CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT

Located at the tip of the peninsula, this park is dedicated to the memory of explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European to set foot on the American West Coast. In addition to one of California's oldest lighthouses, you can watch whales from Whale Overlook and catch a glimpse of the new Point Loma lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula. Although the park is quite a distance from Downtown, its magnificent views of San Diego are well worth the detour.