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Cabrillo National Monument
Rating Details »
Categories: Parks, Landmarks & Historical Buildings [Edit]
Neighborhood: Point Loma1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive
(at Cole Rd)
San Diego, CA 92106
(619) 557-5450
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
77 reviews for Cabrillo National Monument
Shame on me for taking so long to go to Cabrillo National Monument! For just a $5 car entrance fee--that price blows my mind--a day of fun is right at your fingertips! The combination of the views/photo ops and the price makes for a 5-star rating.
Easy to find and well-maintained, this park is fantastic, particularly if history or photography is your forte. Some of the best and most panoramic views of San Diego are found here, and I've got loads of beautiful photos from this Sunday's adventure to prove it.
Cabrillo is a cool comparison if you've ever gone on a San Diego harbor cruise; it's an opposite perspective. At Cabrillo you're basically looking out at the harbor/downtown area from the hilly Point Loma/Cabrillo area that's seen on a harbor tour.
Admittedly, I skimmed through the historic museum-like aspects of the park--the military exhibit, the lighthouse exhibit, and the Visitor's Center--because I was most interested in taking photos on a clear and sunny Sunday.
The tide pools are awesome for San Diego, and I really underestimated how large the tide pool area at Cabrillo is! That being said, I may take advantage of the 7-day free re-entry with receipt policy to explore the tide pools more thoroughly after I purchase some sexy "water shoes." (Apparently people don't realize how dangerous tide pools can be; I noticed a lot of small children hopping around barefoot! Sharp coral, slippery smooth rocks, sea urchins--these things all suck to step on, and I know from experience. It's 100% worth investing in an inexpensive pair of funky-looking water shoes--found at most surf shops, beachside tourist shops, and beach drugstores--for the sake of safety and efficiency when checking out tide pools.)
I also look forward to going back to Cabrillo more prepared to walk the few miles of paved foot trails that the park offers. On Sunday it became unexpectedly hot, I had a large purse with me, I was really hungry, and I was wearing furry boots. Not ideal hiking conditions.
Amazing, a San Diego must-see! A great way for me to spend a Steelers-less football Sunday.
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:-|
We drove.
We paid.
We walked.
We saw.
We left.
Yeah.. it was that fast.
Tide is out daily.
Tide pools are cool.
Warmer times are better.
You can see tiny creatures.
And touch them as well.
Kids love it.
Adults should respect it.
I didn't see the actual light house.
or the monument.
Don't go apeshit. Its still just a Monument.
Yay.. San Diego! Yay.. Pacific Ocean!
3 Woofs A-OK.. my kids almost got swept out to sea.
That would have changed my star rating.
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Inspiring view of San Diego
Located on the southern tip of Point Loma, the Cabrillo National Monument (established 1913) commemorates the landing of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo at San Diego Bay in 1542. In 1939, the Portuguese government donated the 14-foot-tall statue of Cabrillo that sits at the end of the point.
On a clear day, this is one of my favorite views in San Diego. From the same vantage point, you can see: the Pacific Ocean, Coronado, San Diego-Coronado Bridge, North Island, Shelter Island, Harbor Island, San Diego International Airport, Downtown San Diego, San Diego Bay, the mountains, and Mexico.
In January, you can see the snow-capped mountains in the distance that appear to embrace the city.
The views are best on a day with low-to-little humidity and about three or four hours before sunset. Any visitor to the city should visit this location for one of the best vistas anywhere.
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After all the fuss, I wanted to see what it was all about. You pay about $5 to get into this national park. Boy, the view is breathtaking! Yes.. I said it, amazing!
You can also learn about Cabrillo and how he discovered the west coast.. there is a mini museum and film. The only complaint is that it is a little hot inside but the breeze up there is just.. different air. Never hot... just right.
Two big thumbs up.. a must see in SD right after Point Loma!
So like it's a nice easy walk around the coast part with the tide pools. The seaweed is pretty cool. There are some varieties washed up on the shore that look like romaine! I had to stop myself from putting that in my mouth. I wanted to try it really bad. That and the reddish purple seaweed. That one looked tasty too.
The rocks here are gorgeous and the teeny little crabs in the tide pools are so funny. They have interesting markings on their backs. Back to the rocks! It's like they just rolled down one day and then stopped. Pretty neat-o.
