Looking for an adventure on the high seas for your next vacation? Or would you prefer the cozy comforts of a New England-style bed-and-breakfast? If you’re willing to consider some unusual lodgings, there’s one California destination that offers both. Los Angeles Times travel writer Chris Reynolds joined host Lisa McRee on “LA Times Today” to discuss his recent stay at a coastal California lighthouse.

East Brother Light Station is located just north of San Francisco. Reynolds explained its origins and how it became a hotel.

“They needed a lighthouse in the 19th century for all the ship traffic that was going in and out of the Bay Area,” he said. “So in 1873, they blasted off the top of this island and built a New England-style Victorian lighthouse. But underneath it’s brick so that it could withstand boisterous winds of the Bay Area. It operated for close to a century before they finally retired it in the 1960s. In the early 1980s, a local nonprofit group came in and said, let’s preserve this building and let’s pay for the preservation of the building by running it as a B&B.”

The people who operate the inn also live on the island. 

“They usually do two-year stints at this job because it’s not like a normal job,” Reynolds said. “You basically live on the lighthouse. You have guests four nights a week. And you’re operating a boat that gets guests to and from, and you’re also giving them dinner. And then in the morning, a nice big, fancy breakfast before you’re sent on your way again as a guest.”

Reynolds explained the layout of the island and lighthouse.

“There’s the main building, which is the lighthouse, which has four bedrooms and a widow’s walk at the top with the beacon on top, which goes off every few seconds,” he said. “There’s a separate room that held the foghorn system because obviously a big deal with the Bay Area.... And there’s one lodging unit in that building, and it’s 20 or 30 steps away from a bathroom. But it opens up to this amazing view of the bay, and you’ve got more privacy than in the other units. It’s a fascinating little domain out there on that rock.”

Rooms at East Brother light station range from $475 to $575, which includes breakfast. Guests can also rent out the entire island for $2,500.

“People who love lighthouses are going to love this place,” Reynolds said. “And people who just like corners of California they haven’t thought about before will find a happy surprise here. It’s not open every night. It’s four nights a week, and they book up pretty far in advance. So you’ve got to keep an eye on that. But it is something to think about.”

Click the arrow above to watch the full interview.

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