How to Find San Diego Landmarks

San Diego Trolley

San Diego’s climate is dry and sunny throughout much of the year making the perfect vacation destination. There are more types entertainment than you can enjoy in one vacation. But take some time to learn the history of San Diego when you visit. Landmarks of a city tell a story you would otherwise never know. As you follow the paths to each historical moment in time you begin to put the pieces together that make up the personality of this great city.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Drive the winding road up to Mount Soledad. Buy a deli lunch and bring it along as there are plenty of grassy shaded locations to enjoy the scenery. The 29 foot cross (54 feet including the base) at the top of the mountain continues to be the subject of controversy among the citizens of San Diego because of the church and state separation law. Many bikers can be seen riding the many routes to the top of Mount Soledad with its many trails that all start at Pacific Beach.

2. Cross the 11,288 foot Coronado Bay Bridge that connects San Diego with Coronado. Get a bird’s eye view of San Diego Bay while riding on this concrete-steal “girder” bridge. It was designed for auto traffic only in 1969 when it charged vehicles just $1 to pass over. The bridge has been a feature icon on such shows as Simon and Simon and Veronica Mars.

3. Join the reenactment of 1542 when Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed in the bay. The festival, in his honor, is held annually in October. The monument which is a stature of Cabrillo was sculpted of sandstone by famous artist Alvaro de Bree, in 1939 for Portugal. The Portuguese government donated it to the United States. The monument is listed with the National Register of Historic Places.

4. Rock and roll on the Big Dipper, also known as the Mission Beach Roller Coaster. This wooden ultimate fun ride was built in 1925 is located in Belmont Park and was at it height of popularity during the ‘50s and ‘60s. It was closed in 1976 when it’s need for repairs became to cumbersome to complete and keep the ride open. In the late ’80s a committee was formed to refurbish the Big Dipper at a cost of $2 million. The historic roller coaster was reopened for public use in 1990. In 1987 it was pronounced a National Historic Landmark.

5. Spy the beacon known as the Point Loma Lighthouse. Now considered part of the Cabrillo National Monument, it was built in 1855 and stayed in use until 1891. It guided ships into the San Diego Harbor while standing 422 feet above the sea. In 1891 a new lighthouse located at the tip of the water was traded for the older lighthouse. It has been refurbished inside and out by the National Park Service.

Tips & Warnings

• Using the San Diego Trolley (San Diego Transit System) will keep you from having to find parking places in the downtown area. It can take you from landmark to landmark with a stop for lunch at one of the award winning San Diego restaurants.

Resources

• San Diego Trolley
• San Diego bike routes