Visiting Cabrillo National Monument was a highlight of my trip to San Diego, and I had too much to say to confine it to a paragraph in my San Diego post! If you’re in the area, this is an incredible stop that you won’t want to miss, and even if you’re not, you can still enjoy the ridiculous amount of pictures that I took while there. (And yes, this post is partly just an excuse to share all of my pictures.)
We spent most of a day at Cabrillo and while we had a great time, we also made some mistakes (one in particular) and learned from them! And even with a few hiccups, this was still an incredible place and a perfect end to our San Diego trip! To learn more about what we did in San Diego, you can read my full post here.
What is Cabrillo National Monument?
Cabrillo National Monument is located at the tip of the Point Loma Peninsula. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who the site is named after, led the first European expedition to explore the west coast of the United States and arrived in San Diego Bay in 1542. The park commemorates Cabrillo and his expedition as well as the military history based here as part of the city’s historical defenses. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse was opened in 1855 and closed in 1891 but still functions as an interesting museum in the park. The diverse plant and animal species found in the tidepool area are also protected by the park. Cabrillo’s visitor center maintains a small exhibit portion dedicated to information about the park’s history and nature.
What to do (and what not to do) at Cabrillo
So, something to know about Cabrillo is that there are two parts to the park: There’s the upper Point Loma Lighthouse area, which is where you enter, and the lower Tidepool area. Both are gorgeous in different ways, and both should be included in a visit to the park…but be careful how you go about visiting them.
First, though, Point Loma Lighthouse! This is where the Visitor Center is, which has a small exhibit and film about the history of the park that gives a nice introduction to it. You can also walk to the lighthouse, take in views of San Diego, and walk a couple of short trails to other overlooks. We spent a couple of hours here just walking around, taking in the sites, and learning about the park.
The lower area has the Tidepools, which are best explored at low tide. You can climb around the rocks in the area and inspect Tidepools for little sea creatures like crabs, mussels, anemones, sea stars, and more! This was my favorite part of the park and where we spent most of our time. You can also read more about the tidepools here to be prepared for your trip.
One thing to note though: The road between Point Loma Lighthouse and the Tidepools is only about one mile long, but it is very steep. While you may be able to walk down just fine, walking back up (especially after exploring the tidepools) is going to be more difficult. And here is how I know that:
Our Cabrillo Misadventure
The tidepools were what I was most excited to see at Cabrillo, and I wanted to be sure to visit at low tide when they would be accessible. Because of the time we left and how long it took to get there, I decided we should visit the tidepools first before the tide started coming in. I knew it was a one mile walk back up, but that didn’t seem too bad in theory. So, we Ubered into the park and had our driver drop us off at the tidepools. Then, after a good three hours exploring, we decided it was time to head back up. Only that road looked a lot steeper after spending hours climbing around on the rocks. And we learned the hard way that there is no cell service or WiFi at the tidepools to call a ride back out. (And also no park-operated shuttle, which is something I think they should invest in).
We started our hike back up but were lucky enough to thumb a ride to the top from a nice older couple. It definitely could have been worse since those switchbacks looked murderous when I was at the bottom. But yeah, make sure you figure out a way out of the tidepools!
If you’re driving your own car, no worries! You can park at the top and the bottom and will only have a problem if the lot is full. If taking a rideshare, the general suggestion (which I learned too late) is to schedule a pick-up from the tidepool area. Drivers who are picking someone up are not charged admission and will be able to come get you no problem, so estimate how long you will spend at the tidepools and schedule a ride to come get you when you’re ready to leave.
Planning Your Visit
First, let’s cover the basics for planning a visit to Cabrillo. This park is an easy one; it’s open from 9am-5pm seven days a week every day of the year, with the interesting exception of Memorial Day when it is open from 1pm-8pm.
There is a fee to visit Cabrillo. It will cost you $10 per person if you walk in or $20 if you drive in. Standard NPS fee-free days apply to get in without paying, and like other parks, if you have an America the Beautiful Pass, you can enter for free.
As mentioned in the above section, there are two parts to Cabrillo National Monument: The Tidepools and the Lighthouse/Statue Area. And just to reiterate, make sure you figure out some way to travel between the two if you’re planning to do that!
There is also no cell service at the tidepools, so be aware of that both in your planning and while there if you get separated from your group. If visiting with pets, they are only allowed on one trail (the Coastal Trail) in the tidepool area, and only service animals will be allowed elsewhere in the park.
What to Bring
A camera is a must, of course, since this is a beautiful park! You should also be sure to have sunscreen and sunglasses since it can be pretty bright. However, being on the coast means it can get a bit chilly, and by the end of the day, I was wishing I had a sweater. Consider packing a light jacket and possibly a heavier jacket if visiting in the off-season.
Food and water are available in the park, but it’s still a good idea to bring your own to save some money and make sure you have them available just in case!
When to Visit
Cabrillo is open year-round, except for major holidays. Given the fairly temperate climate of the area, you can likely enjoy a visit at any time of the year. You can expect the park to be much more crowded in the summer and on weekends, so if you can avoid a peak time, you’ll enjoy a less crowded park. We visited on a Saturday in October, and while there was a decent amount of people, it was not overwhelming. According to the website, whales are often spotted in January and February, and there are beautiful wildflowers that bloom in the spring. The late fall and winter also typically offer better times for exploring the tidepools, though this is not a uniquely seasonal activity. Generally, this would be a great park to visit in any season!
How Long to Stay
One day is a great amount of time to spend at Cabrillo, but you’ll want to allow most of the day for this visit. We arrived around 11am and stayed until the park closed at 5, and this was perfect for us since the day did not feel rushed but we also never got bored during our time there. The park service does note that car traffic can get backed up if you arrive after 11am on weekends or holidays, so keep this in mind and try to arrive in the morning to avoid some of those crowds. If arriving via a ride-share app, there is no additional fee for the driver to come in to drop you off or pick you up; just be aware that you may need to schedule a pick-up time from the tidepools.
Final Thoughts
I loved visiting Cabrillo National Monument and exploring the scenic beauty of this area! We actually loved doing this so much that on our visit to Tucson, Arizona, we similarly spent most of the day at a National Park before going to the airport. Hopefully, this can become a bit of a tradition because spending time outside before getting on a flight creates a nice balance. This was also just such a gorgeous spot, and I loved seeing the tidepools here since we couldn’t make it to La Jolla. On a trip back to San Diego, this would be at the top of my to-do list, and I would recommend it to everyone!
Wonderlust Wanderings 