What can I say about an old historic Old Point Loma Lighthouse museum?!?! It's history with an AMAZING views of the ocean!!! It's built in 1855 in the Cabrillo National Monument. It was built high above the fog so it really didn't help guide the ships! It was decommissioned in 1891. It is now a museum to teach us about the life of the light keeper life. It's a self guided tour kind of thing. Overall, it's a fun walk and tour. If you enjoy history, this will interest you. The views are beautiful! read more

Old Point Loma Lighthouse - Little garden - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Diego, California

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The views up the mountain are worth the ride up . The lighthouse is a quaint piece of history . The museum was very informative and being an information junkie I loved learning about the history and progression of how the lighthouse was an important part of San Diego history. You can take a look inside and it not for those who don't like small spaces or spiral staircases but it lets you go all the way up to the light tower to view it from below . There are great views overlooking all of the bay as far as you can see . The park rangers do run a guided tour if you get there just right timing and there was a volunteer w a telescope pointing out highlights on the horizon. On a side not the bathrooms were very clean and well maintained for a state park. The history about Cabrillo was interesting too read more

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Old Point Loma Lighthouse at Cabrillo National Monument Cabrillo National Monument, located in San Diego, California, is rich in history and natural beauty. Named after Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, the first European to set foot on the West Coast of the United States in 1542, the monument commemorates his historic exploration. Among its many attractions, the lighthouses at Cabrillo National Monument stand out for their historical significance. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse is one of the monument's most fascinating aspects. Built in 1855, it served as a beacon for sailors navigating the treacherous waters off the coast of San Diego. Rested high on a cliff, the lighthouse provided a panoramic view of the surrounding ocean and city. Unfortunately, its elevation was a disadvantage, as fog and low clouds often covered the light. In 1891, the lighthouse was decommissioned and replaced by a new one built closer to sea level. During our recent visit to the Monument, we parked our car in one of the parking lots near the Visitor Center and, after visiting the attractions there, walked up the road to the Lighthouse. It is a 5-10-minute walk, depending on your pace. We learned a lot about the lighthouse and its history. The interior has been carefully preserved to give visitors a feel for how the keepers lived there in those days. The exhibits are very interesting and informative. They give visitors a good understanding of the lighthouse's importance and the challenges its keepers faced in those days. I highly recommend visiting this National treasure to those who live in or are visiting San Diego. read more

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California 01-2024 Tony and I drove to San Diego and went to the Cabrillo Point Park located here is also the Point Loma Lighthouse. One price of the park gets you to all of the sites including the gorgeous views of San Diego, the Harbour and Pacific Ocean. Definitely recommend if you are in the area read more

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Accessibility: not great. You have to park at the bottom of a steep hill and either walk far or have someone push you uphill. It is half a mile or more from the parking lot. Stairs inside the lighthouse. Very very windy here. Experience: awesome little lighthouse. Very educational inside. Beautiful views. Definitely one to check out if you can. read more

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We had an amazing time at the Cabrillo National Monument, beginning at the lower level. We spent about 15 MINUTES there, on the nice bench!! I would like to thank them for having a disabled parking spot amongst their parking spaces. We then drove up to the VISITOR'S CENTER, for the views, and the JUAN RODRIQUEZ CABRILLO Statue. At the upper level, there were very few disabled parking spots. We saw only one, but it was for an RV. WE WERE DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS!!! We saw something for the very first time, a plane carrying a political figure flying into North Island. It was then off to the LIGHTHOUSE. It was particularly windy up there, and we loved it. We didn't go into the Lighthouse this time, but we walked around it. It was a beautiful day, but very cool and windy; WHICH WE LOVED!!! As we drove out, we got a much better glimpse of the FORT ROSECRANS MILITARY CEMETERY. So beautiful, with its green, green grass. read more

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The lighthouse itself was under going renovation until end the month (August 2024). The house next to the lighthouse has a lot of memorabilia and complete information about the lighthouse. its very interesting and informative visit. The view just stunning. read more

