Point Loma
Point Loma is a uniquely located neighborhood on a hill peninsula in coastal San Diego. Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the San Diego Bay, Point Loma offers spectacular views and easy water access to residents. Point Loma has an estimated population of more than 46,000 and has continued to grow steadily since it was developed as a simple port and waypoint in the mid-1500s for European explorers.
The Old Point Loma Lighthouse is Point Loma’s most famous landmark. Oftentimes, the lighthouse is even used to represent all of San Diego. Built in 1855, the lighthouse marks the entry point to the San Diego Bay. Now a part of Cabrillo National Monument, the lighthouse is a favorite Point Loma attraction. Another notable and famous feature of Point Loma is the looming sandstone cliff that lines the oceanside shores of Point Loma. The cliffs, called Sunset Cliffs, contain fossils that are said to date back 75 million years from the late cretaceous period. The cliffs, looming up to heights of 400 feet, are consistently eroding from the waves that crash into them from below.
Point Loma residents attend elementary, middle and high school through the San Diego Unified School District. In addition, there are several religious and private school options in the area. Point Loma Nazarene University, a small private liberal arts university, is found in Point Loma, which brings to the town a population of young college students. Also located in Point Loma is one of the sites of San Diego COmmunity College.
There are numerous town events that happen each year in Point Loma. In April, Day at the Docks Festivals celebrates the thriving sport fishing industry that is in Point Loma. Every year, a religious festival called Festa de Espirito Santo is held, which has a long heritage dating back to 1910. The Cabrillo Festival, in October, celebrates the day in 1542 when Jan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed on San Diego soil. On Shelter Island in Point Loma every year is held an outdoors concert series that features famous celebrity musicians and comedians.