When visiting San Francisco, heading off-the-beaten-path for a visit to Point Bonita Lighthouse in Marin Headlands makes for a fun and relaxing day trip.
As a local, I truly feel that Point Bonita Lighthouse is a hidden gem of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is an active lighthouse that is part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area.
A hike along the Point Bonita Trail gives visitors a chance to not only visit the lighthouse but to also witness spectacular views of the Pacific coastline, the city, and the famous Golden Gate Bridge.
Moreover, visitors get to learn about the history of the lighthouse, the unique geology and the wildlife of the region.
We visited Point Bonita Lighthouse on a beautiful sunny, summer day in August and had an amazing time exploring this lesser-known, yet spectacularly scenic viewpoint located at the northern end of the Golden Gate Strait.
I am guessing that if you are reading this post, you are probably considering visiting the lighthouse as a relaxing half-day trip from San Francisco or from one of the cities in the Bay Area. So here’s a travel guide with details on how to get to Point Bonita Lighthouse, its history, tips for visiting the lighthouse and hiking the Point Bonita Trail.
The historical significance of Point Bonita Lighthouse
During the years of the California Gold Rush, there was an increased influx of ships bringing in gold-seekers and immigrants into the ports of theSan Francisco Bay.
However, their approach through the Golden Gate’s straits was not without peril as ships had to navigate through treacherous waters, strong currents, submerged rocks as well as frequent, dense fog.
To aid the incoming ships, three lighthouses were built in the immediate vicinity of Golden Gate Bridge. The first one was built on Alcatraz Island followed by the Fort Point lighthouse at the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Point Bonita Lighthouse was built in 1855 on the northern end of Golden Gate Bridge to guide incoming ships into the Bay. It is one of the two lighthouses located on the Marin Headlands – the other one being Point Reyes.
Nearly 300 ships were actually wrecked while trying to approach the perilous Golden Gate Channel despite the presence of lighthouses.
Interestingly, Point Bonita Lighthouse was actually built in 1855 at a higher elevation on the rocky cliffs than its current location. However, with the dense fog that envelopes the Bay Area often, it became hard for maritime sailors to see its light. It, therefore, had to be moved to its current location in 1877. Point Bonita Lighthouse guided the ships during the gold rush era as well as naval ships heading out to wars later on.
Point Bonita Lighthouse – an active lighthouse along the Pacific Coast
The Point Bonita lighthouse continues to remain operational to this day guiding maritime vessels and visitors into the SF Bay towards the major ports of San Francisco and Oakland. It is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard and since it is a part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area, entry and tours are provided to visitors by the National Park Services.
Visiting Point Bonita Lighthouse from San Francisco
Point Bonita Lighthouse is located in Marin Headlands – a hilly peninsula located north of San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge with amazing ecological and geological diversity. It is easy to reach by car and is located just a little further from the popular Golden Gate View Point in Marin Headlands.
The drive from the heart of San Francisco to Point Bonita takes nearly 35-45 mins depending on the traffic and time of the day. Our drive through the city took us along the beautifully decorated City Hall near Van Ness, spectacular views of the Bay peering through the streets – many of which were dotted with stunning street art. Moving further along towards Golden Gate Park we took highway 101 northbound towards Golden Gate Bridge.
The gorgeous view of the Golden Gate Bridge is truly a sight to behold. Despite being a local, I thoroughly enjoy visiting this jewel of the Bay Area whenever I have a chance. Keep in mind that crossing the bridge requires a toll to be paid and parking areas at the vista points near the bridge are almost always full.
Enjoy the spectacular views from Golden Gate Bridge View Point in Marin Headlands
To get to the lighthouse, drive past the Golden Gate Bridge towards Sausalito. Shortly after crossing the bridge, take the exit 44 and turn left for Fort Baker Marin Headlands. After passing through the one-way tunnel, you will get to witness some of the best views of the San Franciscan Coast and Golden Gate Bridge. Whenever we visit this side of the Bay, we always stop by at the Golden Gate Bridge View Point located along this drive.
Continuing further from the vista point, we headed along the one-way road towards Marin Headlands 101 Scenic Outlook which brings visitors to the entry point of Point Bonita Lighthouse.
