Mt. Soledad, San Diego

Mt Soledad is a mountain with a big cross on the top, over looking all of La Jolla and many other small towns in San Diego. Mt Soledad has one of the best views in the city, especially at sunset and sunrise! There are also walls remembering fallen soldiers from many different wars, and often times you'll see military officials and mourning families walking along the walls or enjoying the view. Great place for photography! Not the best place to let children run around unsupervised, because there are some very steep and dangerous cliffs in certain areas. Nice grass and a good place to take your dogs. Mt Soledad can be a little confusing to get to, because it's up really windy roads but its worth it. :)

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Mt. Soledad has a memorial, dedicated to US servicemembers killed during our wars. On top is a huge cross. Since this was city property, having the cross on top was a government endorsement of the Christian faith. So it was sold to a private group, called the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association. This is still a subject of intense controversy.

While touring this charming, affluent beach town, be sure to take the drive east along Nautilus Street until you reach the pinnacle of the city. From this vantage point (822ft) you can see far out into the blue Pacific, north to the North County beaches and past downtown as far south as the U.S. border. This view is also spectacular at night. Sunrise services are offered here on Easter morning. There is also a war memorial dating from the Second World War. A 43-foot cross stands atop Mount Soledad, along with memorial plaques and pavers dedicated to US military personnel. This is a no-fee area, always accessible.

To appreciate this wonderful place, what better way than to see it from up high? Take an hour out of your day and drive to the top of Mt. Soledad to get a beautiful view of the entire coast as far as the eye can see. This is best on a clear day.
The picture below is the view facing downtown San Diego.