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I have always had a thing for lighthouses and enjoy visiting this one when I am in San Diego. This is the Old Point Loma Lighthouse that operated from 1855 to 1891. It is located within Cabrillo National Monument at the southern tip of the Point Loma peninsula. It didn't operate very long because fog obscured the light and so today it is a museum. There is a newer lighthouse down the hill. Inside the museum, you can get a glimpse of what the living quarters of lighthouse keepers looked like back then. They have vintage clothes, furniture, and other artifacts on display in each of the rooms. Even though most of the keepers had their families with them, being a lighthouse keeper looked like a lonely life. But at the same time, there were lots of things for them to do to keep these lighthouses running. Nearby is Cabrillo National Monument where you can see the statue of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo. There is also a visitor center and a hiking trail. read more

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Great national park to visit! Opens 9am on the dot Several easy trails to take and observe the oceans, coronado Islands, and nature. The lighthouse is a site to see, and fun to walk up the winding stairwell up to the top of the light house. Unfortunately you can no longer walk around the light itself. But, still really cool to see. Rooms are set up through look through windows with fun information on the time back then about the rooms. Isn't history fun!? There's the keepers quarters with the light up close so you can see how it works and fun information about the artifacts and the folks. Little garden with veggies and fruit growing to make the times more real! We got the honor to pick carrots, the volunteers are extremely nice and the rangers are helpful too. Bathrooms are clean and well kept. Bring quarters to use the binoculars look for whales or the ships setting out. This is a local place for us, we have an annual pass for$80 to visit all the national parks so it's worth it especially since we have a couple of national parks relatively close by. Have fun, bring water and snacks and hats. No shade and it gets hot. Respect nature and the park. Pack in pack out The other trails drop down to the tide pools and other fun trails. Maps are available and a gift shop along with getting your NP stamp for your book. Fun Jr Ranger booklet that's fun and educational for the older kids to do. read more

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I was able to check out the Old Point Loma Lighthouse during the National Park free entry day. The lighthouse is located at the Cabrillo National Monument. At first I thought I was driving in a restricted area because you pass a military post and a cemetery, but you'll soon see signs that you are headed in the right direction. There is no direct parking at the lighthouse (there was a rope blocking the road), so you need to park by the visitor center and walk up the hill. The lighthouse is like a tiny museum where you can see what it used to look like when it was occupied as a living space. You can climb up the staircase but the top of the lighthouse was not accessible. Outside, you'll see a little garden and another building that has some interesting information about the lighthouse. Fun fact- the light house used to be used as a gift store that sold post cards and ice cream. Overall, interesting spot to visit if you like lighthouses or are in the area. read more

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A Light for Sore Eyes Maybe one of the shortest-lived lighthouses of a mere 36 years (1855-1891) as this original location was soon deemed not a good location due to its height (422' above sea level) not being great for low visibility situations. The Good: *Luckily, they didn't tear it down and kept it here for us to visit while meandering through Cabrillo National Monument. *Spiral staircase is awesome *Great views from the top of the hill The Meh: *I understand why, but the area where the light/lens went is blocked off. It would be cool to pop your head through, but whatever. The Ugly: *Staircase is not recommended for people with claustrophobia. TLDR: If you love lighthouses like we do, then this is def a must-see. read more

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We came here on our last day in San Diego before flying back. It's about $20 for one private vehicle. You park, then you walk uphill to get to the lighthouse. The walk uphill isn't bad, just carry some water with you if you get tired. The lighthouse itself is spacious. The self guided tour is short, so it won't take long to go through it. It was not busy when we went so we read/saw everything at a leisurely pace. While at the top, you can capture some spectacular views of San Diego read more

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Beautiful place to walk around. The history of the lighthouse is cool and it won't take very long to walk through it. There are upper and lower short trail areas to walk along the water. Note that it does close at 5pm which I thought was pretty early. The pass you have to buy to get in is for 7 days. We came back the second day to watch the sunset and waves crash on the rocks at the lower level but found out the lower part closes at 4:30. So just get there earlier in the day with plenty of time to relax and enjoy the peaceful coastline. read more