Stop by for a relaxing picnic at Battery Wallace
Located just before the parking area of Point Bonita Lighthouse on Conzelman Road is one of the most scenic picnic areas I have come across in the SF Bay Area – Battery Wallace. We enjoyed a peaceful stop at this quiet picnic area with a lovely view of Golden Gate Bridge in the distance. This outdoor picnic area is clean and is equipped with picnic tables and even some grills.
Tips for Visiting Point Bonita Lighthouse:
1. Point Bonita Lighthouse is only open on Sundays and Mondays from 12:30pm-3: 30 pm. Reservation is not necessary and entry is free. On rainy days and on holidays, the lighthouse could be closed so call the Marin Headlands Visitor Center to confirm.
2. Be sure to plan your hike to the lighthouse no later than 2:30 pm as the tunnel gate promptly closes at 3:30 pm.
3. The hike back from Point Bonita Lighthouse is steep in some areas along paved pathways. There are also sections along the trail covered with loose gravel so be sure to wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes.
4. San Francisco Bay Area’s weather is quite unpredictable, especially near the coast. Be sure to carry a jacket or any warm coverall as it tends to get quite windy and chilly near the lighthouse.
5. Consider downloading the free NPS Golden Gate App that provides audio tours, maps, and guides for the Golden Gate Park Recreation Area.
6. Parking near Point Bonita Lighthouse is quite limited. However additional parking spots are available near the Battery Alexander Trailhead about 0.25miles away.
7. The Point Bonita Lighthouse can easily be explored on your own but if you would prefer to join a guided tour, consider making reservations for the guided tours in advance.
8. There are plenty of informative signboards along the trail giving details of the site, the wildlife in the region, geology and important advice for visitors.
Point Bonita Trail to The Lighthouse
The trail to the Point Bonita Lighthouse starts near the parking lot of Point Bonita and is approximately 0.5miles long. The trail is paved in the initial section that leads to a tunnel and upon emerging from the tunnel on the other side, it switches to a loose-gravel pathway along the cliffside. The trail also has rest stops along the way with some benches for people to relax on and take in the beautiful views of the San Francisco Bay.
An easy downhill walk along Point Bonita Trail to the Tunnel
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Point Bonita Lighthouse. After familiarizing ourselves with the information conveyed on the boards at the entrance, we headed off along an easy, downhill trail leading towards the tunnel and the lighthouse.
Stunning views and wildflowers along the trail
We were delighted to find beautiful views of Golden Gate Bridge all along the trail towards the left and stunning views of the Pacific coastline towards the right. It was interesting to observe the vegetation of the region as well – notably the local Point Bonita cabbage plants and wildflowers blooming along the trail.
After the first bend of the downhill trail, it was easy to spot the tunnel in the distance. If access to the Point Bonita Lighthouse is closed, then the door to this tunnel is closed. It is neither possible to reach, nor view the lighthouse from the trail unless one goes through the tunnel to the other side of the cliff.
Harbor seals at Point Bonita Cove
A walk along the Point Bonita Trail offers visitors spectacular scenic views and the chance to observe natural wildlife in the region.
Through the audio tour and signboards, we were able to learn that the Point Bonita Cove is actually one of the nine major natural habitats for harbor seals that are often seeing on its rocks during the resting, breeding and molting phases. Harbor seals are shy animals and to help in maintaining their natural habitat at Point Bonita Cove, it is advised to stay at least 300ft away from them and maintain silence.
Audio Tour Markers along the trail
As we walked downhill towards the tunnel, we saw several informational boards that listed the phone number one can dial to get more information about certain sections of the trail. I found this very informative and a fun, free way to learn more about the history and geology of the site. Each marker had a unique question, and after dialing the number followed by the question code, a pre-recorded voice provided informative details related to the question.
Moving further, as you enter the tunnel you might notice rust-colored patches on the cliff outside the tunnel. These are actually red algae that thrive in the high moisture environment of Marin Headlands.
The tunnel door remains open only on Sundays and Mondays from 12:30pm-3:30 pm. Before this tunnel had been built, there used to be a walkway along the left side of the cliff. This walkway, however, was destroyed due to frequent landslides and so a tunnel had to be built instead through the cliff. It had to be painstakingly carved out by hand to avoid the cliff from caving. This 118ft long tunnel is the only way now to access the lighthouse via the trail.
