Top lighthouses
LighthousePigeon Point Lighthouse
LighthousePoint Reyes Lighthouse
LighthouseAlcatraz Island Light
LighthousePoint Pinos Lighthouse
LighthouseLime Point Light
LighthousePoint Cabrillo Light
LighthouseEast Brother Island Light
LighthouseFarallon Island Light
LighthouseOld Point Loma lighthouse
LighthousePoint Bonita Lighthouse
LighthouseCape Mendocino Light
LighthouseMile Rocks Light
Lighthouses by county
- City and County of San Francisco11
- Humboldt County5
- Los Angeles County13
- Marin County4
- San Bernardino County8
- San Diego County5
- San Luis Obispo County3
- San Mateo County3
- Santa Barbara County6
- Santa Cruz County4
- Solano County3
- Ventura County3
All lighthouses (80)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pigeon Point Lighthouse | San Mateo County | 13 m | Boulder Creek | 5 |
| Point Reyes LighthousePoint Reyes | Marin County | 82 m | Inverness | 4 |
| Alcatraz Island LightAlcatraz Island | City and County of San Francisco | 32 m | Chinatown | 8 |
| Point Pinos Lighthouse | Monterey County | 10 m | Pacific Grove | 6 |
| Lime Point LightFort Point | Marin County | 1 m | Sausalito | 7 |
| Point Cabrillo Light | Mendocino County | 4 m | Fort Bragg | 3 |
| East Brother Island Light | Contra Costa County | 7 m | North Richmond | 7 |
| Farallon Island Light | City and County of San Francisco | 61 m | Bolinas | 4 |
| Old Point Loma lighthouseCabrillo | San Diego County | 126 m | Coronado | 7 |
| Point Bonita LighthouseGolden Gate | Marin County | 15 m | Marin City | 7 |
| Cape Mendocino Light | Humboldt County | 116 m | Ferndale | 2 |
| Mile Rocks Light | City and County of San Francisco | 1 m | Parkside | 7 |
| New Point Loma LighthouseCabrillo | San Diego County | 7 m | Coronado | 7 |
| Point Fermin Light | Los Angeles County | 33 m | San Pedro | 8 |
| Santa Barbara Light | Santa Barbara County | 33 m | Santa Barbara | 7 |
| Anacapa Island LightChannel Islands | Ventura County | 66 m | Channel Islands Beach | 4 |
| Yerba Buena Light | City and County of San Francisco | 21 m | Chinatown | 8 |
| Point Montara Light | San Mateo County | 17 m | Montara | 6 |
| Point Arena Light | Mendocino County | 11 m | Boonville | 2 |
| Point Arguello Light | Santa Barbara County | 27 m | Lompoc | 3 |
| Point Conception Light | Santa Barbara County | 33 m | Lompoc | 3 |
| Point Hueneme Light | Ventura County | 4 m | Port Hueneme | 7 |
| Point San Luis Light | San Luis Obispo County | 32 m | Avila Beach | 4 |
| Point Sur Lighthouse | Monterey County | 67 m | Big Sur | 3 |
| Point Vicente Light | Los Angeles County | 40 m | Rancho Palos Verdes | 7 |
| Punta Gorda Light | Humboldt County | 17 m | Rio Dell | 1 |
| Table Bluff Light | Humboldt County | 45 m | Humboldt Hill | 4 |
| Trinidad Head Light | Humboldt County | 48 m | Westhaven-Moonstone | 3 |
| Sugar Pine Point Light | El Dorado County | 1,900 m | Tahoma | 3 |
| Long Beach Light | Los Angeles County | — | Long Beach | 8 |
| St. George Reef Light | Del Norte County | — | Crescent City | 2 |
| Battery Point Light | Del Norte County | — | Crescent City | 5 |
| Los Angeles Harbor Light | Los Angeles County | — | San Pedro | 8 |
| Piedras Blancas Light Station | San Luis Obispo County | — | Cambria | 2 |
| Point Diablo Light | City and County of San Francisco | — | Sausalito | 7 |
| Rubicon Point Light | El Dorado County | — | Tahoma | 4 |
| Fort Point Light, San FranciscoFort Point | City and County of San Francisco | — | Sausalito | 8 |
