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Cabrillo National Monument

Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego: Hours, Address, Cabrillo National Monument Reviews: 4.5/5

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Cabrillo National Monument

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Cabrillo National Monument
4.5
4 848
#12 of 469 things to do in San Diego
Monuments & Statues
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9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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About
Stately monument honoring Cabrillo, discoverer of San Diego Bay, is located in Point Loma that overlooks the city and the Bay.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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The area
Address
Best nearby
Restaurants
6 within 5 kms
Vessel Restaurant + Bar
284
4 kmRR - RRR • American • Bar • Seafood
Subway
7
3.7 kmR
Fathom Bistro Bait and Tackle
86
4.3 kmR • American • Bar
Blue Wave Bar & Grill
362
4.6 kmRR - RRR • American • Bar • Seafood
Starbucks
4 kmCafe
Violet Cake Co.
4.6 km
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Attractions
196 within 10 kms
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
1 459
0.2 kmCemeteries
Point Loma
1 926
0.3 kmHistoric Walking Areas • Geologic Formations
Cabrillo Tide Pools
394
0.8 kmBodies of Water • Hiking Trails
USS Midway Museum
25 144
Speciality Museums
Coronado Dog Beach
204
4.6 kmBeaches
Coronado Island
3 012
Islands
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
2 090
Parks
Harbor and Shelter Islands
363
Islands • Beach & Pool Clubs
La Playa Grande, Amapala
1
1.1 kmBeaches
Lamb's Players Theatre
190
Theatres
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Popular mentions
4.5
4 848 reviews
Excellent
3 182
Very good
1 408
Average
226
Poor
21
Terrible
11
terrib9591
Beavercreek, OH15 contributions
Historic National Park
Apr 2022
Happy we found the Cabrillo National Monument to visit. You can do a self guided tour with options to do additional hiking around some of the area.
Written 23 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Jenny BC
Boise, ID16 contributions
Amazing views!
Jun 2022 • Couples
This is a great place to visit. Lots of California history and amazing views. There is a visitor center and walking paths. Most are pretty easy. Besides the monument there's a lightgouse and some oldilitary lookouts that you can go inside of. I recommend 1-2 hours there. Very family friendly.

This is a national park, so if you have a pass you can use it.
Written 18 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
blondie6745
Lompoc, CA108 contributions
Unbelievable views
Jun 2022
I don't think you can get views like this anywhere else in San Diego. You can see downtown SD and Tijuana Mexico from here. Highly recommend coming here!
Written 17 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Mars838
Porto Alegre148 contributions
Good
May 2022
It is not Cabrillo. It is Cabrilho. The guy was Portuguese, for gods sake! Nice views to the air/naval base.
Written 10 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
GitchSup
Duluth, MN1 234 contributions
Views and history
Apr 2022
Quite a beautiful National Park with views and history galore! Take the time to go to the visitor center for a map and some information before you head out. Right out of the visitor center you can see the ships on maneuvers just over the cliff edge, there is a poster about the various ships and boats you might see. The statue of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo is just a little bit further down the path and has more great views. If you continue up the hillside you will get to the old Point Loma lighthouse which you can walk around outside as well as inside. Remember it's a National Park so there will be a fee to get in unless you have a National Park pass.
Written 28 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Brenden M
Spotsylvania, VA42 contributions
EYE OPENER
May 2022
It was great to visit and learn about the Spanish/Portugese voyages of discovery here in SoCAL. Very well maintained National Park, with plenty of support (restrooms/water/guides). Well worth the time, highly recommended.
Written 24 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
NSF4040
Lafayette, IN217 contributions
views are amazing
May 2022
Wanted to see the lighthouse. the views here and the lighthouse are amazing. Short drive from Shelter Island and there is good signage to get you here.
Written 11 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
do_the_freddy
Los Angeles, CA149 contributions
Loved It!
Apr 2022
This review happened during COVID (April, 2022). My wife and I went to San Diego for a short vacation. We visit National Parks whenever we get a chance. The location of this park is amazing. You get views of the entire area and even out into the ocean. You over look the navy base so you can navy aircraft taking off and you can even see navy ships coming in and out of port. Nice exhibits to look at and just a great location to visit. They have tables so if you want to you can even have a picnic there. I recommend you do. Its a lot of walking so make sure you have comfortable shoes and it does get hot. So take a hat and drink plenty of water.
Written 25 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
OnTheRoadAgain8180
Gardiner, ME369 contributions
Beautiful scenery with some interesting history to go with it
Mar 2022
We enjoyed everything from the lighthouse to the tidal pools, along with some of the historical artifacts. The tidal pools were probably our favorite - very easy walk right along the cliffs, with some very interesting sights along the way. However, the lighthouse was very cool as well, especially since you can go inside and check it out. Special thanks to the gentleman at the gate who mentioned an annual national park pass. We took him up on it and are already putting it to good use (Joshua Tree several days later, and a few more to go over the next 12 months).
Written 2 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Mountain traveler
10 contributions
Unique spot for a nice day visit
Mar 2022
Since we were in San Diego and since we have a National Parks Pass, we decided to visit Cabrillo National Monument. We enjoyed our day very much! The historical information at the visitor's center told the story of Cabrillo as an explorer. The lighthouse history was interesting too with nice displays in a building right beside the lighthouse. From the second floor of the lighthouse, we could go up another half flight of steps to look out an upper window, but the light area itself was inaccessible. The tide pool area was beautiful! The expanse of the ocean was breathtaking and it was fun to walk along the rocky coast at the water's edge! The Bayside Trail was a nice walk with views of the bay and the San Diego skyline. On the drive in to Cabrillo, we were impressed by the Fort Rosecrans Military Cemetery, which straddles the road. Those buried there are deserving of our respect.
Written 1 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Cabrillo National Monument
Cabrillo National Monument is open:
  • Sun - Sat 09:00 - 17:00
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Cabrillo National Monument tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 16 Cabrillo National Monument tours on Tripadvisor
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