The walk from the tunnel to Point Bonita lighthouse
The scenic walk along the trail covered by loose-gravel continued after the tunnel. This section of the trail has a fence along its side facing the sheer drop and the cliff along the other side. We found it quite safe and easy to walk this stretch in either direction. It was interesting to observe the characteristic rock formations at Point Bonita in the cliffs – particularly those of the ‘pillow basalt’.
These pillow basalt rocks of Point Bonita are rounded, pillow-like looking rocks along the cliffs. What makes them particularly interesting to geologists is the fact that they were formed millions of years ago in the deep sea by underwater lava eruptions.
Our first glimpse of the lighthouse to the right side came after we walked along this trail for a few minutes. The historic lighthouse set up on a cliff along the rugged Pacific coastline was a beautiful sight.
Enjoy the views of the Pacific before heading to the Lighthouse
The best views of the lighthouse and the Golden Gate Bridge from Point Bonita can be seen from a small gathering area just before the suspension bridge that leads to the lighthouse. We enjoyed soaking in the stunning views of the waves crashing on the rocky Californian shores and watching the ships glide by lazily towards the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.
The suspension bridge leading to Point Bonita Lighthouse
A walk along the wobbly suspension bridge brings visitors to the Point Bonita Lighthouse. Only 49 visitors are allowed to visit the lighthouse at one time across this bridge.
What’s really interesting to know is that Point Bonita lighthouse is the only lighthouse in the United States that can be reached by a suspension bridge. The initial suspension bridge that had been built to access the lighthouse had to be closed in 2010 as its metal components had been damaged by rust. That bridge was then replaced by a new span in 2012 made of hardwood and suspension cables, reflecting the design of Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.
A visit to Point Bonita Lighthouse:
The tower of the lighthouse is about 16ft above the roof of the three-room building on which it rests. The 7-foot high lamp is located inside this tower.
This lighthouse’s signature light signal of ‘1 second off-3 seconds on’ helps maritime vessels identify the signal to be that of Point Bonita’s.
In addition to the visual signal, under dense fog conditions, the lighthouse also has an acoustic signal. Point Bonita lighthouse uses an electric foghorn that sends out its characteristic fog signal every 30 seconds to help guide maritime vessels into the San Francisco Bay.
A stroll along the small walkway around the lighthouse brought us to another audio stop where we learned that under clear conditions, the signal from Point Bonita’s Fresnel Lens can be seen as far as 18 miles across the Pacific waters.
It was also interesting to step inside the three rooms at the base of the lighthouse as they have displays of historic photos documenting the development and purpose of the lighthouse.
A short but steep hike back to the parking lot
While the descent to the lighthouse feels like a leisurely stroll, the return is a mini-workout – albeit a short one. The gradient of the short hike back up to the parking lot is somewhat steep, but not that difficult especially if you pace yourself. It’s always a good idea to carry a water bottle during such visits but in case you didn’t and are thirsty, you can easily purchase one along with refreshments from a small café near the trail entrance- The Canteen at Point Bonita YMCA. This cafe is open from 11am-4pm from Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.
If you are looking for off-the-beaten-path places to visit in the San Francisco Bay Area, consider reading our posts on The Must-See Hidden Staircases of San Francisco and Quarry Lakes Recreational Park in Fremont.
Our experience of visiting Point Bonita Lighthouse
The visit to Point Bonita Lighthouse on a clear, sunny day is one of the best half-day trips to head out for near San Francisco. Often visitors come as far as Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point at Marin Headlands but probably don’t realize that this hidden gem of the Bay Area lies just a few miles from this scenic outlook.
A visit to Point Bonita Lighthouse is both a visual treat as well as an educational experience, making it an excellent family excursion. Besides learning about the amazing geology, wildlife and historical significance of the lighthouse we were able to soak in dramatic views of Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, Bonita Cove, and the Pacific from a quiet, off-the-beaten-path, scenic location.
I’m sure we will be returning to this historic lighthouse whenever we explore Marin Headlands some more but until then ….. See you soon dear Point Bonita!
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Hello ! I’m Aditi …..
Welcome to Land Of Travels – a travel blog that my husband Manish and I started to share our travel stories and travel tips. We are full-time professionals, dedicated parents, foodies, and it is our shared passion for traveling that lead us to become part-time bloggers.
