Go to the Point Reyes Peninsula and get on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, the main road into Point Reyes National Seashore. Drive nearly to the end, to the short road that leads to Drakes Beach.
Take the turn and park at Drakes Beach, if you arrive on a weekend or a holiday between New Year's and Easter, in most years. This is peak whale-watching season, and during this period, traffic is too heavy for the small parking lot at the lighthouse, so the park service runs a free shuttle from Drakes Beach to the lighthouse parking lot. The road is otherwise closed to the public. Call the park service at (415) 464-5100 for more information.
Drive to the very end of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, if you arrive on a weekday, or arrive outside whale-watching season. Walk to the end of the paved road between the parking lot and the Lighthouse Visitor Center, which is closed to most vehicles. The Lighthouse Visitor Center is open Thursday through Monday, and has displays explaining both the lighthouse and the whales that swim past this headland between December and April, roughly speaking. The visitor center is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, although the viewing platform behind the visitor center is always open.
Descend the famous stairs. From this point, a concrete stairway of over three hundred steps leads down to the lighthouse itself. The stairway has multiple platforms where exhausted climbers can sit and rest, but it can still be a trying experience. The park service closes the stairs when the wind gets past 40 mph, and they are also closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, along with the Lighthouse Visitor Center. The wind gets up to that speed surprisingly often, and you should also expect fog in the summer.
Explore the lighthouse. You can inspect a workshop where old equipment is stored, and also look out at the Pacific from a viewing platform that faces the ocean. This is the place to look for whales, in season. There is plenty to look at even when the whales are not around.
