National parks are a great option for someone wanting to travel more. A national parks pass will get you and your entire car into any national park for $80 a year! I got a random day off work for employee appreciation day and Nefi had spring break so we planned a spontaneous trip to San Diego. We decided to put our national parks pass to good use and check out Cabrillo National Monument. If you don't have a pass it is only $20 for a car to visit Cabrillo National Monument.
Visitor Center, Statue, and Lighthouse
The visitor center is a great place to start your visit. There is a theater and exhibits about Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, but they were closed when we went due to the pandemic. They also have a video about the gray whale migration . A statue of Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo, a gift from Portugal, is a short walk from the visitor center and overlooks the bay and downtown San Diego. Cabrillo was the first European to set foot on what would be the western United States. The park is also next door to the Point Loma Naval Base and you can often see planes taking off and landing at the base in the bay from the many overlooks. There is also a military history exhibit in an old World War II radio station. The Old Point Loma lighthouse is another site close to the visitors center that is part of San Diego's history. You can take a self-guided tour of the lighthouse and the assistant keeper's quarters next door when they're not closed due to the pandemic.
Whale Watching
Gray whales migrate from Alaska to Mexico and pass through San Diego from December to March. Just past the lighthouse there is a whale watching overlook with informational plaques and benches to sit at. Binoculars are recommended and you can borrow them from the visitor center with a photo ID. You're most likely to see whales from January to February. We were there in March and didn't see any whales. For more tips for whale watching check out the national park's website.
Tidepools
The tidepools are best in the Fall and Winter because the low tide is lower and during daylight hours when the park is open. To get to the tidepool area you turn right almost immediately after entering the park and drive down the hill to the tidepool parking lot. Its a quick walk to the tidepools from the parking lot, but make sure you check when low tide will be so you can try and make it as close as possible to low tide. We were a little late for low tide, but we still saw sea anemones, hermit crabs, sea snails, and even a dead lobster some kids were piecing back together. The Coastal Trail (1 mile round trip) follows the cliffs along the coast and is perfect for watching the pelicans soar by.
Bayside Trail
This 2 mile hike starts at the lighthouse and winds down the cliffs until you are walking along the bay. This was the last activity we did and maybe we were just tired and hungry, but we weren't impressed. Even in the Winter the sun is bright and it's super windy so be sure to bring sunglasses and sunscreen because we were exhausted and sunburned by the end of our visit. The trail does have nice views of downtown San Diego, Coronado Island, and even Tijuana on a clear day. We enjoyed the views of the ocean from the tidepools and Coastal Trail much more though.
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