Cabrillo
National Monument

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Información en Español

On September 28, 1542 Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed at San Diego Bay. This event marked the first time that Europeans had set foot on what later became the west coast of the United States. Six days later, he departed San Diego sailing northward and exploring the uncharted coast line of California. His contributions helped to dispel myths and misconceptions, and allowed his contemporaries to proceed with the difficult task of colonizing the expanded Spanish Empire. His accomplishments were memorialized in 1913 with the establishment of Cabrillo National Monument.

Cabrillo National Monument offers programs and a small museum about Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a superb view of San Diego harbor, the Pacific Ocean, and the winter Gray Whale migration. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse, Fort Rosecrans coastal defense remains, a coastal sage scrub ecosystem, and the Cabrillo Tidepools are preserved here by the National Park Service.

VISITATION:
Park visitation is fairly even throughout the year, with a slight rise during July and August, and a small decrease during September and October. Annual visitation was approximately 1.2 million people during 1994.

LOCATION:
The Monument is located on the southern tip of Point Loma, approximately 10 miles from the city of San Diego.

ADDRESS:
Cabrillo National Monument
1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive
San Diego, CA 92106-3601

TELEPHONE:
(619) 557-5450 or fax (619) 557-5469 or TDD (619) 224-4140

OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS:
Daily: 9:00 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Open until 6:15 p.m. during the summer, July 4 through Labor Day. Best season to visit the Monument is winter and spring. The annual migration of gray whales occurs December through February. The peak tidepool season is November through February, and the blooming of coastal sage scrub occurs February through April. Also, the best visibility for spectacular views of San Diego Bay and downtown, Mexico, and the ocean occurs in the winter and spring.

DIRECTIONS:
Follow State Highway 209 south, from Interstate Highways I-5 and I-8, to the tip of Point Loma.

TRANSPORTATION:
Most visitors arrive in personal vehicles. Major car rental agencies are available in San Diego. Local bus route 26 and taxicabs serve the park. San Diego International Airport (Lindberg Field) serves the area, and is within sight of the Monument.

FEES, COST, RATES:
Five dollars per vehicle, two dollars per person, for those who walk in or ride bicycles and motorcycles. Golden Age,Golden Access, and Golden Eagle passports and Cabrillo National Monument annual pass are accepted in lieu of the fee. Tour bus fees vary, depending on bus capacity.

FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:
Visitor Center/Exhibits:
The glass enclosed visitor center offers a spectacular view of San Diego Bay, the city, surrounding mountain ranges, and Tijuana, Mexico. The museum, with displays on Spanish exploration, is located in the main visitor complex. The visitor center offers rest rooms, telephone, exhibits, audiostations in six languages, auditorium programs, and an exhibit room. The facilities are fully accesible. Assistive listening devices are available for the auditorium, and written text in English and Spanish of audiostation messages are available. Wheelchairs for loan, and special vehicle passes for the lighthouse (located above the Visitor Center on a slight hill) are available upon request.

Program, Activities:
Programs vary throughout the year and include daily films. There are talks on natural history themes, including tidepools, whales, and coastal sage scrub presented during the fall, winter, and spring. Talks on cultural history such as Spanish exploration, lighthouses, and military history are presented throughout the year. Self-Guided Hiking Trail: the Bayside Trail is a mile long hiking trail through a coastal sage scrub forest. It follows a gentle down hill slope toward San Diego Bay, and returns along the same route. Interpretive panels along the trail provide information about the ecology of Point Loma. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse: a restored lighthouse with furnishings representing the 1880's period, is open daily. Whale Overlook: a protected shelter has exhibits, a tactile model of an adult gray whale and calf, and a recorded message in English, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Education Opportunities:

Children's Program: ranger-led education programs are offered October through June for students second through fifth grades. These are State of California curriculum based programs about cultural and natural history. There is also a teacher-led program which requires participation in a teacher's workshop, prior to using the program. An on-line interactive educational website for fourth graders focused on the Cabrillo expedition will be available in the fall of 1998.

For more information about Cabrillo National Monument's educational opportunities visit Cabrillo As Classroom.

Other Concessions/NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and Opportunities:
The non-profit Cabrillo Historical Association, a national park cooperating association, operates a book store in the visitor center. The store is rich in titles on the Age of Exploration, whales, intertidal ecology, Southern California history, national parks and natural history, and nature books for children. Native American baskets and crafts are also included in the collection. The Association operates vending machines which provide packaged snacks, coffee, and cold beverages. There are no other eating facilities at the park.

Accessibility:
The Monument is quite accessible. Ramps are available throughout much of the park. Special passes are provided to allow vehicles into less accessible view areas. Rest rooms include unisex and a baby changing room. Audio Station Programs are available in six languages. There are written copies of audio messages, a tactile model of a whale, assistive listening devices, adjustable phones, and a TDD.

BASIC VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS:
Allow two to three hours to leisurely enjoy the Monument. During winter and spring explore tidepools, watch for gray whales, hike the Bayside Trail, and relax and enjoy the view and activities of a beautiful and busy port.

SPECIAL EVENTS:
The Annual Cabrillo Festival is held each year on the weekend closest to September 28, commemorating the arrival of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in San Diego. Cultural dances, food, and re-enactment of Cabrillo's landing are all part of the festival activities. The third weekend in January is celebrated as Whale Watch Weekend. Activities include special programs about marine life, assistance by park rangers in spotting whales, and entertainment.

VISITOR IMPACTS:
Exploration of the park is limited to designated trails, in order to minimize erosion and to protect the coastal sage scrub ecosystem from trampling. Cliff edges are extremely unstable and may collapse, causing serious injury to visitors exploring off-trail areas. The tidepools areas are slippery and falls are frequent. Rattlesnakes have been seen in the Monument, although infrequently.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Write to Superintendent, Cabrillo National Monument, 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego, California 92106-3601, or call (619) 557-5450.

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Last Updated: Wednesday, 25-June-97
http://www.nps.gov/cabr/index.html

Since 25-June-97