Cabrillo National Monument

There are only a few beach access points in Cabrillo National Monument near San Diego, but this park is loaded with things to see. Point Loma, the peninsula where the park is located, is surrounded by high sandstone bluffs. The only “beaches” at Cabrillo National Monument are known for tidepooling, not for sunbathing or surfing. So if you want to walk around at the beach here, then time your visit for low tide when these world-class tide pools are exposed.

As you enter the park, ask the attendant for a map or directions to the Point Loma Tide Pools. They will send you down Cabrillo Road which leads to a parking lot near the new lighthouse at the point. A trail leads down from this parking lot to the most popular tidepooling area. A lesser known area is at the next parking lot up Cabrillo Road before it ends at the wastewater treatment plant gate. Look for fossils in the rock walls that are part of the fossil filled Point Loma Formation. Trails meander all over the bluffs on the west side of the park, but be careful as they are steep and dangerous in places. These lead to the old Historic Point Loma Lighthouse which sits up high in the center of the peninsula and to a tall stone statue of Cabrillo with splendid views of the beaches on Coronado Island and downtown San Diego. Another trail called the Bayside Trail follows an old military road to an area where wildlife can be spotted. The park visitor center is worth visiting as well.

Address

1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive
San Diego, CA 92106

Park Name

Cabrillo National Monument

Owner

National Park

Other Names

Point Loma Beach

Activities

Hiking, Tidepooling, Whale Watching, Wildlife Watching

Amenities

Tide Pools, Trails, Lighthouses, Restrooms, Visitor Center, Viewpoints

Pet Policy

No dogs allowed on the beach

Fees

Entrance fees for vehicles, walkers, and bicyclists