Cabrillo National Monument
Point Loma, CA
Cabrillo National Monument sits at the tip of Point Loma, with genuinely dramatic wave-washed cliffs, real tidepools exposed at low tide, and the historic Old Point Loma Lighthouse open for visitors to explore. The adjacent Point Loma Ecological Reserve protects the surrounding cliffs and waters, making this one of San Diego's most complete stops for both history and nature.
A genuinely complete stop combining real history, dramatic cliffs, and excellent tidepooling, one of San Diego's standout destinations.
How we score beachesTime a visit around low tide if the tidepools are the goal, they're genuinely one of the best accessible tidepooling spots in San Diego.
A fee lot serves the monument.
Paved paths connect the visitor center to the lighthouse and overlooks; the tidepool area requires a steeper, uneven descent.
Pets are not allowed at the tidepools or on most of the grounds at Cabrillo National Monument, including the Bayside Trail; leashed pets are permitted only on the Coastal Trail.
Winter into early spring is prime gray whale migration season, watched from the monument's overlooks.
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