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A great historic spot with beautiful high views of San Diego and surrounding areas. Worth the drive to the top. read more

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Located inside Cabrillo National Monument the lighthouse is by far my favorite attraction in the park! I am a sucker for a good old time recreation. The lighthouse looks as it would have been in "the day". Complete with people who dress in period clothing to tell you history. They maintain a garden to the side also. You're able to walk up the stairs to get a true feeling for how meager their accommodations were back then. If you get a chance to visit you totally should! read more

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Cool lighthouse located in the property of Cabrillo National Monument. You can go inside the two buildings and learn more about the history. Well maintained. Can get a bit crowded if there's a field trip or a group. Definitely worth checking out if you're on the National Monument property. read more

Old Point Loma Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Diego, California

This is the second part of my review of the Point Loma Light Hose with pictures that have never before seen. And the many locations that are featured are the many that I had did on foot. The time that the sailors had sailed the seas the many ships have looked to the seas for the distant lights that light the skies and brightens the shores many a times that when you hear, " Rocks ahead captain " as the capat6in would give orders to sail away from the shore but there wou8ld be times they would only use the light of the moon. There is one place that tells a historical story that can be one that ranges through the many centuries the many ships that had sailed the seas they used many times torches to see through the night and when it came to go near the land it was the most Dangerous. With the many years the lighthouses that had come to be used and the use of bright lights that were only powered by oil lamps that would be housed in small lamps that over time were made much larger. From the creation of the coastline there were many that many places were unable to get to them and the coastline was too rocky, and the many dangerous cliffs couldn't support lighthouses, so they had to look higher that had the high view and still had the way to provide a way of letting the light shine far and wide. The many years that the Point Loma Light House has withstood the test of time when the light house was on the Point Loma Coast Line the area around the light house was used as the many areas for the military coastal watch and the many members of the service. During the many years the Point Loma stretch of land was the gateway for the United States Navy and the many ships that have had sailed past, and the many ships of the United States Navy has looked to the light house as the guide through the seas. Point Loma Lighthouse was there to help many ships to sail along the West Coast the lighthouse keeper was up at many hours of the night many times they would have rooms up near the top to run up the stairs to keep the light lit. The life of the light house was all things were done at the light house with food that was grown outside, and the oil was kept close by. Too see the life of the light housekeeper is take a walk through the lighthouse and see what they had to work with and the many storms they had to brave to keep the keep the light shining As a Yelp Elite the day at the lighthouse it was like walking back through history and the many ships the lighthouse shinned so bright to light the West Coast to help ships as their guide. read more

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The original Point Loma Lighthouse is one of the best preserved 19th century lighthouses on the West Coast ... and certainly the most educational. Come learn about the day-to-day life of a lighthouse keeper and his (or her) family. The rooms in the lighthouse are arranged to depict life in the lighthouse, as are the grounds that include a demonstration garden. Great signage. Nearby is a museum that contains a lighthouse lens display and other displays related to lighthouse keepers. Admission is free to the Old Point Loma Lighthouse after you enter Cabrillo National Monument. read more

Old Point Loma Lighthouse - Old Point Loma Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Diego, California

The lighthouse is located with Carbrillo National Monument. The lighthouse became a museum after decommissioning. It showcased the daily life of the lighthouse keeper and family. There was also a separate building that contained lighthouse lantern parts and explained how it worked. The ground around the lighthouse was beautiful and the view of the Pacific Ocean was magnificent. There was a couple there taking pictures of their engagement. It's definitely worth a visit. read more

Old Point Loma Lighthouse - Lighthouse & museum. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Diego, California

This was my first time touring the inside of the lighthouse. It was really cool to read about the history of the lighthouse and the people who lived here. I had no idea that the lighthouse was big enough for the keeper of the lighthouse and his family to live here! There was a kitchen and 2 bedrooms, and a small living room. Interesting to learn a little bit of history. read more