Try to come early because if you wait, all the little kids and their families come running through and it gets waaaay crowded. You don't want to be the grown up pushing the little kids out of the way to get a better look at the crabs and snails.
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Nothing beats a clear warm sunny summer day in San Diego. Especially at the Cabrillo National Monument and the amazing views of the Pacific.
There seems to be plenty to do, besides watching the sailboats from the viewpoint, you can explore the lighthouse, learn some history, take a hike (didn't have time, but will do that someday), do some whale watching (seasonal), and see the tidepools (also seasonal). Can't wait to go back (I think the ranger said Sept) for those tidepools!
I went on the free admission weekend, but normally it's $5 to park or $3 to walk or bike in.
I like this place, you can really spend a whole day here.
We started over at the beach side, and had fun exploring the cliffs and watching the surfers. The views are spectacular.
We then headed up to the lookout and monument which was packed full of people, and got a beautiful view of San Diego City. Lastly we saw the lighthouse which was interesting, but tiny with lots of people trying to walk through for a look.
The highlight for me was the beach/cliffs.
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Have had some time off from work lately so I've been playing SD tourist all summer long & since that time off from work wasn't exactly my choice I've been hitting up the free/ cheap sites. This is a stop by or all day activity and sometimes you just feel good about your self when a Saturday doesn't end in a hangover-right? Here's the schedule: drive up in the am --Check the tide times, go during low --( I heard Sept is the next ideal time for tide levels), explore the tide pools, jog the trail, enjoy the views, read up on some SD history, picnic , take pictures, feel good about a weekend activity that doesn't involve a beer bong
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In all of my 22 years in San Diego I have never been here. It is a rare time when there is something in sd i have yet to do. The view here is breathtaking. I actually got a guidebook on sd to see if there was something new i could check out and the tidepools here were listed. It costs $5 to get in but the pass lasts a week. Tidepools close at 4:30 but the drive down the hill to get to the pools was probably one of the best views in the city. amazing.
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One of my favorite places to bring out of town guests. Located at the end of Point Loma, Cabrillo has stunning views, tidepools, hiking, and even a little history thrown in at their museum. Even the drive there is great.
My favorite government agency, the National Park Service, let me down a little bit with this one. The vistas are lovely, but there isn't much to this monument beyond those.
1. Rudimentary historical exhibit
2. Auditorium with sporadically scheduled presentations (I didn't see any of the films)
3. The monument itself
4. Point Loma Lighthouse, the best aspect of the site. There are four lovely restored/period rooms but the tower itself is closed. In a side building, there is a small but interesting exhibit on the history of lighthouses, with a focus on the West Coast, and of course a further focus on Point Loma.
5. Two miles of hiking trails
But those views...man, they are amazing. This was my only taste of the Pacific in my four days in town. Unfortunately, it was too late in the year for grey whale migration. And of course, on the other side, you get the whole bay and harbor, Coronado, all of the city, and as much of the distant horizon and mountains as the haze will allow.
One thing that really bothered me was the lack of benches and picnic tables, especially in the shade. This was Day #2 for me in the San Diego sun, and I was already turning from playful-spanking pink to hardcore-S&M red. I had brought a sandwich but found no spot to sit down and eat it. There were a few sparse benches and sittable walls, but they were all in the sun. And no picnic tables at all. I wanted to enjoy the view and my Con Pane sandwich at the same time.
Between the lighthouse and the views, I would say that this is worth your time, but only if you have a car. If not, it is a bitch to get there--to the tune of two or three buses and almost 90 minutes from downtown (on a Sunday midday: the #30 to the #28 to the #84 OR the #923 to the #84 with a half-mile walk in between). The #84 runs only once per hour on Sundays. On the upside, if you take the bus, you will not have to pay the NPS car fee, AND the place where you pick up the #84 is right by Con Pane, so that's too convenient to pass up.
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I like it here. Its nice to go to every now and then just to check it out and have a great view of San Diego.
Its only $5, and you get to see all kinds of cool stuff. They also have a gift shop.
I even like the drive up to this awesome San Diego attraction.
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Wonderful peaceful place!
Cost $5.00 to get in and then you can come back before one week is up.
There is a museum of Cabrillo with buttons to push and tells ya stories with info, a gift shop with beautiful views of San Diego, and everything is clean.
A nice short walk up to the light house with its history. The wind blows nicely and reminds you that your up high on a cliff.
