Amazing place close to San Diego. Amazing views of the city, ocean, coast, and more. Really nice staff. The bay side trail was awesome and only 2 miles. Perfect for a half day visit. It was 20 dollars to get in. Would love to go back to try other trails and spend more time in the museum.

Probably some of the best views of San Diego. You can watch planes coming and going at the airport and airbase, and see the boats and ships coming and going from a high vantage point. The monument and light house stories are interesting part of history, but I think my favourite part was driving down to the new lighthouse area and checking out the tide pools and cliffs. There was even a sailboat that been breached and sent ashore at some point. Please just be careful of the cliff edges, there are no guardrails and I'm not sure I would be as trusting as some of the ground beneath them.

Overview: Cabrillo National Park is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable hidden gems I've had the pleasure of visiting. Nestled in its unassuming size lies an extraordinary experience that should not be missed. Breathtaking Views: The primary allure of Cabrillo National Park is its awe-inspiring views. From the park's vantage points, I was treated to panoramic vistas that included the submarine pen, the airfield, and even glimpses of the nearby Navy base. It's a visual feast that gives you a unique perspective on the area's history and maritime significance. Wildlife Encounters: One of the park's most delightful surprises was the opportunity to witness marine life up close. The presence of seals and occasional sightings of whales added an unexpected layer of excitement to my visit. Nature enthusiasts and animal lovers will find this aspect of the park particularly enchanting. Historical Significance: Beyond the natural beauty, Cabrillo National Park also offers a glimpse into the region's history. The visitor center provides valuable insights into the explorations of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and the park's cultural heritage. Conclusion: Cabrillo National Park may be small in size, but it packs a big punch when it comes to delivering a memorable experience. The stunning views, wildlife encounters, and historical significance make it a must-visit destination for anyone seeking a slice of natural beauty and history on the California coast. Don't let its unassuming appearance fool you; this park is a true treasure.

From the moment you step foot onto this cliffside paradise, you're greeted with panoramic views that make you question whether you accidentally stumbled into a Bob Ross painting. The only thing missing is him standing there saying, "Happy little trees, meet happy little ocean." But wait, there's more! Not only do you get to soak in the breathtaking scenery, but you also get a crash course in San Diego's maritime history. It's like being in a history class taught by Captain Jack Sparrow's more responsible cousin. And if you're lucky enough to visit during whale migration season, well, consider yourself blessed because watching those majestic creatures breach against the backdrop of the city skyline is like witnessing a live performance of "Whale's Got Talent." In conclusion, if you want the best way to see all of San Diego while simultaneously getting your daily dose of Vitamin Sea and Vitamin C(huckles), look no further than Cabrillo National Monument.

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible parking in the front of the parking lot, across from the visitor center. If you go past the visitor center, toward the viewpoint, you'll come to this statue/monument. It is flat ground to get here, and there are benches to sit on if you need to rest. Experience: beautiful statue with a beautiful view of the ocean, cliffs, and city of San Diego in the back. This man was a colonizer, so not great, but the view is beautiful here.

Beautiful and with every bit of the trip to visit this site while touring around! Gorgeous area if you want to visit a historical site and million dollar views of all of San Diego, Coronado, the bay and the ocean! Amazing, refreshing and has a nice gift shop in addition with a museum indoors! Very impressive and a lot of fun! Jump on a trail and look around! Watch out for snakes 🐍 while you're walking around! Fantastic!

As someone whose been here several times it's amazing that it's still interesting, the views are gorgeous. There's several activities to keep everything enthused, the tide pools are awesome and the cliffs beautiful. Make sure you arrive early, the tide pools close at 4:30. The remainder of the park closes at sunset. Give yourself at least 3 hours to see everything. You'll see San Diego in an entirely different way after you've been here.

All about the views for as far as you can see. While it can get touristy around the monument, you can learn a little history about the origins of Point Loma, see a really cool lighthouse, and go for a nice hike by the water. The tide pools offered a nice contrast where there were, yes picturesque views, but was a little calmer than your typical beach going areas. They offer an annual membership at a very inexpensive rate. The only knock is it closes early and would make it hard to visit during the workweek.

