PLANNING YOUR VISIT

Our Visitors

Visiting East Brother Island is an adventuresome outdoor experience! Because our guests must be able to climb the ladder from the boat onto the island, we cannot accommodate anyone requiring wheelchairs/walkers.

Children under 18 are allowed only if special arrangements have been made.

We also don’t allow pets.

Booking your Stay

Reservations: Reservations for all stays or events must be made in advance. Payment is required, either by credit card or check at the time the reservation is made. Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Confirmation is upon receipt of payment only. 

Room rates apply for one or two persons per room. For an additional fee, a rollaway mattress is available for a third person in some rooms, please call for details.

Rates include parking at the harbor, the boat ride to and from the island, hors-d’oeuvres with complimentary champagne, a tour of the lighthouse, a four-course dinner with complimentary wines, and a full breakfast.

Gift Certificates: Please call (510) 233-2385 to make reservations using a Gift Certificate. Our online reservation system is not available for booking Gift Certificate reservations. 

Cancellations: The East Brother Light Station (EBLS) is a volunteer organization dedicated to the preservation of this 1873 Victorian lighthouse. EBLS has only two paid staff — the same lighthouse keepers who plan your meals, make up your rooms, and serve our guests. In addition to this work, our keepers also must handle reservation cancellations and changes. As a consequence, we find that cancellations or changes in overnight reservations are both difficult to manage and detract from our ability to sustain our core historic preservation mission.

For this reason, cancellations or changes in overnight reservations received at least 30 days in advance of the reservation date shall be subject to a thirty percent (30%) cancellation fee. Cancellations or changes received less than 30 days but at least 7 days in advance of the reservation date will be subject to a seventy percent (70%) cancellation fee.

Cancellations or changes received within 7 days of the reservation date will be forfeited.

Rebooking: Guests rescheduling their visits are subject to a $30 rebooking fee.  Rebooking with less than 30 days notice is subject to a $60 rebooking fee. 

Pick-up and Check-out time: For overnight guests, pickup time is promptly at 3:30pm (as of June 1) at Point San Pablo Yacht Harbor. Checkout and return to the mainland are by 11:00am.

We apologize for any inconvenience, but prices and policies are subject to change without notice.

Day Use

Day use is available on the fourth Saturday during summer months depending on our schedule. This use includes boat transportation for those who want to enjoy the Island’s pleasures. Learn more.

Day-use payments are non-refundable unless the visit is canceled by East Brother Light Station during which a full refund will be given.

Getting on the Island

Dock Parking: Free parking is available at the Point San Pablo Yacht Harbor.

Climbing the ladder: Accessing the island requires the physical stamina and strength to climb from a bobbing boat up a vertical ladder 4 to 12 feet in height, depending on the tides.

Bringing your own boat: Those who wish to come by way of their own boat must make arrangements to leave the boat at the nearby Point San Pablo Yacht Harbor. We do not allow boats, other than our own, to moor at the island’s dock.

Boat ride: Travel to the island by the East Brother boat takes about 10 minutes. Our Coast Guard-rated capacity of the boat is 6 passengers. All required safety gear is maintained on board. 

Infrequently, the weather may be too rough to allow safe crossing, requiring cancellations on very short notice. If this occurs, you will receive a full refund.

Eating and Drinking

For overnight guests, hors d’oeuvres and champagne are served upon arrival.  

Dinner and breakfast are enjoyed by all guests in the dining room from Thursday – Sunday. Dinner comes with a choice of wine. 

Showering

What to Wear

Dress is casual, and luggage should be kept to a minimum.

Even during the warm summer months, it is possible that wind-driven swells spray water on the boat’s occupants during transit, so please wear the appropriate outdoor clothing.

Sturdy shoes should be worn for climbing the ladder; sandals are not appropriate.

What to Do

Once on the island, the keepers provide a tour including history, restoration effort, and when functioning, a demonstration of the old diaphone fog horns.

Internet is not available, but there is plenty of reading material, including an illustrated history of the restoration project. Board games are also available.

Guests may wish to bring a camera with a telephoto lens or binoculars to observe the wildlife in the surrounding waters and  West Brother Island.

If you want to fish, you should bring your own licenses, gear, and bait.

The island shop sells a book on our history, cards, t-shirts, mugs, and nautical gifts.

Smoking, Fireworks, and Candles

Smoking is never allowed inside any building at any time! Smoking is permitted outdoors only and butts must be disposed of in proper receptacles. 

For the safety of our restored historic buildings, candles, and fireworks are strictly prohibited