adventure // cabrillo national monument, san diego

last monday, my environmental interpretation class took a little field trip to cabrillo national monument in point loma.   the tide was the lowest of the month and the weather was gloomy and overcast.  as the day went by, the clouds slowly drifted away and the sun came out just in time for the sunset.  i had never been to cabrillo before and was taken aback by it's beauty.  the lighthouse is in perfect condition and the views from the top are breathtaking.  i can't wait to go explore again when i have a little bit more time.  if you are anywhere around the san diego area, i definitely recommend checking out cabrillo.  you won't regret it.

some activities at cabrillo national monument:

• who was juan rodriguez cabrillo? find out more about the 16th century explorer that the park is named for.
• hiking: the two-mile bayside trail affords spectacular views of san diego bay and the city beyond, and takes you through one of the last remaining remnants of coastal sage scrub habitat in the world.
• tidepooling: the rocky intertidal area at cabrillo national monument is one of the best protected examples of these unique ecosystems in southern california.
• visiting the lighthouse: be sure to see the old point loma lighthouse, one of the original eight lighthouses on the west coast, restored and refurnished to reflect what life was like in the 1800s. in the adjacent assistant keeper's quarters, interactive exhibits tell the story of the lighthouses of point loma.
• military history: in an historic radio station building, the exhibit “they stood the watch” presents the military history of fort rosecrans.
• whale watching: experience the annual migration of the pacific gray whale as these majestic mammals pass by the park from december through february.