POINT LOMA
A hilly peninsula neighborhood anchored by the historic lighthouse and Cabrillo National Monument.
STAYING HERE
BEST FOR
Cabrillo National Monument, tide pools, and views over San Diego Bay.
WATCH OUT FOR
Spread out and hilly with narrow streets — most sights need a car or a long uphill walk.
GETTING AROUND
A car is recommended; bus service is limited and there's no trolley access.
STAYING A WEEK
WHAT A NIGHT COSTS
Hotel room
$150–300
per night
Whole-place rental
$200–400
per night
Marina hotels on Shelter Island sit well below comparable rooms on the ocean side.
What that looks like in practice
Kona Kai Resort & SpaResort
Marina resort on Shelter Island with its own small beach.
$240–400
$$$$Humphreys Half Moon InnInn
Bayfront rooms wrapped around a summer concert lawn.
$180–300
$$$$Island Palms Hotel & MarinaHotel
Older but well-placed, with boats out the window instead of surf.
$150–250
$$$$
How we got these. Nobody publishes verified nightly rates by San Diego neighborhood, so the ranges above are our own estimate of where a normal booking lands, not a quote and not a sourced figure. These are ranges, not quotes. Summer weekends, Comic-Con and race season run well above the top of them.
For scale, countywide: hotels averaged $235 a night (June 2026 · CoStar, via Hotel-Online), short-term rentals $318 (12 months ending August 2026 · AirDNA). Those two are real market data.
BUYING HERE
THE NUMBERS BEFORE THE OFFER
Median sale price
$1,190,000
RedfinJun 2026
ANSWERS THAT APPLY HERE
42 TIPS ABOUT POINT LOMA
The best sports bars in San Diego, by type: big-screen bars, dives, upscale lounges and the ones with good food
Novo Brazil and The Bullpen for giant screens, Bub's and Tom's Watch Bar by Petco, Harbor Town and Time Out for a neighborhood feel, Nason's for a nicer room, and Dirty Birds or Sandbar when the food matters.
Sports · 11 min · checked 2026-10-22
Where to watch your NFL team in San Diego: fan-club bars for every team we could find
Steelers at Break Point, Packers at Miss B's, Bears at 710 Beach Club, Vikings at Garage, Browns at The Tilted Stick, Bills at The Local PB, Chiefs at Kansas City Barbeque, and 13 more teams' home bars.
Sports · 10 min · checked 2026-10-22
Things to do after Marine graduation in San Diego, and what new Marines can and can't do
Family Day liberty stays on the depot. After Friday's ceremony, Marines start 10 days of leave on their orders. Nearby: Liberty Station, Old Town, Shelter Island, Cabrillo, the USS Midway (free for active duty), Seaport Village and OB.
Military · 10 min · checked 2026-10-05
Living near NAS North Island and Naval Amphibious Base Coronado
Coronado is closest but has the county's top rents. Imperial Beach is cheaper via the Silver Strand. Chula Vista, Point Loma, OB and downtown mean crossing the Coronado bridge. No Navy ferry; a public one runs free commuter trips.
Military · 10 min · checked 2026-10-05
Living near Naval Base Point Loma: gates, neighborhoods and 2026 rents
Point Loma, Liberty Station and Ocean Beach put you 3 to 5 miles from Gate 6 on Rosecrans. Old Town and Mission Hills suit the NAVWAR Old Town Campus, and Clairemont trades a longer drive for lower rent.
Military · 10 min · checked 2026-10-05
MCRD San Diego graduation guide: Family Day, Gate 5, ID rules and the schedule
Enter at Gate 5, 2200 W Washington St, from 6:30 a.m. Thursday's Family Day starts with the 8:15 a.m. Motivational Run, then liberty on the depot until 5:30 p.m. Friday's ceremony runs 10 to 11:30 a.m. Adults need REAL ID.
Military · 10 min · checked 2026-10-05
Where military families live in San Diego, base by base
Near 32nd Street: National City and Chula Vista. North Island: Coronado, Imperial Beach. Miramar: Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch. Pendleton: Oceanside. Coastal ZIPs cost more; inland trades rent for drive time.
