National Parks

In 2012, there will be a few
 National Park Free Entrance Days!!

• January 14th – 16th
• April 21st – 29th
• June 9th
• September 29th
• November 10th – 12th

Cabrillo National Monument

Cabrillo National Monument lies at the tip of the Point Loma Peninsula, just west of the city of San Diego

 

The drive to Cabrillo National Monument will take you through diverse areas that tell of the Point Loma peninsula’s history.  In Spanish, “loma” means “hill,” and is a fitting description of the rolling topography of the area.  Archaeological remnants tell of human occupation of the Point as far back as 7,000 years.  In 1797, the Spanish constructed Fort Guijarros on the eastern side of the peninsula, as a means of guarding the entrance to the harbor.  Fifty-five years later, in 1852, the southern portion of Point Loma was set aside as a military reservation.  Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery was established in 1934 and today honors over 86,000 veterans and dependents who are interred there.  Residential neighborhoods on Point Loma were originally established by generations of fishermen and remain varied today, with small cottages tucked next to multi-million dollar homes.  Catalina Boulevard is part of San Diego’s 59-mile Scenic Drive, and affords spectacular panoramic views of the ocean and city on your way to Cabrillo National Monument.

Death Valley National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park lies 140 miles east of Los Angeles, 175 miles northeast of San Diego, and 215 miles southwest of Las Vegas. You can approach it from Interstate 10 and Hwy 62 (Twentynine Palms Highway). The closest airport is in Palm Springs. Public transportation to the park is not available.

 

There are three park entrance stations:

•	The west entrance is located five miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Park Boulevard at Joshua Tree Village.
•	The north entrance is in Twentynine Palms, three miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Utah Trail.
•	The south entrance at Cottonwood Spring, which lies 25 miles east of Indio, can be approached from the east or west, also via Interstate 10.

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lava Beds National Monument
Muir Woods National Monument
Pinnacles National Monument
Sequoia National Park
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Yosemite National Park

*****there are a few that are close to us it looks like i might put them on the calendar and see if kim wants to take the kiddo's out for a picnic :)