One of California’s most significant historical landmarks, this statue marks the spot where Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo became the first European to set foot on the west coast of the United States. Every year at the end of September, actors re-create this historic moment as part of the Cabrillo Festival. If you don’t happen to be in San Diego then, there’s still plenty to explore here, including the two-mile Bayside Trail through tide pools and coastal sage habitat. Cabrillo died in the Channel Islands not long after coming ashore, but he lives forever in the large limestone statue here—near which you can also enjoy stunning 360-degree views of San Diego, the Pacific Ocean, Mexico, and the surrounding mountains.
Cabrillo Statue, Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma, San Diego, California, United States of America, North America
Michael Runkel/age fotostock
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Gorgeous views of the San Diego coastline
Cabrillo national monument is located at the tip of Point Loma and commemorates the landing of the first Europeans on the West coast of California. The first Europeans to come here were the Spanish, so you will find a statue of Juan Cabrillo, who was the captain of that first ship here as part of the monument. There’s a lot to do here- hiking, exploring tide pools and taking in the magnificent sweeping vistas of the San Diego coastline. You can also see well into Mexico and the Coronado islands. This is a gorgeous park and definitely worth a visit!