At 422 feet above sea level, you can see well into Mexico to the south, clear views into the Cuyamaca mountains to the east, and I wish I could see all the way to LA.. The horizon view from Mexico all the way to the north is exceptional. You can walk down to the tide pools and up to the old lighthouse and go inside it. There are native plants everywhere and you can see what a coastal desert really looks like. It’s not all tans and movie stars… It is a very historic place to visit. It has some of the best views of San Diego and the surrounding areas. You have great views of North island Naval air station and Coronado beach. You can just sit and enjoy the many views. I love this place..

Update 1/9/2021 - Park entrance fee is now $20.00. It is valid for 1 week. ************************** Update 1/13/2018 - Park entrance fee is now $15.00 ************************** Older review: Entrance to the Park is $10.00 as of 11/12/2016. This includes parking and unlimited visits for one week. The views of San Diego to the East and Pacific Ocean to the West are spectacular. There is a small museum and a movie that highlights the history of Juan R. Cabrillo and his Landing in San Diego in 1542. There is also a store that sells books, postcards and other souvenirs. Bring water and good walking shoes. Family Friendly

Very peaceful with great views overlooking San Diego and Coronado Island. Unfortunately, the tide was coming in when we arrived around 11am. Low tide is 8am and 5pm. High is peak at 1pm. We're still able to do tide pooling in some areas. We saw the shipwreck, which is cool. History of the lighthouse is very interesting.

Incredibly beautiful views and just enough history and walking to keep the kids interested. We aren’t from the area but wanted to learn a bit about San Diego history. This was the perfect place to take in the amazing views and learn about some of the first explorers in the area. We took the shortest trail and saw the views of the kelp forest, checked out the lighthouse and walked the small exhibit area. We paid $20 to park and had the ability to come back for a week with the receipt. Highly recommend!

Such a beautiful place! We loved seeing this historic location and learning more about the history of Europeans coming to California. There’s an informative little museum there to help with that. Public bathrooms at the visitors center. Amazing views! It’s worth the effort to take the short trek uphill to see the light house. We also saw a submarine coming into the bay while there in the morning. So cool!

One of the Most Beautiful places in San Diego. Very peaceful and serene. It's like stepping back in time. The Cemetery will give you shutters of the lives lost. Looking out and seeing California and Mexico borderlines so close is Amazing. Free admission to tour lighthouse just a park fee for going up to it.

Cabrillo is one of my favorite spots in the San Diego area. Fantastic views of the city and ocean. Plenty of nice hiking trails both on top of the hill and down by the water including the tide pools. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

This was a really beautiful place! If you want to have endless views of the ocean, a place to hike, a lighthouse, sailboats, and potential whale sightings… this is for you! My only complaint would be that it is difficult to navigate without a vehicle. We were fortunate to have met a friend that took us. If your able to go though I highly recommend!

Always a great place to visit and share with guests. Amazing views of San Diego and the Coronado Islands, an informative visitors center, tidepools, and excellent coast walks with a new one coming soon. Watching big Navy ships enter and leave port is especially nice.

Entering the Cabrillo National Monument run by the U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service. Climbing out of his boat and onto shore in 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo stepped into history as the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. I enjoyed my trip to Cabrillo National Monument. My family enjoyed our trip here. It was pretty cool.

Its beautiful and a great spot to take pictures and walk around.

Great place to spend half a day and bring the kids to explore. We got there around 9:30. The park opens up at 9: 00am it was still super foggy, but that cloud cover went by 11:00am. Definitely wear comfortable shoes. There's lots of walking paths and trails and different things to discover. The entrance fee is $20 but we decided to get the $35 yearly pass and I'm grateful we did because we didn't get to experience everything we wanted to experience.

My second time coming to the monument, as always, it’s incredible. Really enjoy walking around the park, down to the tide pools (even with high tide), and in the gift shop! If you are in San Diego, this is one stop you can’t miss! Something the whole family can experience and it’s a good thing to support the national parks!! 🙌🌲🪨 Don’t forget your cancellation on your National Park Passport 👏 Peep for amazing photos 👀🪨🌲🐚

Great experience. Beautiful view of the city. The lighthouse nearby is interesting to see. Our boys got to pet a snake they were holding outside. There was a short movie about the nearby tide pools. Highly recommend a visit. Gift shop had some great stuff. May be a little boring for younger kids.

