Cabrillo National Monument
Cabrillo National Monument (Spanish: Monumento nacional Cabrillo) is a U.S. national monument at the southern tip of the Point Loma peninsula in San Diego, California. The site is run by the National Park Service. Some 769K visitors came through in 2025.
A national monument inside San Diego
Best months: Feb, Sep, Oct and Nov
February, September, October and November are mild and quieter than average, with highs of 68–82°. When to go ↓
You can stay in San Diego
Cabrillo National Monument is inside San Diego, which has 508 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Established in 1913
Cabrillo National Monument dates from 1913 and is run by National Park Service. About ↓
An airport 5 miles away
San Diego (SAN) has airline service, about 5 miles from Cabrillo National Monument.
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
The year in visitors and weather
Here is how visitors and weather at Cabrillo change through the year.
Cabrillo National Monument
Cabrillo National Monument (Spanish: Monumento nacional Cabrillo) is a U.S. national monument at the southern tip of the Point Loma peninsula in San Diego, California. It commemorates the landing of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo at San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542. This event marked the first time a European expedition had set foot on what later became the West Coast of the United States. The site was designated as California Historical Landmark #56 in 1932. The area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
The park offers a view of San Diego's harbor and skyline, as well as Coronado and Naval Air Station North Island. On clear days, a wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean, Tijuana, and Mexico's Coronado Islands are also visible. A visitor center screens a film about Cabrillo's voyage and has exhibits about the expedition.
- Type
- National Monument
- Established
- 1913
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (1966) · California Historical Landmark (1932)
- Wikipedia readers
- 14K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/cabr
When it is open
- Private Vehicle$20
- Motorcycle$15
- Per Person$10
- Commercial Entrance - Sedan$30
Nights near Cabrillo National Monument
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are San Diego (508) and Coronado (32).
- 1Mexico–United States border wall
- 2Petco Park
- 3Snapdragon Stadium
- 4San Diego Zoo
- 5USS Midway Museum
- 6SeaWorld San Diego
- 7Balboa Park
- 8Pechanga Arena
Chula Vista
275,533 people
14 mi east of Visitor Center and View Building · 13 mi to the park
National City
57,807 people
8 mi east of Visitor Center and View Building · 8 mi to the park
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | in town | — | 508 401 hotels · 27 motels · 25 inns & B&Bs · 17 lodges & cabins · 20 hostels · 13 campgrounds · 5 RV parks | 1,406,106 | $907K | C− |
| Coronado | 5 mi east | 10 min | 32 24 hotels · 3 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins | 21,094 | $2,000K | C |
| Chula Vista | 14 mi east | 20 min | 44 27 hotels · 7 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 3 campgrounds · 5 RV parks | 275,533 | $759K | C |
| National City | 8 mi east | 10 min | 14 10 hotels · 4 motels | 57,807 | $612K | D |
| Imperial Beach | 11 mi southeast | 15 min | 13 9 hotels · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 RV park | 25,206 | $857K | C+ |
| El Cajon | 18 mi northeast | 30 min | 20 12 hotels · 6 motels · 2 RV parks | 101,755 | $682K | C− |
| La Mesa | 15 mi northeast | 20 min | 11 8 hotels · 2 motels · 1 lodge or cabins | 59,914 | $812K | C |
| Encinitas | 26 mi north | 40 min | 26 15 hotels · 3 motels · 6 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 60,736 | $1,647K | B |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Next door to Cabrillo
Pair a visit with these, within 12 miles.
Big draw112 mi LandmarkMexico–United States border wall
25 mi Stadium & arenaPetco Park
Big draw310 mi Stadium & arenaSnapdragon Stadium
47 mi Zoo & aquariumSan Diego Zoo4.0M visitors a year
55 mi MuseumUSS Midway Museum
66 mi Theme parkSeaWorld San Diego4.0M visitors a year
77 mi Park & preserveBalboa Park
86 mi TheatrePechanga ArenaPhoto credits
Mexico–United States border wall: Földhegy, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Petco Park: Mds08011, CC BY 4.0 · Snapdragon Stadium: Terrible Tim, CC BY-SA 4.0 · San Diego Zoo: en:User:Cburnett, CC BY-SA 3.0 · USS Midway Museum: Christian David, CC BY-SA 4.0 · SeaWorld San Diego: ZooFari, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Balboa Park: Antoine Taveneaux, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Pechanga Arena: Nehrams2020, CC BY-SA 3.0
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769,336 visitors in 2025
Years run from 2016 on the left to 2025 on the right.
Questions before you go
Is Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego?
Yes. It’s inside San Diego, CA. The address is 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego, CA 92106.
When is the best time to visit Cabrillo National Monument?
February, September, October and November, with highs of 68–82°. July is the busiest month (about 83,569 visitors).
How many people visit Cabrillo National Monument each year?
769,336 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 997,903, set in 2017.
How far is Cabrillo National Monument from Irvine and Santa Ana?
About 76 miles northwest of Irvine and about 82 miles northwest of Santa Ana, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Cabrillo National Monument?
San Diego (SAN), about 5 miles away.
Where should I stay near Cabrillo National Monument?
San Diego (in town, 508 places to stay), Coronado (5 mi, 32 places to stay) and Chula Vista (14 mi, 44 places to stay).
Notes from people in San Diego
People in San Diego have not posted tips yet; their Town Square is open.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.