Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park — Attraction in Fort Bragg

What a wonderful day!! My husband took me to Fort Bragg for my 40th b'day over this past summer of 2017. It was also our 10th wedding anniversary💕 We've been together for almost 20yrs., but didn't officially tie the knot until almost 10yrs later. Fort Bragg holds very special memories for us. It is where he took me for a whole weekend for the first b'day of mine that we spent once together. The coast is & has always been close to my ❤ We traveled there often when I was a wee child. Many vacations spent there. At least twice a year my entire childhood. So when my adoring hubby surprised ME- I decided to do something very special for H him💕 He's always LOVED Light Houses, but had never been to one. So when I knew we were going to the coast...I began quick research on any light houses in the area that I could take him to. My goal was to find one we could walk to the top of. I found a few..but the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse seemed perfect..and was on our way to where we were headed the 2nd day too!😀👍 So...as I pull off the road..my hubbys going "what are you doing??" I pull to the large open parking area (no charge) & get out. He proceeds out the car..then sees the sign!!- "Point Cabrillo Lighthouse" the smile & look on his face was priceless!!😊💕💕 I had decided on a trail that was to take about an hr to get to the actual lighthouse..there's supposed to be a shipwreck you can view..many gorgeous points/cliffs to enjoy breathtaking beauty of the Pacific sea. However..we ended up deciding on the shorter..more straight shot walking trail to the point. So off we went. Gorgeous scenery. The trail was very smooth & could easily have ♿ accessibility the whole trail. On the way there are 3 other historical houses, one of which you can walk thru..made into a museum. I enjoyed it very much & took lot's of pics!! Then we looked at the outside of the other two houses..as they were not open to the public. These were all the "Lighthouse keepers houses" Then at the very point is the Cabrillo Lighthouse. We begin to venture inside..but I immediately notice that the staircase to the top is blocked off to the public!😒😢 VERY disappointed, my hubby n I walk into the only place we could venture..which is just the ground level floor filled with gift shop & a few items that were from shipwrecks.. A tele that shows you what the light looks like. Honestly..we were pretty dissatisfied & extremely disappointed. I did find out, later tho, that the top is open to special tours about 4 times a yr. Wish i had done my research a bit better. It wasn't a complete loss though..we did capture some great pics & enjoyed our walk & the scenery. I would however like to go back one more time & take the long walk that has all the neat stuff to look at...

Beautiful! This light house was our favorite. They scenery was breathtaking and there was a little cove with baby Harbor seals swimming around. Also there are cute lighthouse keepers cottages that are available for vacation rentals. It would be a relaxing place to stay and very close to Fort Bragg. We'll have to try it sometime. I believe a few times a year they allow people to climb to the top of the lighthouse, but usually it's closed to climbers. We didn't see this as a problem for us, because we set outside at the picnic tables and enjoy the views. Check their website for climbing dates. There is a gift shop and small museum inside the lighthouse. The lady who works there is incredibly friendly. We enjoyed the very small "aquarium" building, which is free to look in. It has a fish tank with a tide pool inside and also whale bones and shells. It was actually really cool. Be advised it's a half mile walk from the upper parking lot to the lighthouse and back. It's an incline on the way back, but for handicapped or those with trouble walking, you can drive much closer. This was good since my mother is in her 70's and definitely wouldn't have made it back up. I would advise bringing a water and snacks if you have kids. There are also picnic tables on the side of...

Visiting the Point Cabrillo Light Station consists of two parts: a short half-mile walk out to the coast, followed by looking inside the old lighthouse and nearby museum. The best that can be said about the walk, really, is that it is short. The views alongside it are the same as you can see at any other coastal site in the area. We did find a few blackberry bushes along the way to enjoy though! And there are a number of signposts with questions about whales to entertain any younger visitors.

Once you get to the actual light station, you can head inside to check out a few exhibits about the life of the old light keepers and interesting events that occurred in the area. Unfortunately, you can only access the bottom floor, so you can't see the actual light from up close. Apparently, however, they do offer the occasional Lens Tour, so check ahead of time to see if there might be one when you visit!

There is also a small museum in the nearby original Light Keeper's home. The interior of the home has been designed to resemble what it would have looked like back when it was in use, one hundred or so years ago. It's a quick, interesting detour that won't take you more than five minutes...