Cabrillo National Monument

With miles of gorgeous beaches in San Diego County it is easy to overlook San Diego’s rich history as a port. One of our favorite spots to explore San Diego’s history as well as explore the hidden gem of tide pools.

After arriving at Cabrillo and paying your entry fee, you are faced with two main choices.

#1 Tide Pools: In our house, when we say “Cabrillo” the kids scream “TIDE POOLS!” If you have kids, this has got to be on your list of places to visit. Time your visit for for low tide [click here to check tide schedule] and make your way down the monster hill to the tide pools. Once you climb down to the beach you’ll find yourself on a rocky beach peppered with dozens of tide pools. We have found the safest way to go is get the kids down by the water and have them ditch their shoes. Even if the water is cold, you’ll fall a whole lot less with no shoes on than worrying about keeping your shoes or sandal dry. From there we just follow the kids as they explore. Sometimes there is a park volunteer to help you get started and at other times there isn’t. Either way you’ll be sure to see hermit crabs, starfish, sea anemone, little fish, and even the occasional octopus. As a parent, the tide pools just amaze me as my kids hop all over the place and show me what they have discovered. We’ve been a number of times and I always come back with a full camera.

#2 The top of the hill. I’m sure there is a technical name for the rest of the park, but we just call it “the stuff up there.” (Since we always start at the tide pools.) If you are looking for a place to take the perfect vacation picture, the top of the hill is where it is at. At the very top you’ll find the lighthouse. At times you can climb to the top of the lighthouse and get the million dollar 360 degree view. On a clear day we tell the kids they can see China. As much as they squint, all they see is the horizon but we tell them that China is way, way out there. Next to the lighthouse is a museum where you can learn all about the lighthouse and how it has been used. Leaving the lighthouse, walk around the paths to the end of the point. There you will find some whale watching stations as well as a few stellar vista points for pictures. From there, head back to the parking lot and spend some time learning all about Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and the history of San Diego bay.

We’ve found that Cabrillo is a great place to start a day. Make sure you check the tide schedule before determining what time to come. If there is no marine layer, we’ve found that it’s best to come around 9 and plan on staying until lunch before the crowds build too much. It’s just enough outdoor activity to kick off a day. For a perfect (and cheap) day we like to go here before lunch, grab a bite in Point Loma, than head down to a beach to spend the afternoon.

If you don’t have kids or you’re just looking for a romantic place to watch the sunset than I’d highly suggest coming an hour or so before sunset.

Tagged as: Cabrillo, light house, National Park, park, sea life, Statue, Tide pools