Cabrillo National Monument

This small national monument is about 10 miles southwest of downtown San Diego on the Point Loma Peninsula, but the views alone are worth the trip. The Cabrillo National Monument is named after Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European explorer to reach the west coast in 1542. The monument's top features a commemorative statue and provides breathtaking 360-degree views. From here, you can see the Pacific Ocean to your right, downtown San Diego to your left, and, on a clear day, Mexico to your south.

If you can tear yourself away from the breathtaking views of southern California, take Cabrillo Road down to the coast, where you'll find a scenic waterfront pathway leading to a small beach (not suitable for swimming) and tide pools. This is a great place to see Pacific gray whales as they migrate south for the winter between December and February.