Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego

About Cabrillo National Monument

Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego preserves the site where Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo first landed on the California coast in 1542. Visitors begin at the Visitor Center, which offers educational activities and information about Cabrillo's historic voyage and discoveries. The monument features the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, a restored structure set against coastal scenery and spring wildflowers. The Coastal Trail winds through the landscape with wooden stairs and sandy hillside paths offering bay views. One of the main attractions is the tidepools along the coastline, where visitors can observe sea creatures and marine life at low tide. The monument combines history, nature study, and coastal exploration in a single location on the San Diego peninsula.