Point Sur Lighthouse is one of the most impressive and historic places to visit in California. It sits atop a rock peak 24.6 miles south of Monterey, standing tall at 48 feet and 270 feet above sea level. Visitors can tour this breathtaking lighthouse year-round, featuring fog horns originally fired by wood harvested from Big Sur's redwoods and the only complete turn-of-the-20th-century Fresnel lens left in California. This beautiful lighthouse is also the home of incredible shipwreck stories from its past, tales that are now immortalized in Point Sur State Historic Park.

Pet-friendly: No

Soft adventure: Yes

Seasonality: All seasons

Fee: $15 for tour