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This is a beautiful Lighthouse on the point surrounded by incredible views of the San Diego Harbor and the great, wide Pacific Ocean. Being on the point, there are views on both sides of the lighthouse and a short but picturesque hike up to the lighthouse and around the point. I try to visit as often as possible. The serenity here can't be beat. read more

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I love history and to check off yet another national location excites my soul! The trail was nice with a slight incline. We were able to enter the lighthouse. Much to my surprise of house spacious it was. Point Loma was known as a lonely place as it's far from Old Town (San Diego) The views from Kelp Forest Overlook Loop are breathtaking! Not handicap accessible. Definitely a must see if capable of climbing hills read more

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Tip - bring water. The Park does have vending machines and water refilling stations for reusable bottles. My husband and I love to visit lighthouses. You always get amazing views and get a little piece of the local history. Old Point Loma Lighthouse was our first California lighthouse visited as we live in Florida. If you ever are in Florida, I highly suggest checking out some of the lighthouses on the East coast. This particular lighthouse is small as it is already elevated on a hilly peninsula. Old Point Loma Lighthouse is a nonactive lighthouse located in the Cabrillo National Monument. Parking is $20 which gives you access to not only the Lighthouse, but also walking trails, the fort, tidal pools and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and the Bay. You can easily spend hours here. I would suggest no less than 2 hours to soak everything in. We were there for 2 hours and could have easily stayed a couple more. If you are in the San Diego area, I highly suggest checking out this beautiful piece of history. read more

Cabrillo is a national park so make sure you use your park pass if you have one, about $80 for the year, otherwise price is kind of steep for a single visit $20 for a car of 4 adults. Great views here of the Pacific ocean, Fort Rosecrans cemetery, the light house, Coronado island and bridge, the bay, the hotel Del, etc. There are trails to explore, tide pools, a visitor center, and so much to see. Great for taking photos. Many vantage points down by the tide pools, and up by the light house, and visitor center. Definitely a good place for visitors and first timers, out of town guests, etc. It is definitely touristy and crowded, but plenty of parking, once you get in. The upper area by the museum, monument, statues and light house has ample parking and restrooms. There is a movie playing with some history of the area. The views are 360 and spectacular so bring your wide angle and telephoto lenses. Boats and ships cruising by, military helicopters, plenty to take pictures of. The light house is small but cool. They have a ranger to give information and there are some things to see in the museum-ish area. There is a staircase to the top but the view is not great and it is always crowded, and so many little kids coming up and down, but sure if it is clear and you want to, give a 1x look. We were down at the tidepools from 3-445 did not realize the park and lighthouse closed at 5. The rangers kicked us out but I got a few pics with my cell phone on this last visit. The Tide pools are good at low tide, and they are not too hard to get around on, but can be slippery, and not for people who are out of shape or have bad knees. You have to climb down from the rocks, there are no stairs. Parking by the tide pools is a major hassle as the lot is small and always crowded, there is always a queue of cars waiting and hawking for someone to leave so they can grab their spot. There are some cool trails down the coast from the tide pools, and plenty of resting brown pelicans, so bring your camera for good photo opps. The coast is cool, jagged, rocky, and sometimes the waves shoot up from them almost like a blowhole. The rangers are a little touchy around 5 pm closing time and will definitely try to get you to leave. There are bathrooms by the parking lot. read more

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Definitely a must when visiting San Diego. The lighthouse is quaint and view is breathtaking. If you're lucky enough to get a parking space, the tidepools are a great place to explore. It's also a fantastic place to watch our military personnel hard at work. read more

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Of all the times we have visited Cabrillo, we have yet to venture up to where the lighthouse is....that is until today. We decided to take the short hike up and take in the beautiful scenery on the way up. They have masks mandatory signs posted, which coincides with the new CDC rules and everyone was following the requirement. There was more park rangers today then we have noticed in quite a while...except for closing time. The top of the lighthouse is closed but you can go all the way up the stairs to the locked gate then venture on back down. They have the living quarters behind glass/plexi-glass shield. Then as you venture out to your right is the history about the lighthouse. Today was especially busy and brings a lot of visitors from out of town, even if you are a local it is a must see. Munchkin thought it was pretty cool. read more

