Cabrillo National Monument

Description:

• Cabrillo National Monument sits high on the cliffs at the tip of Point Loma, and commands one of the most impressive views in all of San Diego of both the Pacific Ocean and San Diego Bay. It commemorates the landing of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European to set foot on what later became the west coast of the United States, at San Diego Bay in 1542 . Highlights of the monument include the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, Fort Rosecrans coastal defense remains, a coastal sage scrub ecosystem and the Cabrillo Tidepools.

  The glass enclosed Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center at this site offers a spectacular view of San Diego Bay, surrounding mountain ranges, as well as Tijuana and the Islas Coronados, Mexico. During the spring and fall migrations, several vantage points along the western portion of the monument provide excellent viewing of the gray whales passing through the area. The facility offers various programs and a small museum about Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, audio stations in six languages. The facilities are fully accessible.

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010