Blind Services

Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Visitors

Cabrillo National Monument welcomes individuals who are blind or visually impaired! We strive to provide an inclusive and accessible experience for all our visitors. The following services are available to assist you during your visit:

Route 84 on the MTS Bus Line:

Cabrillo National Monument is a popular destination for the Metropolitan Transit Station (MTS). Route 84 stops in the parking lot of our park. Exit the bus and head east along the concrete sidewalk directly to our Visitor Center.

Park Brochure Available in a Variety of Formats:

The park brochure is available in a variety of different languages, audio described, text only and braille. It is also available using the UniD app on your iOS or Android smart phone. (UniDescription is a project based at the University of Hawaii at Manoa that supports NPS sites in audio describing their brochures. Currently, over 100 NPS sites' brochures are available through this app.)

Audio-Described Films in Auditorium:

All feature films in the Visitor Center Auditorium have audio descriptions. The movies played in the auditorium include "Voyages of the San Salvador," "On the Edge of Land and Sea," "First Breath: Grey Whales," and "A Partnership in History." Pick up an Assistive Listening Device (ALD) from the Visitor Center. The audio description is on channel C.

Audio Wayside Signs:

The Tactile Talking Pen and Tactile Map are available for use throughout the park. Forty informational signs along paths and in front of buildings use a tactile marker that audibly states the view around the sign, the name, text, and description of the sign, and directions to the next tactile marker. The pen can be used with or without the spiral-bound tactile map, which breaks the park into sections for more detailed views. Please ask a ranger at the Visitor Center for assistance.

Audio & Large Print Temporary Exhibits:

A large print book can accompany all temporary exhibits around the park. Audio versions of the temporary exhibits are found on the park's website on the accessibility page. Please ask a ranger at the Visitor Center for assistance.

Tactile Models:

Tactile models of a Pacific Gray Whale, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, and the Point Loma Peninsula are located outside near the lighthouse area. Etchings of life-sized Gray Whales and Giant Kelp are in the concrete under your feet at the Kelp Overlook. How many steps does it takes for you to get across the body of a whale? And that's not a rock on the south side of the concrete whale, it's the whale's eye!

Two different actual Fresnel lenses are free to tactily examine inside the Lighthouse Museum.

Audio/Visual Tours:

Audio descriptions of Cabrillo's voyage and the inside of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse are available in the respective museums.

Time-Lapse Video of Changing Tides at Cabrillo:

Audio description of a time lapse video of the changing tides at Cabrillo is available.

If there is something else you may need to help make your visit easier, please call ahead. For more information, ask a ranger at the park or contact us in advance. You can reach us by email or by calling 619-523-4285. We are committed to ensuring that your experience at Cabrillo National Monument is enjoyable and accessible.

Volunteer with Cabrillo National Monument!

Local to the park? We can use your help! We have several volunteer opportunities available to you. One opportunity is the Accessibility Support Assistant. People in this volunteer position will help Cabrillo National Monument stay accessible and welcoming as possible to individuals who are blind and visually impaired.

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Audio Files for Forward Into Light Special Event

Go to the Forward Into Light webpage to find all signs and posters displayed around the lighthouse for this event. Each has an audio file and written transcript.