I was born and brought up in Northern India, lived in Bay Area, California for nearly two decades and currently reside in Ontario, Canada. Since childhood, I’ve always had a passion to travel far & wide and experience different cultures. I am passionate about planning our trips and exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations.
My sincere hope is that the travel tips offered on this blog will help you plan your next memorable adventure.
Happy travels!
~ Aditi Sharma ~
Not only have I never been to the Point Bonita Lighthouse, I’d never even heard of it. Your photos are fantastic. They make me want to visit next time I am in SF.
Thank you. It makes for a fun, free half day trip from SF.
Never heard of it before! Now I have something new to see!
Never been and can’t wait to go. Thanks for the handy tips too. love your pics
Thank you!
Love all kind of lighthouses and I would love to visit this one, too! In two years, it looks like that I´ll be back to Californa and also to the Bay Area, so it that would be on my list for sure!
It’s a lovely spot to visit for sure whenever in the Bay Area.
Very neat! Thanks for the informational and interesting read!
Glad you enjoyed reading the post.
Love to visit there too!
Your photos are beautiful! I’m headed to San Francisco in May I am definitely going to try and visit the lighthouse!
Hope you get to visit Point Bonita when you are in Bay Area – happy travels.
Looks like a fun place with a beautiful view. Thanks for sharing 🙂
It is a hidden gem near SF. Thanks for visiting the blog.
Hi Aditi, I have stumbled upon your blog for the first time, and I must say that I really like it. 🙂 Loved your post! I’m just too fond of lighthouses, so reading about them is always fun. San Francisco looks like a lovely city.
I have not heard of this lighthouse. This sounds like a relaxing budget-friendly day. I’ll pin for later.
What a great tip for visitors to San Francisco! I’ve been twice but not heard about Point Bonita Lighthouse, and would enjoy visiting. Particularly interesting that they had to move it because of the infamous San Francisco fog!
It’s a fun place to visit – loved the views and learning about its historical significance.
After two short stays in San Francisco, it really is one of my favourite cities! We definitely want to return and will add this to our list of must visit places.
SF and the Bay Area as such offers so many fun activities and places to visit. We love heading off-the-beaten path and finding gems such as Point Bonita. Thanks for visiting the blog.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit here many times, love it in the spring!
Well, this looks like a gorgeous hidden gem in San Fran! I had no idea it even existed so thanks for sharing. Hopefully, I’ll visit San Francisco again sometime soon! Thanks for sharing!
This one often remains unnoticed as it really can’t be seen even while driving along the coast – it only becomes visible once visitors take that short hike and pass through the tunnel. Quite a hidden gem.
Wow this looks incredible! We did not explore this area on our trip to San Francisco, but now you’ve given us a reason to go back!
Your pictures are breathtaking! I would absolutely love to hike here! I also love the fact that this beautiful lighthouse is still active. You provided many helpful tips before visiting – I will be sure to
Reference them before I do!
I am glad you found the post informative. Hiking near the lighthouse was a fun experience for our family.
I’ve got to say, I really appreciate your opinion here as a local. I’ve read a fair bit of content on San Francisco, but I haven’t actually heard of Point Bonita as a bit of an escape or day trip. I also like the terminology of a “half-day trip,” as that’s going to help me for planning when I do get a chance to finally go. Thanks again!
When visiting SF, people almost always have visiting Golden Gate Vista Points on their lists. Across the GG bridge northwards, a visit to Marin Headlands gives a chance to catch some spectacular views of the bridge and visit the lighthouses – Point Bonita and Point Reyes. Makes for a fun half-day road trip for sure.
Great and out of the ordinary post. I love this kind of places. They have great historical and photographic interest. I can only imagine how dramatic the landscape must become during storms.
Thank you for your kind appreciation of the post. We love finding off-the-beaten-path places as well and enjoy learning about the historical significance of such places. Thanks for visiting the post.
This looks like a really fun and scenic hike. I love the suspension bridge going straight to the lighthouse – and going through a cave tunnel? Awesome.
We’ll be sure to visit if/when we find ourselves in the area. Thanks for the tips.
What a scenic place! I think the lighthouse is a great place for a scenic and unique nuptial shoot. As mountaineers and rock climbers, we would love to visit this place as, based on this article, it’s a haven for seals and other wildlife. I think we shouldn’t forget to bring a telescope here so we can observe wildlife.
