TIDAL POOLS POINT LOMA WINDOWS

The glass windows offered an enviable panoramic view of the bay and the city skyline.

The park recommends going to the Visitor’s Center first as an orientation on the Spanish explorers and to plan your visit. It was a very interesting ecosystem where the creatures have obviously adapted well to a harsh natural environment. Walking along the rocks was somewhat slippery so watch your steps. Removing or disturbing plants or animals are protected by federal law and subject to heavy fines. This is the key here and must be stressed to the kids and even some adults. Hermit crabs scampering along the rocks were also fun to watch. Sea stars, sea urchins, goose barnacles sticking to rocks and sea anemones among others were all waiting to be observed. There was so much activity in each rock crevice or tiny pools of water between rocks. This exploration would have been even better if we had a sheet or book with images of the the tide pool creatures to use as references to identify things. They actually didn’t want to leave even after spending a couple of hours here. My kids could have spent the whole day wandering around, turning over rocks and spotting the creatures. There was such a diverse group of marine animals and plants here. It is also a popular backdrop for many pictures. This was a very popular place for kids to climb on. But, it is definitely worth the climb to fully appreciate this area. It was somewhat surprising to see these picturesque and layered rocks albeit very sharp and rough to climb down in. Sandstone cliffs surrounded the tide pools. Although, babies would be fine on baby carriers. This is not the ideal spot for strollers and wheelchairs. The trail leading to the tide pools is wide but not paved and ends at a stairway to the shoreline. Roadside parking was not available so this is something visitors should be aware of when visiting – lack of parking. The closest parking lot to the trail is quite small and the other parking lot on a nearby lookout was also crowded. Of course, great weather and low tides meant there were a lot of people exploring the area. We got lucky and the low tides revealed the tide pools for the visitors. It’s a few minutes drive down and is not walkable from the visitor’s center.

Knowing we were going to spend quite some time here, this was the first place we visited upon entering the park. The area is usually covered in water but during the low tides, the rocks and small tide pools are exposed for everyone to enjoy. This fascinating area known as the rocky intertidal zone or tide pools along the coast is a “must-see” attraction. But, the area also includes a diverse group of attractions that include tide pools, an old lighthouse, an ecotype trail, a military reserve and a very interesting visitor’s center. On a clear day, Mexico to the south is also visible. There’s nowhere else in the city that rivals this panoramic scenery. The regal statue fittingly looks over the breathtaking view of the city, the harbor and Coronado Island.

It’s quite interesting that the San Miguel name didn’t last and San Diego was named instead for a Spanish patron saint almost 60 years after Cabrillo landed here. He named the area San Miguel - modern San Diego’s current location. Cabrillo National Monument is much more than the imposing limestone statue dedicated to Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo (Cab-ri-yo) – the first European explorer to set foot on the United States’ west coast in 1542.Īs a commander of three vessels, Cabrillo set sail from the coast of Mexico and entered a harbor he described as “a closed and very good port”.

Tidal pools point loma