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The Old Point Loma Lighthouse stood watch over the entrance to San Diego Bay for 36 years. At dusk on November 15, 1855, the light keeper climbed the winding stairs and lit the light for the first time. What seemed to be a good location 422 feet above sea level, however, had a serious flaw. Fog and low clouds often obscured the light.
- Basic Information
The low tide time if you wish to explore the tidepools. You...
- Operating Hours & Seasons
4:30 PM. Coastal Trail and Coastal Area. 4:30 PM. Entrance...
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- What You Can Do at Point Loma Lighthouses
- Point Loma Lighthouse's Fascinating History
- Visiting Point Loma Lighthouses
- Where Are The Point Loma Lighthouses located?
The original Point Loma Lighthouse is the centerpiece of the Cabrillo National Monument. The monument honors Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. He was the first European to discover the San Diego Bay and chart the coast of California. On a clear day, it's worth a trip to the monument just for the views of San Diego and the ocean. Besides ...
The original lighthouse had a unique Cape Cod-style design. Unfortunately, the planning was so poor that the first-order Fresnel lens wouldn't fit it into the tower. A smaller lens replaced it. That may have contributed to construction costs which reached more than $30,000 in 1855 (more than $800,000 in twenty-first-century dollars) — much higher t...
The lighthouse is inside a National Monument. You will have to pay an admission fee to visit it. The park is open most days of the year except for major holidays. Check the operating hoursbefore you make the drive out there.
Old Point Loma Lighthouse 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive San Diego, CA Cabrillo National Monument Website The Point Loma Peninsula is across the Bay from downtown San Diego. You'll find driving directions from all the major San Diego freeways at the Cabrillo National Monument website. If you're using a GPS, use the address above. By public transporta...
- Betsy Malloy
“A Page from History: The illuminating tale of Point Loma lighthouse’s ‘misfit’ lens,” Karen Scanlon and Kim Fahlen, Point Loma-OB Monthly, November 16, 2021. Map Located in Cabrillo National Monument at the southern tip of Point Loma in San Diego.
Located on the picturesque Point Loma peninsula in San Diego, California, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse is a historic landmark that was built in 1855 by the United States government. Although it is no longer functioning as a lighthouse, it has been transformed into a captivating museum that is open to the public.
The Old Point Loma Lighthouse stood watch over the entrance to San Diego Bay for 36 years. At dusk on November 15, 1855, the light keeper climbed the winding stairs and lit the light for the first time. What seemed to be a good location 422 feet above sea level, however, had a serious flaw. Fog and low clouds often obscured the light.
