Point Vicente Lighthouse
Point Vicente Lighthouse
Point Vicente Lighthouse
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
149 reviews
Excellent
85
Very good
47
Average
16
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Tony S
Walnut, CA360 contributions
Jul 2012 • Friends
This lighthouse has been in Ranch Palos Verdes since 1926. It is a place that deserve more attention and appreciate. It is actually an important landmark and beacon mark for thousands of vessels traveling down the S. CA. coast. It is open for tours on the second Saturday of each month between 10am to 3pm. Best viewing point is from the City Interpretive center and half hour before sunset. The sunset ray shines upon the reddish cliff.. it is truly an astonishing sight to see.
Written 11 September 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thangam M
Chennai1,460 contributions
Apr 2018 • Couples
Point Vincente was named by Captain George Vancouver, an English explorer who surveyed the Pacific coast on his sloop ‘Discovery’, around 1790. He apparently named the point after his good friend Friar Vincente of the Mission San Buenaventura (located in present-day Ventura, CA).
The Point Vincente Lighthouse is one of the jewels of the Palos Verdes peninsula, located at its southwestern tip near the intersection of Palos Verdes Drive and Hawthorne Boulevard. The lighthouse is situated north of the entrances to Long Beach and Los Angeles Harbours.
While the lighthouse makes for a delightful view, until not too long ago it served a much more vital purpose for mariners, helping them avoid the rocky shoals that surround the nearby shore. The lighthouse was listed in the National Registry of Historic Sites in 1979.
Built of plastered reinforced concrete, the lighthouse is 67 feet tall but as it is built on the edge of a cliff, it marks Point Vincente at a height of 185 feet above the ocean. Its beam can apparently be seen twenty miles away from shore. In addition, the lighthouse also had a fog horn to send out an audible warning to mariners during times of low visibility.
The Point Vincente lighthouse came about as a result of a petition from sailors and navigators who sailed these dangerous waters in the early 1900s. Commissioned in 1926, it was one of the brightest landmarks on this coastline at that time.
The lens that magnifies the lighthouse beam was manufactured by Barbier, Bernard & Turenne of Paris, the oldest lens making company in the world. This lens was apparently shipped to Point Vincente from Alaska where it had already been in service for four decades.
During the Second World War the Palos Verdes peninsula was defended by the artillery of Fort MacArthur. History records that the during those war torn years, the 1000 watt beam at the lighthouse was replaced by a small 25 watt bulb and blackout curtains were kept ready to cover the lighthouse windows. In 1939 the Coast Guard made Point Vincente their main communication centre in Southern California.
After the war, the relentlessly rotating beam became the target of bitter complaints from the residents of the peninsula who said they could well do without their slumber being disturbed by the powerful beam shining through their windows at night!
In a bid to ensure a good night’s sleep for their neighbours, the lightkeepers did in fact paint the insides of the land-facing lighthouse windows a pearly opaque white. And that is when the “Lady of the Light” appeared. Many claimed that in the dim light shadowing through the painted lighthouse windows, they saw the silhouette of a tall woman in a flowing gown who slowly paced the tower’s walkway.
Apparently, many stories did the rounds about the Lady of the Light – some said she was the ghost of the first lighthouse keeper’s wife who stumbled over the cliff one dark and stormy night, others had it that she was awaiting the return of her lover lost at sea, while yet others said she was the spectre of a heartbroken lady who threw herself from the cliff after her beloved abandoned her!
Well after the war, the lighthouse was automated and the last lightkeeper left in 1971.
The lighthouse and its grounds are usually closed to the public. However, while we cannot confirm this, we were told that the tower and a small museum are open to the public from 10am to 3pm on the second Saturday of every month.
The Point Vincente Lighthouse is one of the jewels of the Palos Verdes peninsula, located at its southwestern tip near the intersection of Palos Verdes Drive and Hawthorne Boulevard. The lighthouse is situated north of the entrances to Long Beach and Los Angeles Harbours.
While the lighthouse makes for a delightful view, until not too long ago it served a much more vital purpose for mariners, helping them avoid the rocky shoals that surround the nearby shore. The lighthouse was listed in the National Registry of Historic Sites in 1979.
Built of plastered reinforced concrete, the lighthouse is 67 feet tall but as it is built on the edge of a cliff, it marks Point Vincente at a height of 185 feet above the ocean. Its beam can apparently be seen twenty miles away from shore. In addition, the lighthouse also had a fog horn to send out an audible warning to mariners during times of low visibility.
The Point Vincente lighthouse came about as a result of a petition from sailors and navigators who sailed these dangerous waters in the early 1900s. Commissioned in 1926, it was one of the brightest landmarks on this coastline at that time.
The lens that magnifies the lighthouse beam was manufactured by Barbier, Bernard & Turenne of Paris, the oldest lens making company in the world. This lens was apparently shipped to Point Vincente from Alaska where it had already been in service for four decades.
