Coast & wildlife · California

Point Reyes Lighthouse, Seals and Elk day trip

Point Reyes Lighthouse, Seals and Elk

A winter day trip from San Francisco to Point Reyes National Seashore: the Bear Valley Visitor Center and Earthquake Trail, the 313 steps down to the Point Reyes Lighthouse, gray whales and the elephant seal colony from Chimney Rock, a late lunch in Point Reyes Station, and tule elk on the Tomales Point Trail before dusk.

Time: 11-hour day
Driving: About 5–5½ hours of driving in total
Best time: Late December to March
Updated: October 12, 2026 at 7:23 AM Pacific

$4 USD

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The white Point Reyes Lighthouse with its red roof and lantern room on a rocky ledge above a calm blue Pacific, the fog-signal building beside it — Frank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 4.0. December 2019 photograph, just after the lighthouse's restoration; resized and displayed with crop.

Suggested times, not bookings

Your day at a glance

7:30 amLeave San Francisco
9:00 amBear Valley Visitor Center and Earthquake Trail
10:40 amPoint Reyes Lighthouse
12:25 pmChimney Rock and the Elephant Seal Overlook
2:10 pmLunch in Point Reyes Station
2:10 pmOption: oysters on Tomales Bay instead
3:40 pmTomales Point Trail to Windy Gap
7:00 pmReturn to San Francisco

Highlights

Worth the trip

The 1870 lighthouse at the foot of 313 steps
Elephant seals and passing gray whales from Chimney Rock
Tule elk on the clifftop Tomales Point Trail

What’s in the guide

Matching HTML and PDF guides, detailed stop guidance, rules, practical pitfalls, a route map, Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps links, weather alternatives and phone instructions. See an example guide →

Plan for the conditions

Expected seasonal weather

January to March brings the year's heaviest rain, sometimes for several days in a row, with sunny, calm, cool days in between, which are the best for spotting whales. The headlands can be far windier and colder than Bear Valley, and the strongest winds come with southerly gales from November to December. Spring days are often windy. Fog can roll in at any time. These are seasonal expectations, not a forecast for your travel date; check the NWS forecast the evening before and the morning you go.

Admission and parking are separate. Check current conditions before departure.

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