Tier 1 · Essential · ★ Flagship 12

Old Point Loma Lighthouse

Point Loma Lighthouse (1855)

San Diego · San Diego County · Southern California

InactivestandingPublic accesseasyNational Park Service

Old Point Loma Lighthouse at Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego — Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributors· CC / public domain — see source for specific licensesource

⚠ Verify before you drive

Confirm current interior access status — restoration work reported in 2024. Confirm current entrance fee.

Year first lit

1855

Current structure built

1855

Tower height

46 ft

Focal plane

462 ft

Optic

Third-order Fresnel lens (original; on display inside tower)

Light characteristic

N/A (deactivated 1891)

Owner

National Park Service

Manager

NPS – Cabrillo National Monument

Coordinates

32.6720, -117.2409 Map

Current hours

Cabrillo NM open daily 9am–5pm; lighthouse interior open during monument hours (confirm restoration status before visit)

Fees

$20/vehicle; America the Beautiful pass accepted

NRHP listed

Yes

History

One of the original eight lighthouses built on the West Coast. First lighthouse on the Pacific Coast of the United States. Deactivated 1891 because fog frequently obscured the light at its high elevation. Cape Cod architectural style.

Why it matters

The oldest lighthouse structure on the West Coast and one of the most historically significant in the United States. Its deactivation story — too high, too foggy — is a foundational lesson in lighthouse engineering.

The visit

Fully restored interior open to visitors. Original third-order Fresnel lens on display. Stunning views of San Diego Bay and the Pacific. Combined with Cabrillo NM tide pools and whale watching.

Logistics

Recommended base

San Diego (downtown or Point Loma neighborhood)

Nearby food / coffee

Point Loma Seafoods, Mitch's Seafood, Caffe Bella Italia

Nearby lodging

Humphreys Half Moon Inn (Point Loma), Holiday Inn Express Point Loma, downtown San Diego hotels

Accessibility

Paved path to lighthouse. Interior stairs present. Check NPS site for current interior access status.

Flagship 12 anchor for Southern California. Easy access, high history value, excellent photography. Pairs naturally with New Point Loma Lighthouse nearby.

Nearby lighthouses

New Point Loma Lighthouse

San Diego, Southern California

Tier 1Active aidPublic accesseasy

The 'replacement' story — why the old lighthouse failed and how the new one solved the problem — is a compelling engineering narrative. Visible from Cabrillo NM.

Ballast Point Light (demolished)

San Diego, Southern California

Tier 3DemolishedRestricteddifficult

unknown

Sources

Officialnps.gov/cabr/index.htm
Officialhistory.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Assets/Land/All/Article/1975557/point-loma-lighthouse
Secondarylighthousefriends.com/light.asp
Secondaryen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Point_Loma_Lighthouse
Imagescommons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Old_Point_Loma_Lighthouse.jpg
Imagesloc.gov/pictures/item/ca0373

Image rights: NPS images generally public domain. HAER/HABS Library of Congress images public domain. Wikimedia Commons has multiple CC-licensed images.

Research confidence: high · Last verified 2026-05-13