Cabrillo National Monument

Point Loma – San Diego, CA

Let me start this by saying San Diego was a beautiful city, I enjoyed it far more than Los Angeles but not quite as much as I love San Francisco! There were excellent beaches, pristine hiking, delicious restaurants and an endless amount of things to do.

The Cabrillo National Monument held the best views of anywhere I visited around the city. Just a 20 minute drive west of the downtown area it’s easy and convenient to visit. The sky was mostly clear and I could see the downtown skyline, the harbor, Coronado Island, and of course the ocean.

Pictured above is the incredible view from looking down from the Old Point Loma Lighthouse. The statue itself towers over visitors at 14 feet tall and is made up of limestone, it was a donation from the Portuguese government in 1939.

 

Old Point Loma Lighthouse

The old lighthouse is perched atop 400 foot high cliffs, shut down for decades it is now a well preserved museum, which is a must see on any trip to the park!

My favorite part of the lighthouse was the wood spiral staircase that went up all 3 stories for access to operate the lamp tower (unfortunately closed to the public).

The Peninsula

The park is located on the Point Loma Peninsula and features hiking trails, protected tidepools, an old military radio station, and if you visit at the right time you can see whales swimming by on their migration south.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a plant quite like this one before, it was sitting out in front of the visitor’s center. Quite pretty!

On the way out we pulled off the side of the road to soak up the sound of waves crashing into the rocky shore. A large group of resting birds provided addition entertainment.

For more information on visiting the park check out their official website: www.nps.gov/cabr/planyourvisit/