| Ballast Point LightCabrillo | San Diego County | — | Coronado | 7 |
| Carquinez Strait Light | Solano County | — | Crockett | 7 |
| Humboldt Harbor Light | Humboldt County | — | Bayview | 5 |
| Oakland Harbor Light | Alameda County | — | Alameda | 8 |
| Point Blunt Light | City and County of San Francisco | — | Tiburon | 8 |
| Mare Island Light | Solano County | — | Vallejo | 8 |
| Roe Island LightPort Chicago Naval Magazine | Contra Costa County | — | Bay Point | 6 |
| Santa Cruz Breakwater Light | Santa Cruz County | — | Twin Lakes | 8 |
| Desert Lighthouse | San Bernardino County | — | Lenwood | 4 |
| Southampton Shoal Light | City and County of San Francisco | — | Tiburon | 7 |
| Lions Lighthouse | Los Angeles County | — | Long Beach | 8 |
| Santa Cruz Lighthouse | Santa Cruz County | 8 m | Santa Cruz | 7 |
| Ano Nuevo light station | Santa Cruz County | — | Bonny Doon | 5 |
| Point Stuart Light | City and County of San Francisco | — | Tiburon | 8 |
| 21 - Alcatraz LighthouseAlcatraz Island | City and County of San Francisco | — | Chinatown | 8 |
| Table Bluff Lighthouse | San Bernardino County | — | Lake Havasu City | 5 |
| Umpqua River Lighthouse | San Bernardino County | — | Lake Havasu City | 5 |
| Angels Gate Lighthouse | San Bernardino County | — | Lake Havasu City | 5 |
| Pigeon Point Lighthouse | San Bernardino County | — | Lake Havasu City | 5 |
| Portland Head Lighthouse | San Bernardino County | — | Lake Havasu City | 5 |
| Grays Harbor Lighthouse | San Bernardino County | — | Lake Havasu City | 4 |
| Angels Gate Lighthouse | Los Angeles County | 11 m | San Pedro | 8 |
| Carquinez Strait Lighthouse | Solano County | 53 m | Crockett | 7 |
| Point Medanos Foghorn | San Diego County | 1 m | La Jolla | 7 |
| Fort Point Lighthouse (historical)Fort Point | City and County of San Francisco | 2 m | Sausalito | 8 |
| Lighthouse Trailer Resort | San Bernardino County | 2,067 m | Big Bear Lake | 5 |
| North Head Lighthouse | Los Angeles County | 56 m | Avalon | 4 |
| Piedras Blancas Lighthouse | San Luis Obispo County | 15 m | Cambria | 2 |
| Santa Barbara Island Light | Santa Barbara County | 36 m | Malibu | 4 |
| Pyramid Head Light | Los Angeles County | 56 m | Avalon | 4 |
| Wilson Cove Light | Los Angeles County | 18 m | Avalon | 4 |
| China Point Light | Los Angeles County | 15 m | Dana Point | 4 |
| San Nicolas Island Light | Ventura County | 7 m | Port Hueneme | 3 |
| Pendleton Light | San Diego County | 23 m | Camp Pendleton South | 5 |
| Long Beach Breakwater East End Light | Los Angeles County | 1 m | Seal Beach | 8 |
| Santa Catalina Island East End Light | Los Angeles County | 39 m | Avalon | 5 |
| Richardson Rock Lighthouse (historical) | Santa Barbara County | — | Lompoc | 3 |
| Walton Lighthouse | Santa Cruz County | — | Twin Lakes | 8 |
| Harbor Breakwater Light | Santa Barbara County | — | Santa Barbara | 7 |
| Long Beach Inner Breakwater Light | Los Angeles County | — | Long Beach | 8 |
| Newport Bay West Jetty Light | Orange County | — | San Joaquin Hills | 7 |
| Point Knox Lighthouse (historical) | Marin County | — | Tiburon | 8 |
| Año Nuevo Island Light (historical) | San Mateo County | — | Bonny Doon | 5 |
Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).
Map
How to photograph lighthouses
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
- During blue hour, use 5–15 second exposures to capture the beam; check whether the light is still active.
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.