthouse is the suspension bridge. The old one was wooden and rickety, so it could only hold two people at a time before collapsing. The bridge now, however, is much sturdier and can hold a lot more people. It does wobble, so if you’re like me it’s even more fun, but if you’re like my family then it’s scary. Luckily for you, it’s short and worth it.
Things to Know
- The lighthouse is only open from 12:00 to 3:30 and roughly a thousand people come through, so doing wait until the last minute.
- If you can, avoid going on a high wind day because it’s not only by the ocean and you will freeze, but the bridge will shake a lot more. Still fun, but better on a light wind day.
- You don’t need lots of time to do the lighthouse so you can check out Battery Mendell after!
For my first hand experience and a closer look at what’s in store, check out my YouTube channel or the video below!
https://youtu.be/8KYth1jji5c
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