A historic lighthouse built in 1855 situated at the tip of Point Bonita, accessed via a half-mile trail that includes a hand-cut rock tunnel and a suspension bridge. The lighthouse marks the narrowest part of the entrance to San Francisco Bay. The surrounding cliffs drop steeply into the Pacific with views of the Farallon Islands on clear days.
Photography Guide
Best Time
afternoon
Crowds
Moderate
Shot Types
widelandscapedetail
Best Seasons
springsummerfall
Practical Tips
The lighthouse grounds are open Saturday through Monday only, 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM. The trail is narrow with steep drop-offs; bring sturdy shoes.
Is it a good day to go?
7-day outlook
Mild, dry days with light winds are the most comfortable for a visit.
Forecast by Open-Meteo. Verdicts weigh the forecast against the conditions that suit this spot.
Gallery
Point Bonita Lighthouse sits atop a steep, rocky cliff, reached by a white suspension bridge stretching in from the left. The weathered lighthouse and adjoining building stand against a pale gray sky and calm blue-gray ocean, with visitors gathered along the viewing platform. Photo: Frank Schulenburg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Close-up of Point Bonita Lighthouse’s lantern room and white keeper’s house, with the black domed top, glass panes, and rust-streaked metal showing age and weathering. A pale gray sky and a strip of railing in the foreground keep the composition simple and centered. Photo: Allan J. Cronin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0Point Bonita Lighthouse sits on a steep rocky headland, reached by a suspension bridge and framed by sheer cliffs dropping into the Pacific. Soft afternoon light and pale blue sky balance the weathered white lighthouse, with green-blue water and a band of red succulents in the foreground. Photo: Frank Schulenburg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Point Bonita Lighthouse sits on a dark cliff above deep blue Pacific water, with white surf breaking below and a small warm light glowing at the tower in the evening haze. The composition is wide and moody, with the headland silhouetted against the sea. Photo: Hu Nhu / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Point Bonita Lighthouse rises in bright afternoon light, its black domed lantern room and white base framed by a rope and metal walkway. Visitors stand along the railings, with a red-tiled outbuilding and open blue sky behind it. Photo: Don McCullough from Santa Rosa, CA, USA / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0A lone rust-colored sea rock rises from silky blue water in the foreground, with the hazy outline of the Marin Headlands stretching across the horizon. Soft afternoon light highlights the rock’s rough texture while the long exposure smooths the surrounding surf into misty bands. Photo: Brocken Inaglory / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0Point Bonita Lighthouse sits on a sheer rocky headland, with the white lighthouse buildings and black lantern standing out against the blue-gray Pacific. Steep cliffs fill the left side of the frame, and waves break around dark offshore rocks below. Photo: Dsdugan / Wikimedia Commons / CC0A distant, wide view of Point Bonita’s rocky headland stretches across a calm gray Pacific, with the lighthouse barely visible on the far left and a tall communications tower on the right ridge. Soft afternoon light and a hazy sky flatten the scene, emphasizing the steep coastal cliffs and isolated shoreline. Photo: Dsdugan / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Point Bonita Lighthouse sits on a narrow headland in the distance, framed by steep brown cliffs on the left and choppy blue-green Pacific water below. White surf breaks around dark rocks along the shoreline, with hazy coastal hills faintly visible across the bay. Photo:
Hugh Nelson / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0The lighthouse lantern glows warm yellow against a deep blue evening sky, with the white tower rising in sharp perspective from below. Lit windows and a metal railing add detail to the darkened exterior. Photo: Don McCullough from Santa Rosa, CA, USA / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