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Loving the old lighthouse. The lighthouse is now a little museum. It is a 2 story Cape Cod styled building. The interior is a staged time capsule of what it looked like in the 1880s. It is pretty neat to see up close the tiny cozy quarters. Amazing how small a space folks lived in back in the day. The spiral staircase is teeny tiny and leads up to the lens. But there is no access to the lighthouse lantern. The assistant lighthouse keeper quarters has been converted to a museum as well. But the quarters have not been preserved. It showcases, right smack dab in the middle of the room, the fresnel lens that was taken from the other newer Point Loma Lighthouse. There are history boards describing fresnel lenses and lighthouse history including the stories of the keepers families with old photos. Pretty neat. As you walk up to the lighthouse, the path has sculptures, history boards, and beautiful Torrey pines. Soak it all in. History: The lighthouse was operational in November 1855 and was decommissioned in 1891. It adapted the fresnel lens. At the time, this lighthouse was the tallest but was problematic. Low clouds and fog obscured the light. So another lighthouse was commissioned and it was at a lower elevation on the Point; that one become Point Loma Lighthouse while the older one was now called the "Old Point Loma Lighthouse". read more

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First European settler. Great piece of history. Amazing view. I wish we could have gone to the top of the lighthouse. That was not open.

Beautiful site and fun to learn a bit about SD history. Driving here sure makes you thankful for today's type of transportation. Fun fact-- this lighthouse was actually built too high that it would get into the clouds. Thus, another lighthouse was built at a lower elevation so ships could see the light even on cloudy days. Great views from here and fun stop for an afternoon. read more

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The view is beautiful! Went during November, so it was raining, cold, and less crowded then usual. read more

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This has got to be one of my favorite places in the world. The light house over looking Cabrillo. The views are spectacular, the museum is preserved well. The views of San Diego and everywhere or gorgeous. The blue sparkling waters and nature trees blow. This place is so heavenly... Highly recommend for any tourist or locals read more

Old Point Loma Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Diego, California

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Super cool landmark, a must see if you are visiting San Diego! Surprisingly enough after all these years living in SoCal, I still haven't visited this place! So on my recent trip to San Diego, we decided to stop here to check it out. Parked at the visitor's center and walked over. The lighthouse is super cute with all the rooms decorated to real life. The cute quilts and bed and desk, as well as the small kitchen on the first floor. The garden had many wonderful variety of vegetables, and it obvious that someone is taking care of it very well. The view is stunning next to the lighthouse, and you can get many great photos. Definitely recommend. read more

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We are in San Diego for thanksgivings. So I visited thr lighthouse wirh my sister's husband. Long ago, I visited this point loma lighthouse and it was a depressing place for me. But this time around, it was not. It was a beautiful, serene place. I really liked it. The wind was breezy and the scenery was beautiful. The lighthouse was so nice and cozy. Inside the lighthouse was neat. The parking was good too. Plenty of parking. The visitor's center was good too. I bought the magnet and thr little lego mobile kit of the lighthouse. It took me one hour to make the mobile lego set. The lighthouse tour itself took only 40 minutes. If you choose to do hiking, it takes a longer time. It was a beautiful place and it wasn't depressing this time. I would recommend this place to everyone who visits San Diego. read more

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So you made it to the Carrillo National Monument. You paid the entrance fee, parked and you've got your walking shoes on. Now you're making your way up to the lighthouse. The views are beautiful up here and the grounds are well kept. You can go into the lighthouse and there's an adjacent building that acts as a mini museum. Inside the lighthouse you can climb the extremely narrow winding staircase but be warned, if there's a line of people going up, those same people have to come back down. There isn't much room at the top and you only get to look through some glass into the room up there. So as you're trying to slowly climb the stairs with people in front of you and behind, those people at the top are trying to come down at the same time. It doesn't work well at all. But, you can say you got up there I guess. It's nice to spend some time here on the grounds and plenty of photo opportunities. I believe this is the highest spot on the peninsula. read more