Yes this place is absolutely gorgeous and beautiful view and you can see all of the San Diego area. I went there with my family and paid $20 dollars for 7days valid admission for my car ( sedan ). I recommend to come here for nice sunny day because it was kinda windy and chilly at the end of March. There’s a visitor center for little survivors and little museums and light house. I wished there’s a little cafe or something to eat place for everyone there.

Cabrillo National Monument is a good place to visit. I enjoyed watching the ships and the small boats. The lighthouse is cool and it’s nice to see the vegetables & herbs garden outside the lighthouse. I was able to see the old bunkers looking out over the ocean. It was high tide at the time of my visit but I enjoyed seeing dolphins in the ocean. I’ll come back when it’s low tide to explore the tide pool and find sea creatures.

(Translated by Google) It's great to see the sea along the baby path. (Original) 아기자기 오솔길을 따라 바다를 보니 참 좋아요.

Like "Satan has no power". Nice place to relax in the evening.

Nice views. Pack a lunch and take a pinic blanket. Great place to relax or take a mini hike through the trails.

Interesting spot to take pictures.

A great San Diego getaway! Beautiful views of San Diego & the Ocean, then a quick downhill to the tide pools or a walk down a trail for those in shape! Membership is very low cost, a day trip is also nice. Active duty military get in FREE! Also disabled vets can get a lifetime pass for ALL national parks at the gate w your VA letter.

Cabrillo offers the best views of the city and ocean in San Diego. There are a few hiking trails with wonderful views. Make sure to not forget to go to the tide pools at the bottom of the mountain/hill. If you are in town for a few days do this first as your pass is good for 7 days.

If you travel to San Diego on a sunny day, I would confidently recommend this place. Enjoy views of the Pacific Ocean, downtown San Diego and even the Tijuana side of Mexico. You can enjoy hiking while looking at the fantastic scenery. In addition, The entrance fee is not worth it. And, If you have a National Park Pass, you can enjoy it for free.

We visited from LA as a day trip and this place did not disappoint us. First the visitor center ,with amazing views of ocean, navy base, harbor, Coronado island. There is a exhibit room with some history of Cabrillo, explorer. Then head towards the Statue of Juan Cabrillo, then Lighthouse, big lens, whale overlook, tidepool and the cemetery. There are few hiking trails too. If you are planning for picnic, carry food and water. There is a small drink and snack vending machine near the visitor center.

The statue is pretty cool, with the nice view and all. It's standing on top of the water overlooking the harbour. You can also see all the ships and boats in the water. Military helicopters pass every now and again. So do the ships. It has a really nice view and you should definitely take pictures.

Excellent historic place to visit while in San Diego. Cabrillo was the first Portuguese sailor that took possession of the land in the name of the Spanish Crown around 1542. The old lighthouse still majestic. Excellent view of the ocean. Great areas for a picnic. Clean restrooms. Free for disabled veterans and their family.

There is an entrance fee for going up the mountain, or if you plan to visit frequently, it's worthwhile to get a yearly pass. The views are awesome and you can easily spend the whole day there.

Be aware! This place requires an entrance fee OR the annual national park pass for entry. Area closes down at 5pm sharp. I was a bit rushed as I didn’t get here until after 4pm but the sweeping views of San Diego and the Pacific were worth it. On a clear day, you can easily see the Coronado Islands looking south. Definitely stop by the visitors center to read up on the historical significance of the monument and the lighthouse. Beautiful area with a dedicated whale watching section as well.

Large area with observation decks and beautiful views of the ocean and San Diego. There is an old lighthouse and you can see how people used to live and work. There were not many people on the weekend and it was comfortable to walk around

I love going to this place either to visit on my own or showing my friends and family from out of town. This place is such a unique piece of San Diego history. It’s a shame not everyone has been here. The tide pools to the lighthouse are all protected. Come here during low tide to see the sea creatures. Or come before sunset to watch amazing sunset views at the kelp viewing are.

