Teachers
Halfway between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay, Pigeon Point Light Station, one of the tallest lighthouses on the West Coast, stands over 100 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Thousands of visitors come each year to enjoy the stunning views of the rocky coast and native wildlife.
On the rocks offshore, harbor seals regularly bask in the sun. Humpbacks and gray whales swim by on their migrations. Cormorants, pigeon guillemots, and gulls nest in the cliffs below the fog signal building, which houses the historical Fresnel lens. Originally placed atop the lighthouse, the lens is made up of over 1,000 prisms and lit the way for ships for 100 years.
Pigeon Point offers a virtual program and an in-person field trip. Keep reading to discover more about the field trips offered at Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park.
In-Person Program: Life at a Light Station
During this 2 hour program students will explore Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park as a place to visit, work, and live. Students will understand how the land, sea, and its natural resources were used by native marine wildlife and Ohlone people for centuries. They will experience aspects of daily life at a 19th century lighthouse, discover the crucial components of a lighthouse, and how they worked together to keep ships safe at sea. Students will exercise their observation skills and learn to see the world like a lightkeeper. Please note: the lighthouse is currently closed for restoration work.
Our program includes highly interactive discussions and hands-on activities. We recommend this experience for third grade students and above. When registering for your program, please let us know how we can support learning in your classroom.
Life at a Lighthouse has a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 35 students. We limit our in-person field trips because of the interactive nature of our program and limited indoor space. We request a total of 3-9 chaperones attend with the students.
If you have questions or need more information, please call 650-879-2120 or email pigeonpoint@ports-ca.us.
Register for an In-Person Field Trip!
Virtual Program: Lighthouse Engineers
This 45 minute program gives students a brief history of Pigeon Point Light Station. Students then have the opportunity to become lighthouse engineers and design the perfect lighthouse for Pigeon Point. They will learn about the technology and engineering that goes into building and operating a lighthouse.In teams, students will make decisions about how to handle the unique challenges faced by builders at Pigeon Point. Their choices will impact the effectiveness of their lighthouse. Will it stand up to the weather? Will it help guide ships safely?
Our program includes interactive discussions and concepts such as refraction. We recommend this experience for third grade students and above. Students will need paper and a pencil.
When registering for your program, please let us know how we can support learning in your classroom.
If you have questions or need more information, please call 650-879-2120 or email pigeonpoint@ports-ca.us.
Register for a Virtual Field Trip!
Virtual Program: Do you want to be a lighthouse keeper?
This 45 min. program asks students if they would want to be lightkeepers. What kinds of jobs did a lightkeeper do? What was life like for kids at a lighthouse? Students will explore how life in the past was different from what they are used to. This program is suitable for all ages.
When registering for your program, please let us know how we can support learning in your classroom.
If you have questions or need more information, please call 650-879-2120 or email pigeonpoint@ports-ca.us.