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Cabrillo National Monument Tidepools and Whales

Part of Fishing in San Diego, our guide to fishing, long-range sportfishing and whale watching in San Diego.

Cabrillo National Monument is open daily 9 AM to 5 PM; tidepools close at 4:30 PM. Entry is $20 per vehicle for 7 days. NPS says whale watching season runs late December to mid March. The tidepools sit inside a marine reserve where nothing may be taken.Checked October 23, 2026.

9 to 5park open daily
4:30 PMtidepools close
$20per vehicle, 7 days
Late Dec to mid Marwhale season
The Old Point Loma Lighthouse, a white building with a short tower, under a blue sky
The Old Point Loma Lighthouse at Cabrillo National Monument. Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Address1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego, CA 92106-3601
Phone(619) 523-4285
HoursPark daily 9 AM to 5 PM; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Visitor center 10 AM to 4 PM weekdays, 10 AM to 5 PM weekends.
FeesVehicle $20 (7 days); motorcycle $15; on foot or bike $10 (ages 15 and under free); annual pass $35

Whale Watching Season

“Whale Watching Season at Cabrillo is from late December to mid March,” according to NPS. Gray whales can be seen from land during that window. For boat tours see whale watching from Point Loma.

Tidepools

The tidepools close at 4:30 PM, with extended summer hours of 30 minutes before sunset or 7:30 PM, whichever is earlier. A tide of 0.7 feet or lower is best. Admission covers the tidepools and the lighthouse areas, with no refunds for weather or high tides, and the road to the tidepools may close temporarily on busy days when parking is full.

NPS etiquette: collecting any natural item, living or dead, is strictly prohibited; touch animals as gently as you would touch your own eyeball; do not pry attached animals, flip rocks or throw rocks; no containers, nets or tools; wear closed-toe shoes with good grip; keep small children close. There is no cell service at the tidepools.

A No-Take Reserve

CDFW says it is unlawful to injure, damage, take or possess any living, geological or cultural marine resource in the Cabrillo State Marine Reserve, so collecting fish, shells, algae or rocks is not permitted. Easiest access is through the monument.

Lighthouse History

The old lighthouse was lit on November 15, 1855 and deactivated in 1891; the new light station was established on March 23, 1891. The tip of Point Loma is 422 feet. The monument was established by proclamation in October 1913.

Cabrillo National Monument Tidepools and Whales Open the map. © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What We Could Not Verify

  • No scheduled ranger-led tidepool program was found on the pages we read. Not confirmed.
  • The NPS tidepools planning page returned an error (404). Etiquette comes from the NPS “visit the Cabrillo tidepools” page.
  • The whale overlook location is not confirmed on the NPS whale watching page.
  • The 2027 Whale Watch Weekend date is not posted. The Cabrillo Festival listed in our brief is not supported by NPS, which says it was put on hold and has not resumed.
  • Coordinates are approximate OpenStreetMap park points.
  • Fees were last updated March 24, 2026 on the NPS page and can change.

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FAQ

What does Cabrillo cost?

$20 per vehicle for 7 days, $15 per motorcycle, $10 on foot or bike (ages 15 and under free) and $35 for the annual pass.

Can I take shells from the tidepools?

No. NPS says collecting any natural item is strictly prohibited, and the reserve forbids taking any marine resource.

Sources

  1. NPS Cabrillo: basic information
  2. NPS Cabrillo: hours
  3. NPS Cabrillo: fees
  4. NPS Cabrillo: whale watching
  5. NPS: visit the Cabrillo tidepools
  6. NPS Cabrillo: the lighthouses
  7. CDFW: Cabrillo State Marine Reserve

Checked October 23, 2026 by It’s San Diego. Cite this page: It’s San Diego (itssandiego.com), checked October 23, 2026. Free to quote with a link to this page; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.