Ten lighthouses that for generations have stood like sentinels along America’s shorelines, protecting mariners from peril and guiding them to safety, are being given away at no cost or sold at auction by the federal government. The aim of the program run by the General Services Administration (GSA) is to preserve the properties, most of…

Ten lighthouses that for generations have stood like sentinels along America’s shorelines, protecting mariners from peril and guiding them to safety, are being given away at no cost or sold at auction by the federal government. The aim of the program run by the General Services Administration (GSA) is to preserve the properties, most of…

By John Metcalfe From Bay Area News Group Hankering for outdoor experiences that offer the wonder of the past? Try California, home to the largest state park system in the country, including about 50 that are designated as historic. Here are some historic state parks you might want to visit, all within striking distance of…

If keeping an uber-cozy lighthouse in a frequently fog-begotten bay sounds like your dream job, East Brother Light Station in the heart of San Francisco Bay is hiring. Oh yes, there will be snug-as-a-bug nights by the fireplace on the rocky atoll when the fog rolls in during winter months—past occupants have said they “wouldn’t trade…

“I’ve been sailing for 23 years commercially … but your light got me home last night. I’ve never had to navigate off of a lighthouse, but I did last night. … Thank you for having that light on. … Don’t ever turn that light off.” —Anonymous mariner who called in to Point Arena Lighthouse, March…

Sam and Barbara Dawson use binoculars to get close-up views of whales and seals as they swim by just offshore. Dick and Mary Beatty prefer to get up-close and personal with schools of multicolored fish while they snorkel and scuba dive. For Tom and Jean Coss, the big thrill is hobnobbing with a friendly ghost…