🌄 Offers stunning views of the bay, the city, and the ocean. 👨‍🦽 Accessible for wheelchairs, kids, and strollers for the first 0.4 miles, which are paved and moderately steep. 🏞️ Suitable for all skill levels. 🌤️ Open year-round. Cons: 💸 There is a fee to enter the park, which varies depending on the vehicle. 👥 Can get crowded. 🌞 There is little shade.

Point Loma is one of my favorite spots to visit in San Diego! On the one side near the Cabrillo monument, you get the full view of the city. You can spot some planes taking off or arriving! And on the other side, if you walk towards to the light house, you get a breathtaking view of the majestic Pacific! This place is worth all your time for a visit! You’ll leave amazed! :)

Cool place. Nice views of the ocean and of the city. It's a national park i guess so make sure you have a pass, otherwise you'll pau about $20 to get in. The sad part is that you can't bypass the line if you already have a pass. I had to wait 20m in line.

We visited the tide pools (high tide) and still had a great time walking around and exploring with 3 kids under 10. Some areas we had to climb down to get to some rocks, need to be careful its not something they can do by themselves in areas. But had a great time nonetheless. Check times for when low-tide is to really see the wonder of the water come to life. It was about 3ish today (Nov. 30th) Enjoy!

It's beautiful. Our group had a great time. Beautiful scenery and great shot of San Diego.

awesome views and good place to hike, take a break and enjoy the views.

This is an amazing spot take in spectacular views, take on some trails, and learn interesting facts about history. The Rangers are friendly and go above and beyond with their information and customer service. The tidal pools were terrific and I enjoyed the shore birds. Plenty of photo opportunities to be had!

The fist place a European set foot on the West Coast of what is now the US. Beautiful views of the Air Station, downtown, Coronado Island, the great San Diego harbor, and the Pacific ocean to the west. There's a gift shop, multiple places to view the surrounding sides of the peninsula, the old light house, tide pools, a National Cemetery, trails to explore and fun to be had!!

We visited during covid-19 (August 2020) We have been here before. But this national monument never disappoints. Beautiful views, oceanfront with ocean breezes. They have the old lighthouse up high on the cliffs and there is a new lighthouse down below bathrooms were open and clean. Mostly everyone visiting was social distancing and wearing masks. The visitor center and lighthouses are closed due to covid-19.

Jujube Organic with E.M.

Beautiful Sunsets!

Best view of San Diego ever what a great park.

Cabrillo National Monument (Spanish: Monumento nacional Cabrillo) is at the southern tip of the Point Loma Peninsula in San Diego, California, United States. It commemorates the landing of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo at San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542. This event marked the first time a European expedition had set foot on what later became the West Coast of the United States. The site was designated as California Historical Landmark #56 in 1932.[1] As with all historical units of the National Park Service, Cabrillo was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.[3]

Amazing

Covid safe space, great view

(Translated by Google) I loved the spectacular view (Original) Me encanto, la vista espectacular

Very scenic spot. Good hiking. Family friendly. Nice place to see a view of the coastline of San Diego city.

Very good. U can see good view of San Diego from hill point. Nice place to see sunset. Light house, monument, sunset & good beach type. Tides do not slides here on stones as tides turns here slightly as per information on board. Need 5 hours to watch and enjoy the all points. Parking fees need to pay at entry.

Beautiful views, easy access and very clean

Good Views!

A must for those visiting San Diego.

Even on a foggy day a beautiful area to hike

(Translated by Google) Spanish landing point in California, a good place to watch the sunset (Original) 西班牙人到加州的登陆点，看日落的好地方

A very beautiful serene historical place in San Diego

We visited on a Saturday got there at 1PM and there was a line but we bought our tickets online (Annual pass $35) and was able to bypass the long line of cars. This place is so beautiful with many trails to walk. The scenery is amazing. The road to the tide pools closes when the parking lot fills up so you may need to wait for a bit to get down there but there was plenty to do near the visitors center. We will be going back.

The views are phenomenal

(Translated by Google) The view from above is nice, and it's so nice (Original) 上からの眺めもいいし、そこまでも素敵

The view is great and the sunset is breathtaking.

