Gray's in Fashion

Whale Watching at Pigeon Point Light Station on San Mateo Coast

{Note: Due to winter weather, before visiting this spot check ahead for any road and trail closures and/or hazards before heading out, and exercise good judgement for overall safety.}

Built in 1872, Pigeon Point Lighthouse is an iconic mainstay on the San Mateo Coast. It's great to visit anytime, but go in winter and get a big bonus: you might spy a gray whale migrating. And Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park is one of the best places for spying them.

The best vantage point for spotting grays is a short stroll away on a boardwalk overlook. Docent tours can be booked ahead of time for a guided walk in the area. If the weather's good and the sea is calm, you can head down to adjacent Whalers Cove, a secluded beach acquired and preserved by Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST).

BONUS EVENTS 2024: Pigeon Point Lighthouse also leads guided History Walks each month.

BONUS STAY: Hostelling International’s Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of only a few accommodations on this stretch of the coast. The four guesthouses, salty and weathered, each have a private room and fully equipped kitchen and are ideally situated next to the old lighthouse. What else is sweet about this spot? Guests have access to a secluded hot tub perched above the bluffs facing the ocean. Jacuzzi jets and whale watching—hot combo!

The Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park is 50 miles south of San Francisco on Hwy. 1. The address is 210 Pigeon Point Rd., Hwy. 1 Pescadero. The day-use area is open from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Taking the Stage: Tyler Ranch

    Hike the recently opened Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, with 18 miles of new trails. This 6.5-mile loop up Sunol Peak is a challenge and rewards with exceptional views of seasonal iridescent hills.

    View
  2. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike (and Manly Lake Vista!) at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. On clear days you get views of both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous U.S. 

    View
  3. Swing into Spring

    Swing into this 7.1-mile hike in the hills of Half Moon Bay! It’s got gorgeous views, fields of spring wildflowers, and a hidden rustic tree swing.

    View
  4. The Carson Show

    Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Lava Lava

    Once a land of volcanic activity, Mojave National Preserve shares plenty about its past via a quick yet adventurous hike to the Lava Tube in the Cima Dome Volcanic Field.

    View
  2. Kelso Dunes

    The hike to the top of Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve is only 3 miles (out and back), but you’ll feel like you’ve hiked much farther by the time you’re done.

    View
  3. William Kenyon Overlook

    Some of the best vistas of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are easily accessible via a short and sweet 1.25-mile (round-trip) hike just off the CA-78. Enter your next favorite desert viewpoint: the William Kenyon Overlook.

    View
  4. Beaudry Bountiful

    There are no cars allowed on Beaudry Loop, but this 6-mile hike takes you on a wild ride. You’ll be climbing 1,500 feet up the southern Verdugos along a chaparral-lined trail with gorgeous mountain and urban vistas every step of the way.

    View