During the Second World War the Palos Verdes peninsula was defended by the artillery of Fort MacArthur. History records that the during those war torn years, the 1000 watt beam at the lighthouse was replaced by a small 25 watt bulb and blackout curtains were kept ready to cover the lighthouse windows. In 1939 the Coast Guard made Point Vincente their main communication centre in Southern California.
After the war, the relentlessly rotating beam became the target of bitter complaints from the residents of the peninsula who said they could well do without their slumber being disturbed by the powerful beam shining through their windows at night!
In a bid to ensure a good night’s sleep for their neighbours, the lightkeepers did in fact paint the insides of the land-facing lighthouse windows a pearly opaque white. And that is when the “Lady of the Light” appeared. Many claimed that in the dim light shadowing through the painted lighthouse windows, they saw the silhouette of a tall woman in a flowing gown who slowly paced the tower’s walkway.
Apparently, many stories did the rounds about the Lady of the Light – some said she was the ghost of the first lighthouse keeper’s wife who stumbled over the cliff one dark and stormy night, others had it that she was awaiting the return of her lover lost at sea, while yet others said she was the spectre of a heartbroken lady who threw herself from the cliff after her beloved abandoned her!
Well after the war, the lighthouse was automated and the last lightkeeper left in 1971.
The lighthouse and its grounds are usually closed to the public. However, while we cannot confirm this, we were told that the tower and a small museum are open to the public from 10am to 3pm on the second Saturday of every month.
Written 1 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jeepplover2000
Chapel Hill, NC111 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
The lighthouse can be viewed, but you can only tour the lighthouse one the second Saturday of the month between 10am-2pm. It is a pretty lighthouse to look at, but we were not there at the right time to go inside.
Written 27 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melody M
Glendale, AZ132 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
If you like walking beautiful trails you must take the hike around the Terranea Resort to the Lighthouse. The ocean view is simply gorgeous and the trail goes for miles. It's definitely worth you time! Enjoy!
Written 1 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Grzegorz S
Katowice, Poland56 contributions
Aug 2019 • Friends
A very nice location to enjoy LA cliffs, sometimes whales or just have a relaxed walk. A little away from both LA and Orange (about 45 min drive) - but very nice and worth going there. Highly recommended if You have 2-3 available hours.
Written 26 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
diana95426
San Francisco60 contributions
Aug 2017 • Solo
This lighthouse is beautifully situated but in my experience is only open on Saturdays from 10-2pm. So plan your visit accordingly! There is a lovely museum a short walk away that is worth a visit and has docents greeting visitors and explaining all manner of items that pertain to the marine life.
Written 15 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ExperienceMy31
149 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
I wasn't able to visit the inside of the lighthouse, but you can get spectacular views from the walking paths near the Interpretive Center.
Lighthouse is open the second Saturday of each month.
Stamp hunters don't fret, stamps are available in the Interpretive Center.
Lighthouse is open the second Saturday of each month.
Stamp hunters don't fret, stamps are available in the Interpretive Center.
Written 6 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jodar21
Cape May New Jersey48 contributions
Sept 2014 • Couples
As a lighthouse enthusiast and photographer this was a great treat. Atop beautiful cliffs overlooking the pacific ocean she comes to life as the sun sets and blazes the red clay rocks. Drive down the road little and photograph it from different vantage points so you can get the waves crashing on the cliffs. Being on coast guard property, make arrangements in advance to see it. Please dont bother the residents.
Written 27 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim W
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA9 contributions
Feb 2014 • Friends
There are benches so close to the ocean that you can feel the ocean spray and watch the sun set over Catalina.
Written 4 March 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachel Lui
Los Angeles, CA465 contributions
Apr 2021 • Family
A short (around 1.6 miles one way) and easy trail along the shoreside from the lighthouse. Road is paved so it’s good for stroller.
Written 5 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi,
Is there any fire pits or bbq place around the point Vicente area, even along the trail?
Written 6 February 2018
Not really... There is like a banquet hall or restaurant but I think it is more for events, weddings.
Written 6 February 2018
is the walk from parking to the lighthouse long or hard on elderly that have problems walking??
Written 9 September 2016
No, it's pretty easy. It's also wheelchair accessible.
Written 10 September 2016
When is the lighthouse open for a free Saturday morning tour? I thought it was the second saturday of each month.
Written 7 October 2015
According to the San Vincente lighthouse website, the tower is currently closed for maintenance. It looks like they are still doing tours of the grounds. I would contact the facility via email for updates, especially if you really want to see the inside of the lighthouse.
Usually, the tours take place the second Saturday of the month, with the exception of April, when it's the first Saturday in conjunction with Rancho Palos Verdes "Whale of a Day" festival. I'd check and see if the Rancho Palos Verde web site has additional information
Written 7 October 2015
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