Awesome

It's beautiful ❤️

Great view of San Diego

Some of the most incredible views of San Diego and a few great walks too

Nice beach.

Beautiful

Great place to visit 💙

Breathtaking views Ample parking Good restrooms Best sunset spots Take national park pass Closes at 5 Windy and cold

Fabulous, as always. It had rained earlier in the day, so the sky was quite clear. Off in the distance, in a NNEerly direction were two tall snow-capped peaks, which may have been Mt. San Antonio ["Old Baldy" (10,069')], & Mt. San Gorgonio (11,503'), which are both about 100 miles away in a straight line. The view out over the ocean to the west & south was magnificent, as was the view of the curving coastline from Coronado into Mexico. Also, the panoramic view of the San Diego area, with its snow-capped summits in the background was very impressive, & awe-inspiring.

I absolutely recommend visiting this site! It's views are breathtaking! Also, if you are in the military, you can get a free pass.

Quiet place, great for sunset in SD

Great views. Coastal cliffs. Nice tidepool

Beautiful and amazing

The best view around to see the activity in San Diego Bay. Great place for walking.

Tide pool is perfect. Lots of little animal can be observed. The terrain is fascinating!

Grand 360° views. Fun, easy hiking along cliffs and tide pools. The park staff are very friendly and helpful. Plenty of restroom facilities too.

Hidden gem.

Found it interesting that a star is on top of this building.

With a city the size and age of San Diego there are many urban legends and places of interest. The Witches Tower is one of those places, there is a local history of a historical murder, suicides, and even a brick pentagram of unknown origin atop an inconspicuous tower. This is definitely a must see for a local bucket list. If you visit Presidio Park this curiosity is easily accessible.

Amazing place

Amazing view! The place is incredible! Always an enjoyable place to visit

Parking is $20 but valid for 7 days if you want to revisit :) Take your time to go through everything, the views are gorgeous. The tide pools are so cool, they close at 4:30pm so make sure you arrive early enough to walk through and explore at your pace. This is a fun park for the family.

Very nice view! Lots of information on the history at a small museum. Books, trinkets & more on site, you can buy souvenirs to take home & other cool information given. I really liked the view, it is very nice.

Very interesting facts and history details. First time visiting here. Loved the walk along the beach. Beautiful weather 😍.

We wanted to take a break from business operations so we decided to check out Cabrillo for a quick dazzle. Discovered it’s only $20 per vehicle for a 7 day pass…That was a surprise! We will be back.

The view is amazing from up there specially sunset. the only problem I have with this place is the $20 parking charge. We were there only 25 min to see the sunset and had to pay 20. It’s good for seven days but I think that’s more of a gimmick since you visit a place one and move on as a tourist.

Great views of downtown San Diego and the west facing side of Coronado Island from the visitor center and the lighthouse. Bicycles: A great place to enjoy on two wheels! From the entrance, there are nice rolling hills that are a little effort, but totally worth it. The rangers are very good about ensuring that cyclists are kept safe and ensuring vehicles stay out of bike lanes. Thank you to the park rangers for educating car-centric drivers how to share the road.

The view of the place is pnomenal the statue looks almost new also you can see the bay with all type of ships but mostly you can see the jet fighters take off from the base which is stunning a really nice place to walk around or to hike.

This place offers an amazing view overlooking San Diego. Check the Old Point Loma Lighthouse and take a short walk along the Cliff for the beautiful view of the ocean. Don’t miss the Point Loma Tide Pools. It’s nice for family especially with kids and pets on leash. Parking spaces are limited in this area but worth the visit. Pets are not allowed at the Monument and Lighthouse but you can leave them in the car except when it’s hot.

I always bring my friends visiting San Diego here! If you're local I'd recommend the year pass. I never go to the actual monument I just go down towards the cliffs and tide pools. It's beautiful and a great spot for pictures or just to look out at the ocean. You used to be able to walk further all the way to the end but I guess too many people had to get rescued in the cave so thats why they cut off access way before the cave and they have volunteered people monitoring making sure nobody goes there & everyone leaves by 4 pm.

