Cabrillo National Monument Beach

Located in the city of San Diego, Cabrillo National Monument Beach is a part of the Cabrillo National Monument park on the Point Loma peninsula. Also known as Point Loma Beach, Cabrillo National Monument Beach is surrounded by high sandstone bluffs that offer incredible views of San Diego and the beaches on the city of Coronado. Cabrillo National Monument Beach is well-equipped with amenities including restrooms, lighthouses, viewpoints, and a visitor center. The beach is a well-known tide pooling spot and a home to sea creatures like hermit crabs and starfish. 

There are many other fun activities at Cabrillo National Monument Beach including swimming, fishing, whale watching, and wildlife watching. If you like hiking, there are two trails on the west side of the beach – one leads to the historic Point Loma Lighthouse and a stone statue of Cabrillo, and the other named Bayside Trail follows a military road to an area that has abundant wildlife.

Getting here is very easy – Cabrillo National Monument park is situated at 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive. After reaching here, drive down on Cabrillo Road to the paid parking lot next to a newly-built lighthouse.

If you are looking for attractions near Cabrillo National Monument Beach, you can drive 20-minutes to Petco Park, a baseball park with capacity over 45,000 that has hosted many events that includes USA Sevens, Davis Cup, AMA Supercross Championship, and an episode of American Idol. Many world-renowned artists, such as The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Aerosmith, Metallica, Taylor Swift, Eagles, and Billy Joel, have also held concerts at Petco Park. The USS Midway Museum is a historical naval aircraft carrier museum consisting of the aircraft carrier Midway that was the United States’ longest-serving aircraft carrier from 1945 to 1992. The USS Midway Museum hosts more than 700 events every year including 400 active-duty Navy retirements, re-enlistments, and field trips of over 50,000 students annually – and American Idol, Discovery Channel, and Fox News have filmed some of their episodes here. San Diego Zoo is a non-profit wildlife sanctuary that is home to 3,500 rare and endangered animals, and over 700,000 plants. Another great attraction near Cabrillo National Monument Beach is Horton Plaza Park that has an interactive fountain.

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants within a 15-minute drive of Cabrillo National Monument Beach. The casual and clubby seafood chain Brigantine Seafood Restaurant offers surf ‘n’ turf, oysters, fish tacos, and margaritas. Sunnie's Ocean Beach Mexican Cuisine & Coffee is a Mexican restaurant with a nice menu that includes tacos, quesadillas, pico guacamole, burritos, salads, and desserts. If you’re looking for another restaurant near Cabrillo National Monument Beach, the vegetarian-friendly Little Lion Café was mentioned in "The 50 Best Cities to Live in Around the World If You Love to Try New Food" by Business Insider.

If you are looking for a hotel near Cabrillo National Monument Beach, there are many within a 20-minute drive. The 4-Star pet-friendly Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina has many amenities including a pool, sauna, spa, game room, nightclub, tennis court, and a fitness center. Kona Kai Resort & Spa is a 3-Star waterfront hotel featuring a pool, lounge, restaurant, and massage sessions. If you are looking for an affordable hotel near Cabrillo National Monument Beach, the 2-Star Sunrise Inn San Diego has a golf course and offers hiking and fishing tours.