The hook
A mile and a half of sandstone bluffs on the edge of Point Loma, cut into arches and sea caves, and about the best place in San Diego to watch the sun go down.
01Why it's worth it
Sunset Cliffs is exactly what it says: a ribbon of eroded sandstone bluffs along the ocean side of Point Loma, worn into coves, arches, and caves, with a scatter of informal paths running out to the edge and down to the water. It's a genuine locals' ritual, the whole neighborhood drifting out at dusk to sit on the rocks with the light going gold and orange over the Pacific, one of the most photographed sunsets in the state. There's more to it in daylight: at a low tide near zero the reef at the base becomes some of the best tide-pooling in the city, anemones and crabs and small fish in the pools. It's free, open, and unfenced, which is part of the appeal and part of the hazard.
02How to experience it
It's on the western edge of Point Loma, just south of Ocean Beach, about eight hours from the Bay. Free, open all day, dog-friendly off-peak. Come for sunset, and for the tide pools check a chart and aim for a minus tide. The cliff edges are crumbly and unfenced, so stay back from them, especially in a crowd at golden hour.