Then take a short drive down to the tide pools and then you see wildlife in the water. Remember it is a sacturary for growth habitat, so be gentle and DON"T take anything home. You can also take a wild life hike and enjoy the cliffs with its ocean scenery.
Either on the way or when leaving the park, I love to stop at the memorial and pay tribute to the soldiers who fought and died for our freedom and beautiful America.
There is also beautiful views of Coronado, or the ocean; I have seen whales far out in the sea on the ocean side.
Sometimes we peacefully walk around the graves and try to find the oldest year with appreciation of why they lay there.
It is always a wonderful experience to come here no matter what time of the year it is.
P/S Remember your camera. It is a great place for panoramic photos!
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Nice national monument (and the Point Loma Lighthouse is also California Historical Landmark number 51). The monument sits within the Point Loma Ecological Reserve. Aside from the monument itself, you can go down to the beach and see some tidal pools.
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This was an easy drive from downtown. Fortunately we went on a free weekend and didn't have to pay to enter the national area. It was a nice walk around, although a bit breezy and cold at times. Great views of San Diego. I got a ton of great photographs. The walk up to the lighthouse was easy. I definitely recommend this for others!
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Bea-uti-ful!! I can't believe that it took me almost 9 years to finally visit this place. I have been living in SD since 2000 and although I have been to places around Point Loma, I never ventured all the way to the actual monument. The view this weekend was pretty damn amazing with the weather being in the 70s. The skies were clear, the sun was shining, and there was a nice little breeze. It made me feel a little bit sorry for the friends I have freezing their butts off in Chicago...but hey, that is there fault for not moving here. Right?! So I texted a picture of the view to my friend. I'm so mean haha. She texted me back with a picture of her car thermostat that read 36 degrees.
Anyway, I always have family or friends coming to visit, and am always looking for new places to take them. This is now on my list of must sees when visiting San Diego. I've been to the top of Mt. Soledad and that is pretty nice as well, but it was just so cool to see the skyline and Coronado from the ocean's viewpoint. The little museum and light house is fun for a little bit of history as well...all for $5! I am probably going to by the $15 annual pass since its so worth it. You can hike, people watch, picnic, sightsee, relax, look around in the tide pools, bike, etc. as many times as you would like for the year. So if you live in San Diego, you probably get a lot of visitors as well. It's definitely worth taking them...(or just yourself) here.
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The tidepools at Cabrillo are on of my favorite places to hang out with my dog. Canine companions are allowed on the trails, as long as they are on leash. So bring your pooch, especially if it's a climber. My dog likes to pretend he is a spelunker.
Dogs are NOT allowed on the hill with the light house, or near the museum-y thing.
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Everytime a guest arrives in San Diego, we take them to Cabrillo. Everyone LOVES this place - we've been here more than 6 times and we have never been bored. Still we haven't been on the hike yet - we will soon!
If you have a national parks pass, it is free to get in. Otherwise it is $5 - totally worth it. There is always parking on top (visitor center) AND below (tidepools) but walking-phobic people makes it seem like you NEED to take the first section of parking. (For the tidepools, I usually pass the first parking area to park in the second one).
The views are spectacular, the exhibit are small but educational, the tidepools and rock formations are fun and everchanging - this guarantees a good time for everyone!
My only complaint which is beyond what the NPS can do is that they close at 5pm every day for security reasons. This means in order to see the sunset you'd have to come here during the winter (which isn't bad - less people!)
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GREAT for tourists and locals alike! We use our National Park Service year pass and don't have to pay for parking each time. There is a handy $15 per year pass that is good just for Cabrillo, too...or the annual pass to all National Parks is $80...unless you're over 62, then it's $10. (WHAT a deal!)
The Bayside Hike is a MUST...no dogs allowed here...in fact, I believe the sign said no dogs out of the cars, at least up top. I haven't been to the tidepools in a LONG time....but plan to go again soon...and if my dog can come with me, too, like Jerime V. says...yeah! I'd bet the "on leash" rule is even followed at a National Park! :-)
If you haven't been in awhile, go. If you've got guests visiting from out of town, take them. If you can make a sandwich, bring one. If you've got kids, they'll love it. If you can ride a bike, you can try riding it up there. If you've got a motorcycle, it's a great ride! If you've got an hour to kill, make good use of it and head out to Cabrillo. You won't regret it.
