The Point Sur Lightstation, in Big Sur, perches 361 feet atop a volcanic rock with an unparalleled view of the coast. This self-sufficient lightstation has been part of the Big Sur coast for 110 years.Only those with fortitude should brave the one-mile hike that climbs 300 feet and ends with a 65-step staircase. The effort is rewarded, though, on the guided three-hour tours that are scheduled Saturdays from 10am and 2pm and Sundays at 10am year-round. Summer tours are offered Wednesdays at 10am and 2pm. Arrive early because space is limited and tours fill up quickly.

Point Pinos Lighthouse, in Pacific Grove, is one of the six lighthouses along the coast for which Congress appropriated funds shortly after California statehood was ratified. Built in 1855, the lighthouse is on the northernmost tip of the Peninsula. Before its construction, this point had proved dangerous to sailors who mistakenly believed they had reached Monterey Bay. The building, lenses and prisms are all original. It’s the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Open 1-4pm, Thursday-Sunday, with occasional special events hosted by costumed docents.