Cabrillo National Monument
National Monument · San Diego, California
Cabrillo National Monument occupies the southern tip of the Point Loma peninsula in San Diego, on a ridge of a few hundred feet above the Pacific on one side and San Diego Bay on the other. It commemorates Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, whose 1542 landing is often described as the first European step onto the West Coast of what is now the United States. The draws are the view across the bay to the downtown skyline and Coronado, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse from the 1850s with its keepers' quarters - confirm hours - the rocky tide pools at the lower end, and gray whales passing offshore in winter. The Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery lies next door. It is a National Park Service site with an entry fee - confirm - and it is small: most people need two to three hours. Fog, wind and weekend traffic on the single access road are the usual complaints, and the tide pools only reward you at a low tide.
1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego, California, 92106, United States
The park is normally open daily from about 9 AM to 5 PM, closed on Christmas Day, with the gate, visitor center and lighthouse keeping slightly different closing times, and the lighthouse commonly shutting earlier than the grounds - confirm the current schedule with the National Park Service. The entry station collects a per-vehicle fee, commonly in the range of USD 20-35 and valid for several days; confirm today's amount and which passes are accepted. The tide pool area is a separate road and a separate closing time, and can close for storms, high surf or safety work. Whale season, fog and holiday weekends change how long the line at the gate takes, and the lot can fill by late morning.
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