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Being out-of-towners, we had to come visit this place. Parking your car will cost $5 and the pass is valid for seven days. If you want to come see the tidepools, then your best bet is to check the times to see when there will be low tide otherwise you won't be able to check out the tidepools. Also, you might want to come a bit earlier to find parking since it's pretty limited where the tidepools are located.
Fortunately, we came on a clear day and the views from the cliff off of the Cabrillo Monument was awesome. Definitely a great place to visit!
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Check the monument, lighthouse, and bunkers. Quickly, and once. Now, and forever more, you can enjoy the tide pools without feeling guilty about neglecting Juan Rodriguez. Ideal visiting conditions: sunny winter day (lowest tides), with low tide occurring early in the morning (to avoid other humans). Really good location to photograph crabs, other small creatures, and still-wet neon green algae clinging to the rocks revealed by low tide. If you don't get wet, you didn't do it right. One site to check tide predictions: http://ocean.peterbrue...
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It's always a good place to come pay your respects, especially on veterans or memorial day. I'm fairly patriotic believe it or not and I feel like Cabrillo Monument is a place of history and value. Its breath taking views are pretty cool and you can watch planes take off and land.
The lighthouse is beautiful and photographic. The trails are nice and plenty. The cemetery is majestic and peaceful.
There are even tide pools to check out if your there during the right times.
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I love coming here. The views are spectacular and if you come during low tide you'll find some interesting sea life in the tide pools. This is a must to bring out-of-towners. Spend enough time here and you'll be able to tour the old military bunkers, see the lighthouse and educate yourself on just who Cabrillo is.
Definitely wear tennis shoes as you'll have to do some off roading to fully appreciate the beauty of this place.
Entrance is $5 per car and is good for about a week- one of the best deals around in San Diego.
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My husband and I got married here, on the seaside cliff designation for wedding ceremonies. It was BEAUTIFUL. Only $75 for a permit to get married too.
They give you an hour for the deal, but you can wander around afterwards if you want. Hang out at the tidepools, chill by the lighthouse, you know... gaze upon the open sea.
Keep in mind to remind your wedding guests that there is no seating, and to tell the people that collect the $5 at the booth that you are attending a wedding and they waive the cost.
This place was so gorgeous and wonderful, it was the perfect spot for a simple wedding. Windy though, but what do you expect when you get married on an ocean cliff.
It was perfect.
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I love the National Park Service! This weekend was whale watch weekend at Cabrillo. Unfortunately, the whales are free agents, and it wasn't their moment to spout, but the tidepools were great. Instead of allowing a traffic jam to dominate -- the park service hired vans to run a shuttle up and down, making access very convenient.
Views from the top are incredible.
I also love the lighthouse with its cozy lighthouse keeper's housing redone as it would have been around 100 years ago. The little display of World War II memories is also worth seeing.
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it's only $5 for a car to enter and you get to re-enter for a week! It's a great place to walk around and the views there are just so refreshing! love this place.
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$5.00 bucks to see a part of San Diego frozen in time since the 1800's and to get the most panoramic view of the entire San Diego bay. Not a bad deal. I've been wanting to go to Cabrillo for almost two years now, but whenever my and I arrived at the entrance they were already closed. They park officially closes at 5 PM, but they stop letting people in around 4 PM. Which is a bummer because we like visiting the nearby Sunset Cliffs area later in the afternoon to catch the sunsets.
So what else do you get for your hard earned 5 bucks? You get tidepools, WWII army bunkers, 3 mini museums, a nice statue of the conquistador Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo (whom the national park is named after) and the gem that is the Old Point Loma Lighthouse.
Given that the park is one of the most visited in the nation, its kept in near pristine shape. Much of the area is being restored to CA native plants. So the area around the lighthouse looks almost just like it did back when it was built back in 1854. It looks very Cape Codish, very bleak and desolate. personally, I prefer the more landscaped and manicured look of the sister lighthouse Point Fermin up the coast in San Pedro.
While they allow you to visit the inside of the lighthouse, there are no guided tours from volunteers like they do in Point Fermin. So its a self guided tour, which is a pity since their is no one present to tell you about the rich history of the place. You have to read up all about it in the lighthouse exhibit located in the Assistant Keeper's Quarters next door. It looks like there was supposed to be a barn but the passage of time must have destroyed it. There was some signage that they are planning to recreate the barn.
