Pigeon Point Lighthouse

At a glance

Visual character

“Tallest lighthouse in the Western Hemisphere (115 ft); dramatic Pacific Coast Hwy location between San Francisco and Monterey; tide pools; hostel accommodation on site”

About

Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the Western Hemisphere — a massive 115-foot white tower commanding the rocky Pacific Coast Highway between San Francisco and Santa Cruz. California State Parks manages the site with an established commercial film permit process. The lighthouse's sheer scale against the Pacific horizon is visually overwhelming, and the rugged rocky shoreline with accessible tide pools creates foreground interest at every angle. The adjacent HI Hostel provides affordable on-site crew accommodations, a rare and practical advantage. The original Fresnel lens is displayed in the fog signal building. Highway 1 provides easy crew access. The San Mateo Coast's fog, dramatic cliffs, and elephant seal colonies at nearby Año Nuevo State Park offer expanded location variety. Excellent for California coastal narratives, period maritime stories, and atmospheric character dramas.

Where you'll be