I've been to Cabrillo so many times and, for some reason, have never actually taken the time to walk up to/through the lighthouse!! It was beautiful!! Went on a weekday and my husband and I were the only ones there. Beautiful views and it was so neat to see the rooms inside of the lighthouse. I can't wait to go back! read more

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The lighthouse is one of many sights when going to the Point Loma State Park. Educational, full of Historical facts, lots of trails to view at different vantage points. Plenty of parking in this area around the visitor center. read more

Old Point Loma Lighthouse - Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Diego, California

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What an nice place to visit. We got to see this place on our excursion to SD and exploration of Point Loma. This light house sits on the same plot of land as the Cabrillo Monument. The light house is a two story building. You can walk inside, but most of the interior sits behind glass paneling. You can walk up a narrow winding staircase and see the second story, also which is behind glass panelling. There is an adjacent building that serves as a museum, but I didn't spend much time there. The greenery here is manicured to provide some pretty nice and scenic walking paths. There is potential for good photos in and around this building. I'd recommend a visit. read more

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Know this before planning your trip: The place is open 9a.m to 5p.m so plan accordingly. Carry a snack and a bottle of water since there is nothing inside. So out of a boring Sunday afternoon, I challenged myself to take up a random drive. No google maps allowed. I started seeing signs for Beaches and I thought, "Okay I am going in the good direction". I ended up at the junction where I-8W meets Sunset Cliffs Blvd and Nimitz Blvd. Since I have been to Sunset Cliffs Before, I thought of going to Nimitz. In the end, I landed on the barricades which said US Naval Base. I got to maps thinking I was going to trespass only to realize that I am on my way to the Cabrillo Monument National Park. I got super happy and started driving. The drive which leads to the reception booth is beautiful You will pass by the National Cemetery of US Navy Veterans. And running along with you on the left will be the seaport. You can see ships from a distance and it all looks like one pretty piece of art. After around 4 miles of driving from the barricades, you will reach the reception booth. I had a queue of around 10 cars even though I went there one hour prior to closing time. So I am sure it is crowded all the time. The normal entry fee is $10 which gives you a pass that is valid for 7 days from purchase. You can also buy the Cabrillo Annual pass for $20 or the all national parks in the country annual pass for $80. All that depends on your travel habits. I took the $20 annual pass, as I would really like to get my friends to this place, that's how much I liked it. Once you cross the booth, you go right towards the parking. If you do not get parking in this first parking lot, there is additional parking if you go left from there towards the Cabrillo Monument. You will not have to struggle for a spot, I bet. You will have to walk up to the lighthouse and then to the monument. Both the walks are really short since it is a small park. The views from both the places are breathtaking. I was awestruck and couldn't help take a million pictures. There are information boards in a lot of spots for you to know why and since when does this place exist. I like to read such boards so it is a treat for the people like me. You can also find a lot of spots/benches to just face one of the amazing views and sit there for a long time. It is a peaceful experience. Recommendation: I feel that you can cover the whole place and sit there to experience the view, all in two hours. I didn't find anything more to do there but I am sure everybody has different ways of experiencing such places. But in all this place is a must visit. read more

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A really neat place to visit if your interested in National Parks or in the San Diego area. This was our last stop during our vacation, but we easily could have spent more than just 1.5 hours here. You don't get to go all the way up to the top of the lighthouse where the observation deck is, but you do get to see the majority of the inside of the lighthouse. The adjacent building educates you about the history of the lighthouse, timelines and how present-day lighthouses operate. Everything is self-guided, at least at 4pm on a weekday afternoon. A must see for any lighthouse enthusiast or the curious. read more

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There are so many beautiful things in this world and the Old Point Loma Lighthouse is one of them. It reminds me so much of one I visited in Kawaii a few years back. The walk up is a bit steep if you're out of shape, but short and doable. I love that you can go inside or just sit and relax and check out all the views. The grounds are well kept and there are so many great photo opportunities. Between the tide pools and the lighthouse it's s fun family day. read more

Old Point Loma Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Diego, California