The lighthouse is smaller than the one up in Point Fermin, but it is equally furnished with historically accurate furniture. They won't let you go all the way to the top of the building, but the Fresnel lens is kept up there. When the newer lighthouse was built back in 1891 ((down the hill closer to the tide pools) , the original lighthouse boarded up, so it was well preserved when it was opened back up for the public,
There's a bluff near the lighthouse called Whaler's Overlook. There's a telescope you could drop quarters in to spot the migrating gray whales. Summer time isn't prime time for whale watching though. The best time to try to catch a glimpse of a whale is during late winter in January and February. You can still get a view of the tide pools and the kelp forest just beyond the shoreline. To be honest, overall I found the Whale Overlook to be pretty boring.
Aside from the lighthouse, the other things that caught my interest was the Coast Defense Exhibit, which was another mini museum covering the history of Fort Rosecrans, which encompasses the park. My favorite remnants of the WWII facility leftovers were the circular gun batteries. You see the same types of gun batteries around the Korean friendship Bell in San Pedro. The exhibit showed the pictures of the massive guns could fire 2,300 pound bullets 30 miles out to see. those were made to sink Japanese ships if they ever tried to invade San Diego. They never did, so it must have been extremely boring, but safe to be stationed her during WWII.
My other favorite spots were the Cabrillo Statue which was situated where you could see the entire San Diego Bay in all its glory. I was bummed that we forgot to bring a camera because during our visit, a nuclear submarine was docking after many months of lurking in the Pacific Ocean. It was cool to see the Naval officers standing on top of the submarine while it coasted into the bay accompanied by two tug boats warning sail ships to keep their distance. A few minutes later jet fighters took off from the Naval Air Station on North Island and flew above the area before heading towards the ocean.
In the Visitor Center, you'll find another mini museum (the largest of the 3) and a large gift store. This museum focuses on the history of Spanish conquistadors and the subjugation and colonization of native indian tribes like the Kumeyaay. It was interesting to find out that most of the conquistadors didn't find fame and fortunate. Most of them died never finding the riches they sought - a fate justly deserved given the suffering they caused among the native populations that they pillaged.
I can't be too harsh on Cabrillo since his explorations did lead to what would become one of my favorite cities to visit: San Diego. After exploring the Visitor's center, my bf and I drove down the park to the tide pools area. We weren't in the mood to explore the tide pools. It was just fun looking at the native chaparral and the native birds flitting about. I wanted to enter the newer lighthouse, but that one is still in use and closed off to the public.
Did I tell you that your 5 bucks admission fee allows you to visit the park for 1 week? This is probably the best entertainment deal you can get in San Diego.
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Beautiful place, lots of history, great way to relax and enjoy the San Diego scenery.
It cost $5 to get in, but I suggest the year pass for $15, it's defintely worth it, since I'm sure you won't go just once!
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This place is such a peaceful place to go after a week of work.
Paid $5 to get into the park but it was well worth it.
There was so much to do and if you do go..
check out the preserved lighthouse keeper home, the monument overlooking San Diego all the way to Mexico ( I can see Mexico from my house) and take the 3 mile trail down the cliffs.
Also, they have tide pools on the other side of the cliffs where kids can explore.
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I want to live in a lighthouse and eat delicious chard all day long while watching the tugs and barges make their way in and out through the bay. Picnic Spot!
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Great sights and great walking trail! $5.00 good for seven days.
Stunning!
This is one of the places that I take tourists to so they can see how beautiful this city is. The vistas from Cabrillo are gorgeous. The historic lighthouse is magnificent. The day use fee is criminally affordable -- $5 for a week of visits?
On a clear day, you can see heaven, I swear!
The tidepools and trails are some of the best in the city/county.
Trust me, take your visitors from out of town here, and they will fall in love with the city.
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The last time I went here it was for one of my friend's weddings. The views are spectacular. The tide pools are awesome. The visitor's center is nothing to write home about, but it all makes for some beautiful vistas and photographs.
It is definitely worth the five bucks to come and spend an hour or two, just looking at the ocean, enjoying the great weather, and taking in some of the beauty that is Cabrillo Monument. Plus there's a house here that's from the 1800s. I recommend this as one of the must-see things in San Diego.
