endo C ino C oa S t S outh Coa S t: : Point a rena

Located on the coast of southern Mendocino County about 130 miles north of San Francisco, Point Arena is one of the smallest incorporated cities in the state of California, with a population under 500, and also one of the most beautiful.

Surrounded by the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands, a unit of the California National Coastal Monument; the Point Arena Lighthouse, the tallest on the West Coast of the United States; and the Point Arena Public Fishing Pier in Point Arena Cove, the city and its surrounding area offer incredible natural beauty and a wide range of recreational activities. These latter include fishing, surfing, tidepooling, whale-watching, sightseeing, fine dining and lodging, enjoying music and film, and taking jaunts to well-preserved historical structures. The Point itself is a land mass jutting out into the ocean, and the spot closest to Hawaii in the contiguous 48 states.

For food, fun and live entertainment on the Mendocino Coast, the Garcia River Casino is a short scenic drive on Windy Hollow Road in Point Arena.

eventS & e FeStivalS

MORE INFO: PointArena.net

• O ngoing: Point Arena Lighthouse

Full Moon Nighttime Tours

• Feb-October: Blues on the Coast at Arena Theater

• A pril: Wind and whale Celebration

• A pril-May: Whale and Jazz Festival; Almost Fringe Festival

• M ay: Waves and Whales 5K Run

• J uly: Independence Weekend Celebration

• A ugust: September Studio

Discovery Tour

• S eptember: Harbor and Seafood Festival

• October: Halloween on Main Street

• November: Point Arena Mushroom Festival

• December: Point Arena Hometown Holidays

1 Point Arena Lighthouse

2 To Manchester and Elk: Manchester Beach KOA

3 Garcia River Casino

4 Anchor Bay Store

TheGarciaRiverCasino.com

12

Garcia River Casino

Located right off California Highway 1 just outside of Point Arena, the Garcia River Casino offers the latest and best in new and progressive slots, including top titles like Wheel of Fortune, Lightning Link, Buffalo Grand and Fort Knox. The River Grill serves Breakfast until 2 pm , as well as tasty lunches, nightly dinner specials and tantalizing desserts.

Relax between games and watch your favorite sports event on their big screen TVs, and drop in on the First Thursday of every month at 7pm for Oldies Music & Trivia with The Casuals. Check the Garcia River Casino website for upcoming entertainment and special promotions. And don’t forget — seniors get 20% off at the Grill every Tuesday!

WHERE: 22215 Windy Hollow Rd., Point Arena.

MORE INFO: thegarciarivercasino.com, 707-467-5300

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13 Point Arena Pier at Arena Cove

Point Arena Lighthouse. Photo by Scott Simpson, WestOfOne.com

14 Point Arena Lighthouse

Set in some of the most spectacular yet peaceful surroundings on the northern California coast, and right next to the Point Arena-Stornetta Unit of the California Coastal National Monument, stands the Point Arena Lighthouse. It is the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast (115 ft.), and you can climb to the lantern room at its very top. The panoramic view from there is unforgettable.

Enjoy our 23-acre Outdoor Museum, historic buildings

Point Arena Cove is a popular destination for fishermen, surfers, whale-watchers, beachcombers and sightseers. Including the 330-foot Point Arena Pier, it offers something for just about everyone. The cove itself has a rocky bottom that varies from about 20 to 100 feet in depth. Point Arena Creek runs into it a little south of the pier. Offshore lies the Mendocino Trench, with some of the deepest waters in the world. The cove is partially protected from wind and storms by Point Arena to the northwest. The pier has extraordinary fishing, considered by some the best pier fishing in California. Striped sea perch, kelp greenling, rock greenling, cabezon, lingcod and salmon are just some of the species frequently caught there. The pier includes cleaning tables, restrooms and a boat launch.

Whales pass close by Point Arena, and sometimes are seen playing right in the cove. Bring your binoculars for a closer look at them and at many different species of birds, including the famed Laysan albatross, better known as the goonie bird, which has been clocked flying at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour.

The beaches of the cove offer excellent areas for beachcombing, shell collecting and tide-pooling. Surfing and diving are also very popular. The area is home to occasionally spectacular waves, but out-of-area surfers beware: conditions there are often treacherous, and you need to know where the hidden rocks and rusty ship’s boiler are located before setting out.

Lodging and dining can be found in Arena Cove and Point Arena. No license is necessary when fishing off the pier; however, dogs are not permitted.

WHERE: In the heart of Point Arena. From the south, turn left from Hwy 1 onto Iverson Avenue. This will turn into Port Road. Follow the road to the pier. From the north, turn right onto Port Road and follow it to the pier, mile marker MEN 14.85.

The Point Arena Lighthouse was initially constructed in 1870, but suffered major damage in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and had to be rebuilt. The current lighthouse began operation in 1908, nearly 27 months after the quake. The new tower featured a first-order Fresnel lens, the largest standard size made. It was 7 feet in diameter and weighed more than 4,700 pounds. The Fresnel lens was decommissioned in 1977 and a new rotating beacon was installed. During the restoration of the Tower and Fog Signal Building Museum between 2008 and 2010, the Fresnel lens, mercury bath and rive system were both moved to the Museum, where the are now on display.

Guided tours of the Indoor Museum and Tower as well as self-guided tours of the grounds are available daily, with nighttime tours when the moon is full. The Lighthouse Station Store features unique souvenirs and charming gifts. For those who want he unique experience of spending the night at a Lighthouse there are seven comfortable cottages and studios in the former Lighthouse Keepers’ houses, vacation rentals that are available year-round.

WHERE: 45500 Lighthouse Rd., Point Arena. MORE INFO: 877-725-4448 ext. 1 or 707-882-2809 ext. 1, PointArenaLighthouse.com