Military · 10 min · checked 2026-10-05
Navy homecoming in San Diego: which pier, who gets on base, and where to watch
Surface ships return to Naval Base San Diego, carriers to NAS North Island, subs to Naval Base Point Loma. Families need command sponsorship and base access. No pass? Watch from Shelter Island, Cabrillo or the Midway.
Military · 9 min · checked 2026-10-05
PCS to San Diego checklist: what California actually requires
Keep your home-state plates and license if you stay a nonresident, file DMV form REG 5045 if you register here, get family base access sorted, bring your dog's rabies certificate, and enroll kids using the military compact.
Military · 9 min · checked 2026-10-05
Military discounts at San Diego attractions in 2026: what is actually confirmed
Active-duty troops get in free at SeaWorld (through Dec 31, 2026), the Zoo, Safari Park and USS Midway. LEGOLAND, Birch Aquarium, the Padres and Cabrillo offer discounts or free passes. Base ITT offices sell the rest.
Military · 9 min · checked 2026-10-05
Military housing in San Diego: on base vs off base, who runs it and how to get on the waitlist
Liberty Military Housing runs most privatized family housing for the Navy and Marines in San Diego (Hunt runs DeLuz at Camp Pendleton). Rent equals your BAH with utilities included, but waits run from none to about 24 months.
Military · 9 min · checked 2026-10-05
Hotels near MCRD San Diego for graduation: 12 picks by area
Closest: Liberty Station's Homewood Suites, Courtyard, Hampton Inn and TownePlace; Harbor Island's Sheraton and Hilton; Old Town Inn and Western Inn for budget and Marine-family rates; Shelter Island for a splurge.
Where to Stay · 9 min · checked 2026-10-05
Lobster season is open in San Diego: the rules, the costs, and where to buy one if you'd rather not dive
California spiny lobster season opened at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 2, 2026, and runs until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17, 2027. You can keep seven a day if they measure at least 3¼ inches across the body shell. Everyone needs a $12.70 report card, kids and pier hoopers included. If you'd rather skip all of that, local lobstermen sell them live at Tuna Harbor on Saturday mornings.
Outdoors · 7 min · checked 2026-10-07
10 free things to do in San Diego that are actually worth it
Balboa Park's gardens, the Sunday organ concert, Sunset Cliffs, La Jolla's seals, shore whale watching, Mount Soledad, Old Town, Chicano Park, the Little Italy Mercato and Liberty Station. The usual catch is parking.
Free · 6 min · checked 2026-10-03
5 easy coastal hikes in San Diego while Torrey Pines is closed
San Elijo Lagoon's Nature Center loop, the Tijuana Estuary River Mouth loop, Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, Cabrillo's Bayside Trail and the Batiquitos Lagoon Trail. All are 3.25 miles or less round trip.
Outdoors · 6 min · checked 2026-10-03
7 places to eat fish tacos in San Diego, and what to order at each
Start at Oscar's Mexican Seafood in Pacific Beach or Hillcrest for the smoked fish taco. Then South Beach in Ocean Beach for the mahi taco it's served since 1992, and Fish Guts in Barrio Logan, a critic's pick three years running.
Food · 5 min · checked 2026-10-22
Cabrillo National Monument: what it is, what it costs and the best time to go
It marks where Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo landed in 1542, the first European expedition to set foot on what's now the U.S. West Coast. Entry is $20 per car, it's open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and it's free on Nov 11, 2026 for U.S. residents.
Things to Do · 5 min · checked 2026-10-20
Driving to San Diego airport in 2026: the new entrance road and the construction around it
From downtown, bear right onto the airport's new three-lane entrance road just west of Laurel Street: no traffic lights, straight to Terminal 1. Pacific Highway has daytime lane work and Grape Street night work through fall 2027.
Getting Around · 5 min · checked 2026-10-19
Half-day, full-day or overnight: which San Diego fishing trip actually catches tuna?
