It takes 145 steps to reach the top of the tower, but it’s worth it! You will be amazed by the 360 degree views of the ocean from the viewing gallery. A tour guide is available to discuss the history of the lighthouse, the marine life around you, and the land and sea around the lighthouse. Evening tours of the lighthouse are available throughout the year on or near the full moon, allowing a breathtaking view of moonlight over the ocean as you sip champagne or sparkling cider from the souvenir flute you can take home to remind you of a magical evening.

The lighthouse featured a fine Fresnel lens when it first opened in 1908, rotated by a clockwork mechanism which had to be cranked by hand every 75 minutes by the lighthouse keepers, and lit by an oil lamp which also had to be maintained by the hard-working keepers. Over the years, technology improved, and the Fresnel lens and the oil lamp were replaced by newer and more convenient methods of keeping the light shining for all the ships at sea.

The magnificent Fresnel lens can now be seen in the museum, just steps away from the lighthouse. The museum is housed in the former Fog Signal Building, originally built in 1890 and renovated in 2010. The collection includes historical artifacts, displays about shipwrecks on the rocky Mendocino Coast, and information about the lighthouse keepers and their families. There is also a Whale Watch room, which is filled with fascinating displays about marine mammals and other sea creatures, as well as offering a warm spot to watch the passing whales during migration times.