Cabrillo National Monument and the subsequent
protected land all around provides an interesting microcosm for California
wildlife. Regardless of the season you decide to visit, a large amount
of coastal and landlocked creatures will be there to greet you.
The monument itself commemorates Juan Cabrillo, the explorer from Spain
who claimed what is now California for Spain fifty years after Columbus
hit the mainland. A heroic statue looks toward the sea, presenting Castillo
as a defiant, proud revolutionary. The visitor center furthers the Cabrillo
education, thoroughly outlining his life, legacy, and importance.
The coastline here is quite rocky, but some well-positioned trails can
lead you close to California’s windy shore. There is plenty of
wildlife in every season as well. When the tide is pushed back, the
beaches boast tons of strange species and in the early winter, you can
watch the gray whales charge slowly southward.
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