I admit that before I thought San Francisco is about the Golden Bridge, and startup tech companies. And after reading your post, there is more to it. Visiting this place would be a great idea, and less tourist!
San Francisco is at the top of my bucketlist and I’ve just added point Bonita to my list of must sees. I always find that the best places are off the beaten path. Thanks for this post.
Your photos are great, and I always love getting tips from a local! Thank you for including the history of Point Bonita lighthouse. I feel that in today’s society we run from attraction to attraction to see it and get photos but often don’t realize the significance of what we are looking at. Great post!
Ooh we missed this little gem on our last trip to San Francisco! Thanks for raising awareness, we’ll definitely include it on our list for any future visits!
Hope you enjoy visiting this scenic, off-the-beaten path location in Bay Area as much as we did. Thanks for visiting the blog.
Thanks for introducing Point Bonita to me. With a cliff walk, a tunnel, a suspension bridge, harbor seals and the Golden Gate, the half-day is packed with great scenes and experiences!
That’s for sure. The views were definitely gorgeous all around – we kind of got lucky with the weather too the day we visited so we made the most of the experience. Loved learning about the history, geology and marine life in the area.
Looks like a nice walk and I love the app you can download. I feel a lot more attractions should have this option.
The app and the phone audio tour was a great way to learn about the site for free. Thanks for visiting the post.
You guys find so many cool less-obvious sites Aditi! Although, i am pretty sure I have seen photos of that lighthouse on instagram from one of my other blogging friends.
I especially love the look of the trail to the lighthouse- it looks like you had perfect weather for it!
That’s true Josy – we did get lucky with the weather that day – was a beautiful sunny day with mild temperatures so we made the most of our visit to Point Bonita and Marin Headlands. Thanks for visiting the post.
Oh this post is making us miss San Francisco so much! It’s our favorite city in the USA, so back in 2013 we decided to give up everything in Paris and to spend 6 months in SF before settling down in Luxembourg. We loved having a walk in the Marin Headlands when we were in SF, although we’ve never really went to Point Bonita Lighthouse.
The Bay Area is so charming and I love exploring its hidden gems whenever we get the chance. I hope you get to revisit SF soon and perhaps include Point Bonita on your itinerary that time around. PS- Luxembourg has been on our bucket list for a while, would love to visit!
This place looks so pretty ! Beautiful views. And it’s history sounds interesting as well.
Loved the post, pinned it !
Thank you for sharing and I am glad you found the post informative. As a Bay Area local, I truly feel this is one of the hidden gems of the region.
Your photos are beautiful — I would love to visit this lighthouse! The scenery along the Pacific Coast is just incredible. It’s great to know you can get good photos of the Golden Gates Bridge at this lighthouse and cool that it’s still an active lighthouse. I’d also love to see the harbor seals at Point Bonita Cove!
We loved exploring the lighthouse at a leisurely pace – the scenery is stunning and I truly enjoyed learning so much about the history of the lighthouse, the geology and marine life in the area. It’s easy to spot the harbor seals at the Bonita Cove and sometimes you can even spot whales in the open waters from the trail.
Wish I had known about this place when I was in San Francisco a few years ago! For next time then! Love the shots of the Golden Gate Bridge – might be a cliche but I love this beautiful bridge.
As a local, I see this bridge so often yet it’s always a joy – it’s truly iconic. Thanks for visiting the post and hope you will be able to take the trip to Point Bonita next time you visit the Bay Area.
What a great attraction in San Francisco. I’ve visited the city before but had no idea this was there. I’ll check it out next time for sure.
It’s really easy to get to by car from San Francisco – plus you get to enjoy superb views of Golden Gate Bridge along the drive and from the lighthouse too. Make for a fun day trip for sure.
This looks like such a fun activity! I would love to do this with my kids next time we’re in San Francisco. I think they’d enjoy the adventure of walking through the tunnel aswell.
A visit to this lighthouse is a fun, relaxing day trip from San Francisco – you truly get to enjoy some amazing views from this off-the-beaten-path gem of the Bay Area for free.
How fascinating! The trip to the lighthouse is as interesting as the lighthouse itself! Going through a tunnel and a over a bridge viewing possible seals and interesting geology in such a historic setting make this quite a tour!
Definitely – the hike and visit to the lighthouse was certainly a fun day trip from SF.