Nice park for hiking and aerial views of the San Diego harbor and Naval Air Force Base nearby.

We enjoyed our morning at this monument. The visitor center has a lot of information about the interesting history, including several short movies. There is an old lighthouse which has artifacts, and a nice 2-3 mile trail that leads to beautiful scenery and views of San Diego, including Coronado Island. We were able to see planes taking off from the naval base, as well as naval ships.

On the many trips to San Diego, this was our first visit to the national monument. The park area itself is on the end of the peninsula and offers some great views of the city and surrounding area. There are only 2 main trails from the visitor center. One is a loop that leads up to the light house and the other heads down to the coast. The lighthouse seems to be well cared for. The rooms inside were set up as if a lighthouse keeper was living there in the early 1900s. The trail from the light house loops to see some old bunkers and overlook of a kelp forest. There is a tide pool area that is a separate road from the main gate. Just make sure to check that your trip to these is during low tide.

If you are staying. In San Diego then don't miss this place. It's only a 16 min drive from the city. We went to sunset cliff beach from there it took 10 minutes. You have to pay the state park fees but it's valid for 7 days. It has a good size parking lot. The visitor center is having a few shows in a day ,a short movie about how Cabrillo sailed in rough and tough times. The short movie is about 25 minutes. Know the history before you visit this place. Good place to walk around and enjoy the coastal view of San Diego. If you are lucky then ,you will see whales. You can spend the whole day here. It has clean restrooms. Tide pools are beautiful and don't miss it if you have kids or kid heart in you. Check the weather before you visit this place. Dress up for the weather.

I photographed a Navy Officer Promotion ceremony at the Event Bluff overlook. It was beautiful! Grounds were well maintained and the website is descriptive on how to reserve your spot. The actual monument was quite crowded on a Friday with another event and those who just want to see. Getting through the gate wasn't too bad - flashed my Veteran medical ID and got in no problem. Would love to return with my family soon to walk around b and enjoy the view.

Place is great for the view of the San Diego sky line and the ocean. Wild flowers everywhere and the lighthouse is fascinating. The history behind the military base and history itself is very detailed. The motive they show in the needs upgraded. It’s an old film from the 80’s or 90’s. Over all it’s a great place to visit.

Been in SD for several years just never made it out here. Such a beautiful and serene place. Absolutely stunning views of San Diego and the Pacific Ocean. Small visitor center with a gift shop. Active duty military and veterans with the National Park Pass do get in for free otherwise it is $20.00 for a POV. Lots of hiking and different viewpoints of San Diego and a fun spot to watch the jets and helos take off from North Island.

Cabrillo National Monument was a great part of our Summer vacation. The beach side tide pools was our favorite part. It’s a beautiful spot to hang out and chase crabs. The lighthouse and actual monument were cool too.

Had an absolutely beautiful day here. The weather was perfect and the views were amazing. If you ever have an opportunity to come to this national monument, I highly suggest that you do. Informative and an enjoyable day

Super cool area. Great tourist attraction. They take card and cash. If you have a park pass bring it for free entry. Tons of parking. Great beach views along the coast. The lighthouse is really cool

Beautiful views! Not too busy on a weekday afternoon. I appreciated that they had the low tide time posted! It was great for checking out the tide pools!

The monument area was informative and scenic. The trails and grounds were gorgeous and you can see the city and ocean for miles! Great to see the subset as well. Everyone visiting San Diego should check it out!

I love visiting Cabrillo National Monument. There is plenty to see. The lighthouse itself is historical, the view of San Diego is amazing, and the sound of the ocean waves is soothing!

Absolutely loved the monument. If you’re able, checkout the bayside trail and the tide pools. Amazing views of the bay and downtown, nature and a cool lighthouse. It seemed like a place lots of locals go to hike and for amazing cycling.

If you want one of the best views of San Diego #CabrilloNationalMonument has them. Be sure to walk to the Lighthouse and small house, including the small garden. Walk around and enjoy the beauty & charm around the monument.

Beautiful park in San Diego with great view of the bay, Coronado, SD downtown and Tijuana. Loved to watch sunset from there. There are cemeteries on the way.