DK Travel : San Diego : Point Loma

Point Loma

No one has rated this yet.

Rate it

Review this attraction

Are these details incorrect?

Point Loma was once one of the city’s most rough-and-tumble areas. San Diego’s first boats were tied up here, followed by the largest whaling operation on the West Coast and leather tanning and tallow production. Today, sailboats and yachts grace the marinas, and the waterfront homes make up some of the most expensive real estate in the city. The Cabrillo National Monument, the third most-visited monument in the US, boasts the most breathtaking views of the entire city.

Top 10 Sights

1. Cabrillo Statue

1. Cabrillo Statue

The actual spot where Cabrillo stepped ashore is on a spit of land downhill at Ballast Point. However, this magnificent statue is a worthy tribute to the brave explorer and his men who ventured across uncharted seas to claim new territory for Spain.
2. Old Point Loma Lighthouse

2. Old Point Loma Lighthouse

This Cape Cod-style building was completed in 1855. Unfortunately, coastal fog so often obscured the beacon light that another lighthouse, the New Point Loma Lighthouse, had to be built below the cliff.
3. Visitor Center

Park rangers are on hand to answer questions. Browse through the center’s outstanding books about the Spanish, Native Americans, and early California, or enjoy the daily film screenings.
4. Bayside Trail

A two-mile (3.2-km) round-trip hiking path winds along an old military defense road. Signs along the way help you identify indigenous plants such as sage scrub, lemonade berry, and Indian paintbrush.
5. Military Exhibit

After the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, many felt that San Diego would be the next target. The exhibit explores how the military created a coastal defense system and the largest gun in the US.
6. Whale Overlook

6. Whale Overlook

Pacific gray whales migrate yearly to give birth in the warm, sheltered waters of Baja California before heading back to Alaska for a summer of good eating. January and February are the best times to spot whales.
7. Sunset Cliffs

7. Sunset Cliffs

A path runs along the edge of these spectacular 400-ft (122-m) high cliffs, but signs emphatically warn against their instability. Access the beach from Sunset Cliffs Park.
8. Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

8. Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

The southern end of Point Loma belongs to the military installations of Rosecrans Fort. Innumerable crosses mark the graves of 80,000 US veterans, some of whom died at the Battle of San Pasqual in the Mexican-American War.
9. Tide Pools

Now protected by law, starfish, anemones, warty sea cucumbers and wooly sculpins thrive in their own little world.
10. Point Loma Nazarene University

10. Point Loma Nazarene University

Once a yoga commune, much of the original architecture of this Christian university is still intact.

Practical Information

At the Cabrillo Monument Visitor Center, some vending machines offer snack food. But if you want to spend the day hiking the trails and exploring the tide pools, bring food and water with you. If it’s a cloudy day, wait until the sun comes out to visit. Bring binoculars if you can, to enjoy the incredible views. The San Diego Metropolitan Transit comes out to the monument. Take bus 26 from the Old Town Transportation Center. Cabrillo National Monument Visitor Center: 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive (619) 557-5450 Open 9am–5:15pm daily Adm $5 per vehicle; $3 per person (cyclists and walk-ins) tickets last for seven days