Not the half-day. Half-day boats fish the kelp for bass, yellowtail and barracuda for about $80. Tuna usually means a full-day or overnight trip, and bluefin mostly 1.5 days or more. Bluefin season runs roughly May to October.
Outdoors · 5 min · checked 2026-10-06
Liberty Station and its Public Market: what to know before you go
It's the former Naval Training Center in Point Loma, closed in 1997 and turned into shops, restaurants, an arts district and a park. Its centerpiece, Liberty Public Market, is a food hall in the base's 1921 commissary.
Food · 5 min · checked 2026-10-03
6 things to do in San Diego when it rains
The USS Midway Museum, Fleet Science Center, The Nat, Comic-Con Museum, Liberty Public Market and a Convoy food crawl. All keep you mostly dry. Note the Comic-Con Museum is closed Wednesdays.
Things to Do · 5 min · checked 2026-10-03
5 best places to watch the sunset in San Diego
Sunset Cliffs in Point Loma, Coronado Central Beach, Mount Soledad above La Jolla, the Torrey Pines Gliderport and the Oceanside Pier. Skip Cabrillo (gate shuts at 5 p.m.) and the closed OB Pier.
Free · 5 min · checked 2026-10-03
Veterans Day 2026 in San Diego: the parade, ceremonies and free admission
The Veterans Day Parade steps off at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov 11, from the County Administration Center. Cabrillo National Monument is free that day for U.S. residents, and the USS Midway admits veterans plus a guest free all November.
Military · 4 min · checked 2026-10-20
Do you need a fishing license to fish off a San Diego pier?
No. California doesn't require a license on public piers, and San Diego County has about a dozen, from Shelter Island to Oceanside. Size and bag limits still apply, you get two rods, and the OB Pier is closed.
Outdoors · 4 min · checked 2026-10-06
How to see the Sunset Cliffs sea caves (and why the tide decides everything)
Only at a negative low tide on a calm day. Sunset Cliffs Natural Park in Point Loma hides arches and sea caves below 68 acres of bluffs, but the cliffs are unstable, falls have been fatal, and even at low tide you may wade or swim.
Hidden San Diego · 3 min · checked 2026-10-06
Why can't I book a late-night flight out of San Diego?
There's a curfew. San Diego International prohibits departures between 11:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. Arrivals are unaffected — you can land at 2 a.m., you just can't take off.
Getting Around · 2 min · checked 2026-09-08
The best shore dives in San Diego, and who each one suits
La Jolla Shores is the default: a sandy beach entry, a gentle slope for beginners and a canyon edge at about 60 feet for experienced divers. La Jolla Cove has the kelp and garibaldi; Point Loma's kelp and Wreck Alley need a boat.
Outdoors · 6 min · checked 2026-10-20
Things to do in San Diego in November 2026: the dates worth knowing
November 2026 opens with Día de los Muertos (through Nov 2) and the Food + Wine Festival (Nov 1–8), then Beer Week (Nov 6–15), Del Mar's fall racing (Nov 6–29), the Veterans Day Parade (Nov 11) and the Hotel del's ice rink from Nov 20.
Events & Holidays · 6 min · checked 2026-10-20
Halloween in San Diego 2026: what's on, from toddler-friendly to genuinely scary
Little kids: SeaWorld Spooktacular, LEGOLAND Brick-or-Treat and the Zoo's HalGLOWeen, all included with admission. A real scare: Howl-O-Scream or Balboa Park's Haunted Trail. The Haunted Hotel and Scream Zone are off this year.
Events & Holidays · 6 min · checked 2026-10-20
San Diego's 7 Bridges Walk: a swaying suspension bridge, a 1905 wooden trestle and 5 more in one loop
A free 5.5-mile loop through Bankers Hill, Hillcrest and Balboa Park crosses seven historic footbridges, including the 1912 Spruce Street Suspension Bridge that wobbles as you walk. Allow about three hours.
