Panoramic Views from Mount Soledad

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Location: La Jolla (12 Miles / 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)

Open Daily: Dawn – Dusk

Cost: None

Features: Park With Panoramic Views of San Diego County and the Pacific Ocean; Includes Views to Mexico and Los Angeles Mountains; Accessible on a top rated Sightseeing Tour from downtown San Diego.

Mount Soledad Highlights:Mount Soledad Park provides a birds eye view, at 822 feet above sea level, of the entire San Diego metropolitan area and the Pacific Ocean. On a crystal clear day (often after a rain storm or during Santa Ana Winds), you can clearly see homes in Mexico and the snow capped mountains in Los Angeles (Mount San Antonio also known as Old Baldy), San Bernardino (San Gorgonio Mountain), and Riverside (Mount San Jacinto) Counties. All of these peaks reach over 10,000 feet. Even on a day with very low clouds or fog, Mt. Soledad can provide quite a treat when it sits above the banks of fog that fill in the surrounding canyons.

Learn more about La Jolla Sightseeing Tours with TourGuideTimLooking to the north, you will see up to Camp Pendleton, the Marine Corps base that separates San Diego and Orange Counties. To the west, you will have a beautiful look down to the palm tree lined beach at La Jolla Shores and the Pacific Ocean. To the south, you will see downtown San Diego, Coronado, and Mexico. Finally, to the east, you will see Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, where the movie Top Gun was filmed, and the San Diego Mountains. Also, when you look to the east, look past MCAS Miramar for a ridge line the runs north-south just before the mountain range. This ridge line used to be the sea cliffs one million years ago. Everything you see in between used to be a part of the ocean floor.

What to Expect

  • At the top of Mt Soledad is a cross that can be seen throughout San Diego. It is surrounded by a Veterans Memorial.
  • You will find a handful of parking spots along the circle that takes you around the Memorial and back to the main street. If you are unable to find a parking spot here, you will find a much larger gravel parking area closer to the entrance of the park.
  • On a cooler day, it can feel even chillier on Mt. Soledad, so be sure to dress appropriately.
  • There is plenty of park space where you can sit and enjoy a picnic. Otherwise, there are no facilities available.

mt-soledad-memorialMt Soledad Veterans Memorial – Surrounding the cross is a memorial to military veterans. You will see plaques commemorating the efforts of individual veterans. A number of special events take place throughout the year, especially on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Cycling Routes – Bicycling up to Mt. Soledad is a popular activity. The steepest ascent is from the north on Via Capri. The Wikipedia entry for Mount Soledad provides a number of recommended routes. Select the associated footnote for a map of each route.

For those who don’t want to bike uphill, you can join a bicycle tour that starts at the top of Mount Soledad and then works its way through La Jolla and Pacific Beach. Tours are offered by San Diego Bike & Kayak, La Jolla Kayak, and Hike Bike Kayak. You can include a bike tour from Mt. Soledad as part of a sightseeing tour that departs downtown San Diego.

Kate Sessions Memorial Park – About 2.5 miles south of Mount Soledad is Kate Sessions Memorial Park, which may interest some Mount Soledad visitors. (Directions from Google Maps.) It offers picnic facilities and great views overlooking Mission Bay Park.

Fees:

  • Parking is Free
  • Entrance is Free

La Jolla Sightseeing Tour – Visit Mount Soledad as part of a Sightseeing Tour with TourGuideTim, owner of this travel web site. TourGuideTim offers half-Day, Expert-Guided Tours from San Diego to La Jolla and Torrey Pines. Enjoy Amazing views, Fascinating Trivia, and free time.

See multi-million dollar mansions, Sea Lions, Seals, Brown Pelicans, Cormorants, Paragliders flying off ocean cliffs, and Torrey Pines Golf Course, home to the 2008 U.S. Open.

Learn about History of Aviation, Geology, Architecture, Famous Residents, and more.

While on Mt. Soledad, we will describe the distant landmarks, talk about the fascinating geological history that created the ocean, mountains, and desert in San Diego County, learn about the flying records set by Charles and Anne Lindbergh from this hilltop, and visit the plaques of notable veterans at the Memorial, including Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Stewart.

Get more sightseeing tour details, check out the reviews from past guests that make this a Top 10 San Diego Attraction, and book your tour today!

Directions from Google Maps to Soledad Park Road, which is accessed from Via Capri and South La Jolla Scenic Drive in La Jolla, CA 92037

Traffic – The drive up from the north side from La Jolla Parkway and Torrey Pines road is quite steep and requires you to make a left turn into the park in front of a heavy flow of traffic coming from the opposite direction. However, this should not deter most people from taking this route. Just be alert. Also, be aware that you may encounter some heavy traffic on highway I-5 and SR-52 if you use either of those routes when leaving Mt. Soledad during the evening rush hour. (Learn how to get the latest traffic updates.)

Transit – No buses serve Mount Soledad. However, you could walk uphill about 1.5 miles from the bus stop at the intersection of Torrey Pines Road and Hillside Drive.

Picture SlideshowView Pictures looking down over San Diego from Mount Soledad

Related Attractions – Just a three mile drive down the hill from Mount Soledad is the Village of La Jolla and the La Jolla Coastline.

Find More Attractions with Similar Themes or Location: As Seen In Movies, Bicycling, La Jolla, Military Museums & Presence, Picnics - Great Places, Scenic Drives, Scenic Views |

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