On the next day of our weekend in Big Sur, we wanted to visit Point Sur Light Station because we didn’t get to visit it during our honeymoon. Point Sur Light Station is solely run by volunteers who are very friendly and knowledgeable. There were two tour times available on the day we went. We chose the earlier tour so that the rest of our afternoon was free. We made sure to get there early because it was first come, first served and we didn’t want to take a chance in getting turned away (I don’t handle rejection well). The entire tour took about 3 hours and took us up an elevation of about 360 feet. There are multiple stops along the way to point out significant areas so the tour didn’t feel vigorous at all. Make sure to use the restroom beforehand because aside from the porta potties at the base of the rock, there isn’t another restroom until the light station.
The walk up to the station offered spectacular views of the coast below. The water was bright and clear and we even saw eagles flying and heard sea lions chatting.
Point Sur Light Station began operating in 1889 to provide warnings to nearby ships. It was serviced by a total of 4 keepers before it began being serviced by the U.S. Coast Guard in 1974. Because the station needed tending 24 hours a day, homes were built on the rock in the surrounding area of the lightstation for the keepers and their families. The families were allotted a garden area to grow produce and supplies such as firewood and coal were brought in by the U.S. Lighthouse Service.
Once we reached the peak of the rock, we were given a tour inside the light tower and inside the buildings surrounding the tower.
Below is the workshop that housed tools for maintenance of the tower.
We also got to look inside one of the homes occupied by a keeper and the family.
It was so neat to get a glimpse of the living area and imagine a family sitting around the record player listening and discussing the events of the day.
The kitchen was spacious and bright. There was even a can opener attached to the wall!
The bedrooms were so fun to look in. I loved seeing all the knick knacks in each room and imagining little girls playing with dolls at their little table. Too cute!
Here’s a look at the bathroom. Indoor plumbing wasn’t added until 1907.
Finally, here’s the laundry room. I wish I had one just like this that has everything I need in one place.
When it was time to walk back down, the fog had rolled in. It was a different kind of beautiful.
After the tour, we decided to visit Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. We chose a relatively short trail, Canyon Trail, because we wanted to make sure we’d make it back out by dark. We will have to plan another visit to hike the full Ewoldsen Trail.
The trail had a couple of baby waterfalls before the big kahuna.
I would describe it as an easy-moderate hike. There are some streams that need to be crossed, but for those who don’t like to get their feet wet (such as myself), there are rocks that protrude out enough to get a good footing.
Enjoy the rest of your week and come back next week to see how we ended our weekend in Big Sur :)
If you missed where we stayed in Big Sur, check it out here.
We also revisited Pfeiffer Beach and tried to recreate the photo we took on our honeymoon. Visit here to see how much we’ve changed in 1 year.
Baha nice use of “big kahuna” :)