Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel
The rugged California coast is a
dramatic and breathtaking setting, and the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel
offers a relaxing retreat for travelers of any age. Enjoy a unique vacation
experience at a spectacular lighthouse location, perched on a bluff overlooking
the Pacific Ocean, just 25 miles south of San Francisco.
Originally established in 1875 as a fog signal station after several ships ran
ashore in the late 1860s, this historic lighthouse is still an operating
aid-to-navigation maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. The hostel has been in
operation since 1980 through a partnership with California State Parks.
The coastside location of the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel offers convenient
access to several beaches for swimming, surfing, kayaking, windsurfing, and
horseback riding. The hostel is also the perfect base for exploring the
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Pillar Point Harbor and Marsh, Mount Montara, and the
quaint coastal town of Half Moon Bay.
Reserve your stay at the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel today, and treat
yourself--and your budget--to the peaceful, restorative beauty of this unique
Pacific Coast destination.
History
Point Montara Lighthouse was established in February 1875. It originally had a
kerosene lantern, but was upgraded in 1912 to a fourth order Fresnel lens. The
current tower was first erected in 1881 in Wellfleet, Massachusetts as the Mayo
Beach Lighthouse. In 1925, the cast iron tower from the discontinued Mayo Beach
Light was disassembled and moved to Yerba Buena. It was moved and rebuilt as the
Point Montara Light station in 1928, where it stands today. The lens was
transferred to the San Mateo Historical Society when the lighthouse was
automated in 1970, and is currently on display at the library at the College of
Notre Dame in Belmont, California. In 2001 the lighthouse, specifically the
hostel, was used in the film Bandits starring Bruce Willis, Cate Blanchett and
Billy Bob Thornton.
Halloween and the Local Ghost
This Californian hostel holds
an annual Haunted Hostel Halloween, which attracts local families and hostel
guests for holiday crafts and games, spooky snacks and giant handmade
monsters. Although this event brings more smiles than screams, there is some
haunted lore surrounding this beautiful coastal community. One mile south of
the hostel, The Blue Lady was murdered during the Prohibition era for having
an affair. She still makes appearances in a bloodstained blue dress as she
stands on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. There have also been
scattered sightings by guests on the lighthouse grounds but The Blue
Lady usually steals the show all around this community.
For More Information and Reservations
Reserve by phone
Please call during office hours, 7:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. daily.
Phone: (650) 728-7177
National HI-USA reservation line at (888) 464-4872
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