Paddle back in time with professional kayak guides to the 125 year old fully restored and quite beautiful Point San Luis Lighthouse in Avila Beach, California. Bring your adventurous spirit and interest in California mariner history – no kayaking experience is necessary and beginners are welcome. A portion of your trip fee is used to help restore and maintain the lighthouse.

The leisurely three-hour round trip guided tour which includes; paddling instruction (if needed/desired), tasty snacks, a short-guided paddle in the protected waters of San Luis Obispo Bay, a walk up from the beach to the lighthouse bluff with beautiful vistas, and a complete docent led educational tour of the lighthouse and its grounds.

Kayaks (all boats and safety equipment provided) will launch after meeting at 9:00 am from the sandy Avila Beach and paddle in the protected waters of the bay to Coastguard Beach below the lighthouse. Along the short route to the lighthouse you will likely see wildlife such as sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters, pelicans, Great Blue Herons, bright white egrets and more.

While on your Lighthouse tour you’ll experience what life was really like for a Lighthouse Keeper and his family during the turn of the Century when electricity and indoor plumbing was not available.

There are more to lighthouses than meets the eye. Enjoy learning the immense life-saving value of Lighthouses and how they served thousands of mariners along the rugged California coast. Lighthouses helped ships identify their location, warned ships of potential hazards, and let them know that land was near. Every lighthouse emitted a distinctive series of flashes known as its “characteristic”. These flash sequences allowed ship captains to identify specific lighthouses and their locations.

Have fun learning the characteristic of the Point San Luis lighthouse on your tour!