Hidden San Diego · 6 min · checked 2026-10-06
Pumpkin patches and corn mazes in San Diego 2026: prices, hours and which are free
Free to get in: Bates Nut Farm, all four Pumpkin Station lots, Goff's at Liberty Station and Mr. Jack O'Lanterns. For a real corn maze, Carlsbad Strawberry Co. has a 1.5-mile one ($10 plus entry). Most patches close October 31.
Family · 5 min · checked 2026-10-20
Thanksgiving in San Diego 2026: turkey trots, racing at Del Mar and what's open
The big turkey trot is Father Joe's Villages' 5K through Balboa Park at 7:15 a.m. on Thursday, Nov 26; Encinitas and Oceanside run their own. Del Mar races from 11 a.m. Many museums and city buildings close, so check before you go.
Events & Holidays · 5 min · checked 2026-10-20
Where can you fly a drone in San Diego?
Mostly with FAA permission. Much of coastal San Diego sits in controlled airspace around the airport and military fields, so you need a free LAANC authorization. Cabrillo and the Torrey Pines reserve ban drones outright.
Local Knowledge · 5 min · checked 2026-10-06
The best San Diego neighborhoods for eating out
Little Italy for density, North Park's 30th Street for neighborhood spots, Convoy for Asian food, and East Village and Barrio Logan for newer places — Michelin's own San Diego picks cluster in exactly those areas.
Food · 5 min · checked 2026-10-03
The big free holiday events in San Diego, December 2026
December Nights in Balboa Park (Fri–Sat, Dec 4–5), the Mission Bay Parade of Lights (Sat, Dec 12) and the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights (Sundays, Dec 13 and 20) are all free; the Holiday Bowl is Monday, December 28 at Snapdragon Stadium.
Events & Holidays · 5 min · checked 2026-09-29
The best tide pool days this winter
Go on a winter afternoon with a minus tide: the best 2026–27 dates at Cabrillo National Monument are Dec 22–24, Jan 20–22 and Feb 18–19, when the tide drops below −1.4 feet between about 2 and 4 p.m. — just before the tidepool area closes at 4:30.
Beaches · 5 min · checked 2026-09-29
Are San Diego beaches lifeguarded in winter?
Yes, but only at the City's permanent stations — Ocean Beach, South Mission, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, North Pacific Beach, Children's Pool, La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores — generally from 9 a.m. to dusk; the extra summer towers come down after the season.
Safety · 5 min · checked 2026-09-29
Grunion runs in San Diego: when the fish come ashore, and when you can catch them
On spring and summer nights after the highest tides, from March to August. April through June is look-only; in March, July and August you can catch up to 30 by hand with a license. CDFW posts each year's dates in advance.
Beaches · 4 min · checked 2026-10-06
Why is it called San Diego?
Because Sebastián Vizcaíno named it in November 1602 for San Diego de Alcalá (Saint Didacus), whose feast day is November 12, and for his flagship, the San Diego. Cabrillo had called the bay San Miguel 60 years earlier.
Local Knowledge · 3 min · checked 2026-10-20
Can you go metal detecting on San Diego beaches?
On City of San Diego beaches, generally yes: the city's beach rules don't ban detectors. State beaches set rules park by park, so call first, and Cabrillo National Monument bans even carrying one. Fill your holes.
Beaches · 3 min · checked 2026-10-06
Can you smoke weed on the beach or in a park in San Diego?
No. California bans using cannabis in public, and San Diego bans smoking and vaping, cannabis included, on city beaches, parks, boardwalks and piers. Federal land like Cabrillo is off-limits entirely. Legal use means private property.
Local Knowledge · 3 min · checked 2026-10-06
Can you see whales from shore in San Diego, and when?
Yes — gray whales pass close to Point Loma on their migration from late December to mid-March, and Cabrillo National Monument has a purpose-built overlook for watching them.
Outdoors · 2 min · checked 2026-09-08
Official Realtor of San Diego Tips
Jocelyn Villatoro
Lead Agent, Josh Kim Team
DRE #02104648
Jocelyn Villatoro is the Lead Agent for the Josh Kim Team and has been successfully selling real estate in San Diego since 2019, with 8 years of experience.