Old Point Loma Light House

Point Loma peninsula in San Diego holds the historic Old Point Loma Lighthouse. To guide ships into San Diego Bay, the lighthouse was initially illuminated on November 15, 1855. It remained lit for the next 36 years.

From its 422-foot vantage point, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse commands breathtaking panoramas of the Pacific Ocean, downtown San Diego, and the mountains to the east.

In 1891, it was determined that the height of the building was making the lighthouse's beacon difficult to see through the fog. It is now part of the Cabrillo National Monument, but the Old Point Loma Lighthouse has always been a tourist hotspot. There is a lighthouse tower that tourists can visit to get a birds-eye perspective over San Diego and the coast.

How to explore Old Point Loma Lighthouse?

• On a self-guided tour, see the lighthouse and learn about its history and the role it played in guiding ships into San Diego Bay. Tour experts are on hand to lead tours and field inquiries.
• The tower's spiral staircase allows you to ascend to the top of the lighthouse for a birds-eye perspective of the harbor and San Diego as a city. There are countable stairs to ascend, but the reward at the summit is well worth the effort.
• The lighthouse is engulfed by tidal pools that provide a rare opportunity to observe marine life up close. Explore these pools that are home to a variety of marine life, including crabs, starfish, sea anemones, etc.
• The lighthouse is situated in Cabrillo National Monument, which features a number of hiking routes. These routes provide stunning vistas of the ocean and its surroundings. Two well-liked routes are the Bayside - Trail and the Coastal Trail, which you can consider hiking.
• Explore the exhibits at the museum, which detail the lighthouse's history as well as that of the surrounding Point Loma community. Exhibits about the vegetation and animals of the tide pools are also available.