For an Educational and Enjoyable Visit
We hope your group’s visit to Cabrillo National Monument will be both educational and enjoyable. We ask that you help us by accepting the responsibility for your students during your visit and by sharing these guidelines with them.
Clothing - Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Bring jackets or sweaters, as Point Loma can be cooler than the rest of San Diego. For tidepool trips, wear rubber-soled shoes (sneakers) with good tread – the rocks are wet and slippery! For Bayside Trail trips, bring sun protection and wear good walking shoes.
Safety – Groups should remain together and stay on paved walkways or trails. Stay away from cliff edges as they tend to be unstable. Students must not run in public areas.
Manners – Please remember that many groups of people use the park. Respect other park visitors and stay to one side of the path when meeting others on the walkways. Please keep the noise level down when in public buildings. If you wish to have students visit the Bookstore in the Visitor Center, a ratio of one adult to five students is required.
Parking – For safety and your convenience, buses should unload and pick up your group in the traffic circle near the flagpole. Bus parking is available in designated spaces in the middle section of the parking lot. Buses must turn off engines while unloading or loading passengers. Diesel fumes accumulate quickly and can be harmful to visitors and wildlife.
Lunch – There is no formal picnic area. Students may eat on any benches or rock walls found throughout the park. Please have students pick up any litter after eating. Lunches may be stored in a locker near the flagpole. Refrigeration is not available.
Recycling – After lunch, look for the recycling cans with green lids where you can recycle plastic bottles and aluminum cans.
Bad Weather – All programs and presented outside in any weather, unless safety is a concern.
Cancellation and Rescheduling of Programs – We appreciate as much notice as possible when it is necessary for you to cancel your reservations. You may reschedule if space is available. The education office can be reached weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at (619) 557-5450, extension 2231.
Preserving Park Resources – Please impress upon the students the importance of caring for cultural and natural resources in the park. Students should know that nothing can be taken from the area. In particular, the intertidal habitat is a fragile place. Throwing rocks into the water is not only dangerous to other visitors, but those small rocks can accumulate, tumble in the surf, and grind away the plants and animals living on the rocks. For more information on protecting this delicate ecosystem, click here to go to the "Rules to Protect the Tidepools" page.
