When you visit a California lighthouse (and there are over 35 of them,) there's a world of history that awaits. Some of the towers are permanently closed. Like the 21 California Missions, these towers fell into disrepair due to costs. The Global Positioning System (GPS) has made the need for lighthouse beams nearly obsolete and today, some of the eyesores are being transformed into icons for the public to climb into history, learn about the American coast, the lighthouse's role, and technology's importance to commerce.

Shown is the the circular staircase leading to the top of Point Fermin Lighthouse in San Pedro, part of a tour you can take (one person at a time going one direction is the only way to ascend and descend this narrow staircase.)

Similar staircases and towers you can explore in California include Point Loma Lighthouse in San Diego and Point Vicente Lighthouse in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Several lighthouses (also known as light stations) were placed in the ownership and care of California State Parks when the Coast Guard Services sought to reduce its inventory and expense shortly after the turn of the 21st century. California's lighthouse are filled with stories about light keepers and their families, about the building construction, and most interesting to many--the massive glass lenses that refracted light, providing beacons or guiding lights for ships along the California coast (though many shipwrecks have occurred through lighthouse history, nevertheless.)

The 35+ lighthouses or light stations in California along the California coast stretch from San Diego to the Oregon border. Most are restored and occasionally you'll see lighthouses closed because they are structurally unsafe. Some were recently built for esthetic effects. While few, if any are utilized for navigation today due to GPS replacement of these systems, the lighthouses are time pieces filled with history and stories.

One of the most visited and most popular lighthouses is the new Lighthouse at Point Loma. It sits perched upon a hill not far from the Cabrillo Monument statue that honors the establishment of the region by Spaniards.

ALCATRAZ ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE (1909) is located on Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay.
ANACAPA ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE (1932) is located at the entrance to the Santa Barbara Channel.
BATTERY POINT (CRESCENT CITY) LIGHTHOUSE (1856) is located at Battery Point Island
CAPE MENDOCINO LIGHTHOUSE (1868) is relocated from the coast to Shelter Cove
CARQUINEZ STRAIT LIGHTHOUSE (1910) is relocated from the Carquinez Strait entrance
EAST BROTHER ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE (1874) is located off Point San Pablo at the San Francisco Bay
FARALLON ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE (1855) is located southeast of Farallon Island
FORT POINT LIGHTHOUSE (1864) is in the San Francisco Harbor entrance
LIME POINT LIGHTHOUSE is in the San Francisco Bay entrance
LONG BEACH LIGHTHOUSE (NEW) is in Long Beach Harbor near Aquarium of the Pacific
LOS ANGELES HARBOR LIGHTHOUSE (1913) is located at the San Pedro Breakwater at Angels Gate
OAKLAND HARBOR LIGHTHOUSE (1903) is relocated from Oakland Harbor entrance
PIEDRAS BLANCAS LIGHTHOUSE (1879) is located at the northern entrance to the San Simeon Bay
PIGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE (1872) is located at the southern approach to the San Francisco Bay
POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE (1908) is located 2 miles north of Point Arena
POINT BLUNT LIGHTHOUSE (1956) is located at Angel Island at the San Francisco Bay
POINT BONITA LIGHTHOUSE (1877) is located at Point Bonita at the entrance to the San Francisco Bay
POINT CABRILLO LIGHTHOUSE (1909) is located between Point Arena and Cape Mendocino
POINT CONCEPTION LIGHTHOUSE (1882) is located at the west entrance to Santa Barbara Channel
Point Fermin Lighthouse (1874) is located in San Pedro, CA, at Point Fermin which includes a park with bandstand and fantastic vistas.
POINT HUENEME LIGHTHOUSE (1941) is located at the east entrance to the Santa Barbara Channel
POINT LOMA LIGHTHOUSE (NEW) (1891) is located at the southern end of Point Loma
POINT LOMA LIGHTHOUSE (OLD) (1855) is located at the southern end of Point Loma
POINT MONTARA LIGHTHOUSE (1928) is located at the southern approach to the San Francisco Bay
POINT PINOS LIGHTHOUSE (1855) at the south entrance to Monterey Bay is located at a golf course in Pacific Grove
POINT REYES LIGHTHOUSE (1870) is located at the Gulf of Farallones
POINT SUR LIGHTHOUSE (1889) is located at Morro Rock in the Big Sur District
POINT VICENTE LIGHTHOUSE (1926) is located at the north end of the Los Angeles Harbor in Palos Verdes
PUNTA GORDA LIGHTHOUSE (1912) is located 12 miles south of Cape Mendocino
SAN LUIS OBISPO (PORT HARFORD) LIGHTHOUSE (1890) is in San Luis Bay
SANTA CRUZ LIGHTHOUSE is located near the Santa Cruz Harbor and was built as Surfing Museum
SOUTHAMPTON SHOALS LIGHTHOUSE (1905) is relocated from San Francisco Harbor
ST. GEORGE REEF LIGHTHOUSE (1892) is 6 miles off Point St. George
BLUFF LIGHTHOUSE (1892) is relocated from Humboldt Harbor
TRINIDAD HEAD LIGHTHOUSE (1871) is in Trinidad Harbor
YERBA BUENA ISLAND (GOAT ISLAND) LIGHTHOUSE (1875) is located on the Goat Island in San Francisco Bay