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From the breezy patio outside the visitor center, one has a great view of the city of San Diego and Naval Air Station North Island to the northeast. On a clear day one can see the distant mountains, also. We watched a submarine come into port, C130s and other aircraft take off, and redtail hawks float on the breeze as we enjoyed the view. That alone was worth the price of admission. If my video camera didn't malfunction I would have had excellent shots of the planes and submarine.
But wait-- there's more! Our 8-year old received her Junior Ranger workbook and toured the grounds and museum to find the answers she needed to earn her badge. The visitor center has replica 16th century armor and navigational aids kids (and adults) can pick up. The museum next door has displays explaining ships, diet, navigation, arms, and exploration in the 16th century. I think the ranger who helped us was named "Jason". Thanks, Jason!
Up the hill from the visitor center is the Point Loma Lighthouse. The rooms of the lighthouse and adjacent building were furnished in 19th century fashion and give visitors a glimpse of what life was like back then.
Next time we'll stay longer and see the tidepools.
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I came here last summer and it is such a great place.
Great view and great history.
Come here and you will learn about San Diego's history.
It will make you feel like you were back in time.
From here, you can view the Coronado bridge and naval station.
You can see how beautiful San Diego is from here.
The trails are amazing, it's a place where you can escape to.
And the best part is, it's only $5!!!
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We picked Cabrillo National Monument as our wedding site - I can't be more happy that we did. The views are phenomenal and just stunned our visiting family members, as well as provided a fantastic backdrop for our photos. Plus, they were totally amenable to working out a way for all of our guests to get in under a group rate in separate cars, and the permit rate is very affordable compared to San Diego city-run parks.
Keep in mind that can get windy so if you are wearing a dress you should probably avoid going commando...
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It's my 100th review. Big whoop, but I wanted a 5 star review for the occasion.
So, I had about an hour to kill before having to run the rest of my errands. I packed up my cameras and headed to Cabrillo, knowing full well it was 4pm and the place closes at 5pm.
I got there @ 4:30, which wasn't a big deal, I just wanted to snap a few pics with my new camera and head off. Since it was so late, I didn't have to pay the 5.00 fee, so that was cool.
I arrived, I parked, I set up my camera, the wind whipped my long hair in all directions, and I took some great pics. In the end, I was sorry I got here so late. The view is incredible, and I was mesmerized by the statue, for some reason. When they announced on the loud speaker that they were closing, my heart sank. Half of an hour here just doesn't do anyone any justice.
You have to drive past the cemetary to get here. Some people are freaked out by rows and rows of tombstones, but, I actually find peace when I pass by. You'd have to understand me to get it. I wanted to stop and take pics, but didn't.
I have to come back. Hafta.
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This is one of the many places San Diego has to offer that is great for tourist's and locals. Our first visit we only visited the tide pools. I recommend checking the tide report before going to make the most of it. Low tide is the best time for the pools.
http://www.tides.info/...
We watched the movie that had a brief description of the tide pools and were very pleased we did.
Can get very busy, the park is large enough to accommodate but the parking lot by the pools is not.
Our next visit we picked up a $15.00 parking pass good for a year. With homemade lunch we were there for the day. There was a heavy marine layer both visits but that was ok. The views were incredible, kids were impressed and we enjoyed the handy info provided at each major location.
Lighthouse got crowded and didn't hold kids attention for too long but interesting all the same. Great place to get a view of the ocean and bay, weekends you get a chance to see all of the sailboats from above.
Take food, read posted info and enjoy a fun day-
I love Cabrillbo park. I have a year pass (only $15!) and use it frequently. For runners (or walkers or hikers) this is an excellent spot to go for a Weekend run. Drive into the park and go down the hill (amazing view!) to your right when you first enter and park down by the tide pools. I like to run up the hill and out to PLNU (about 6 miles roundtrip). For hikers, the have really beautiful trails, all overlooking the ocean.
It's less crowded on Sunday mornings, but it's never really that crowded. Also on Weekdays the park closes by 5pm, so unless you have the day off work (or don't work), weekends are your best bet.
You can't really say you are a San Diegan unless you've experienced Cabrillo!
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gorgeous!
views are SWEET
we went on memorial day without even thinking about the fact that it was memorial day, and it was way too crowded, it took about 15 minutes to get a parking spot at the tide pool. im giving it the benefit of the doubt that parking is easy on nonholidays.
it's really cool to see san diego, coronado and mexico from here. wonderful and surprisingly peaceful despite all of the tourists.
