Point Loma Peninsula Neighborhood Snapshot

Top Experiences

• Boating paradise: San Diego’s picturesque marinas are filled with sportfishing charters and ultraluxe yachts.
• Military might: From the endless rows of white headstones at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery to the roar of fighter jets over North Island Naval Air Station, San Diego’s strong military ties are palpable.
• Peninsula hopping: The thin strips of land that make up Harbor and Shelter islands pack in restaurants, hotels, marinas, and parks, all with water views.
• Taste of Liberty: Point Loma's Liberty Station is home to galleries, museums, restaurants, breweries, and the bustling culinary hub, Liberty Public Market.

Getting Here

West of Downtown San Diego, you'll find Point Loma Peninsula accessible from the I–5 at Sea World Drive. Take Exit 21 and continue on Sea World Drive to Nimitz Boulevard. This thoroughfare splits to Harbor Island, Shelter Island, and Point Loma by way of Catalina Boulevard. Bus 84 has routes that pass near Point Loma.

Planning Your Time

The best way to take in the entire peninsula is by car or bike, with afternoon excursions set aside for strolling Liberty Station, Harbor Island, Shelter Island, Sunset Cliffs, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, and a few other noteworthy sites in between. Active travelers can spend a day biking the trails that run along the marinas to America’s Cup Harbor. For a challenging climb, the views from Cabrillo National Monument often reward with an occasional whale-spotting. If museums, galleries, and theaters are on your itinerary, add in an extra day. Generally, two to three days are enough to soak in the Point Loma attractions and still have time for an afternoon on the water followed by fresh seafood at a local market.

Point Loma's Best Beaches

On Point Loma’s beaches surfers and even dogs join in on the fun. Humans head to the southern Ocean Beach to swim and sunbathe and surfers congregate around the Ocean Beach Pier. The small beach to the north, known as Dog Beach, is one of the few beaches in the county where dogs can play leash-free.

Viewfinder

Popular with surfers and sunbathers seeking privacy among the small coves, Sunset Cliffs makes for a better viewpoint than a swimming beach.