Cabrillo National Monument Lighthouse Tower

I've done a post on the Cabrillo National Monument already, but today was a special day because they let people up into the lighthouse tower, which they usually only do twice per year (this year it's 3 times since it's the centennial). It was Founder's Day, which is the anniversary of the National Park Service, so it also happened to be free entry. It was pretty cool. 

The lens

View from the top. There was quite a line. I think I waited 45 minutes, maybe. 

There was a beautiful blue sky and beautiful blue ocean

Inside the lens- a CFL bulb!

Summer Concerts and Movies 2013

I went to more free summer concerts and movies this year!
There are several websites that list all the free concerts--I just Googled "Free summer concerts san diego 2013;" but here is a website you can try if you are interested (sorry, summer's pretty much over, so you'll have to search again to find a 2014 list):
http://www.sandiegotraveltips.com/public/San_Diego_Free_Outdoor_Summer_Concerts_2013.cfm
Here is the free summer movie website. There are still a few over the next few weeks:
http://www.funflicks.com/summer-movie-series/

And here are my photos from the various events!

Concert 1: Twilight in the Park, Balboa Park, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday evenings 

Movie 1: Rise of the Guardians in Mira Mesa

Concert 2: Point Loma: These are my favorite, but I think there are only 4 every summer

HUGE crowd at Point Loma

Movie 2: The Croods in Clairemont

Concert 3: Scripps Park in La Jolla

Concert 3: Symphony in the Park, Hoyt Park in Scripps Ranch

I also attended a University Heights Trolley Barn Park concert, a Pacific Beach Concert on the Green at Kate Sessions, and a Standley Park Concert in UTC, but I forgot to take photos. I would have liked to have attended a North Park Bird Park concert, and a Mission Hills' Pioneer Park concert, but I didn't get a chance. All the rest are really too far away to be worth my time and gas money.

One important thing I learned, which you probably already know, is that friends are more important than concerts. There were several times when I had planned to go to a concert, but I was invited to hang out with people, and I always chose the people. When I go to concerts, I usually spread out on a blanket, towel, or jacket, and I just sit and read for the whole time. Sometimes I eat a little. I think concerts are a great time to invite friends and have a picnic, though I haven't done that myself. So, I may not have collected as many San Diego experiences as I would have otherwise, but I have gotten closer to my friends, and that's better.

Cabrillo National Monument and Tidepools

I've been to the Cabrillo National Monument and tidepools 3 times now, and I'm pretty sure it's one of my favorite places in San Diego. I had never before seen so many and such a variety of sea creatures in their natural habitat! Here are my photos of the museum, the lighthouse, the trail, the views, the monument, and best of all, the tidepools. By the way, it's a National Park, which means it's free on National Park free days. Otherwise, I think it's just $5 per car, which isn't bad at all. There are also 3 short films (approx. 20 min. each) about whales, tidepools, and Cabrillo, which I enjoyed.

Sea urchin! This was the coolest creature I saw.

Sea snail

Abalone

A keyhole limpet, I believe

Sea anemones

Low tide day

Tide-not-low-enough day

Free Concerts

Today I went to Kit Carson Park, and experienced Queen Califia's Magical Circle, which was amazing. But I don't want to take the time to upload those photos now, so I am going to post about something that I did last summer, which was going to lots of free concerts! They should be starting again soon, now that summer is approaching. I don't remember exactly which parks I went to for the concerts, but I will list them if I remember, with each photo. Here they are! (All the photos were taken with my phone, not my normal camera, so they're not very high quality)

This was the La Jolla Riford Branch Library, on a Sunday afternoon. It was a youth concert, with 3 youth who had won awards for their music. There was piano and cello, and it was quite amazing. I think the libraries have events year-round, you just have to look for them. 

Speaking of library concerts, this was a hula performance (kind of like a concert) at the North Clairemont Branch Library in February. The North Clairemont branch is my normal library, and they seem to have concerts or performances about once per month, on at Tuesday or Wednesday at 6:30. They're really great!

This was part of the Twilight in the Park concert series, in Balboa Park. I think I went to 4 or 5 of these concerts (on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays all throughout the summer) but I guess I only took pictures at one of them. 

I just found out I can add a caption! Well, this photo as well as the one below are from a movie in the park night , in Ocean Beach. I don't remember the name of the park. We watched We Bought a Zoo. 

Other concerts I went to in Summer 2012:

• Point Loma Park (it was huge!)
• Kate Sessions Park (La Jolla/PB)
• Bird Park (North Park)
• Pioneer Park (Mission Hills)
• Coronado Concerts in the Park (Spreckels Park- the one in the center, along Orange Ave.)
• Coronado Ferry Landing (this was more like people playing music for people to listen to as they shop/eat/walk, as opposed to a real concert, but there was a small grassy area to sit and listen)

This summer, I want to go to even more!! 

If you want to find free summer concerts all over San Diego County, just google "Free concerts San Diego" or something similar. You can also try "free summer movies in San Diego." I know Balboa Park has movie nights in the summer, hosted by the Museum of Art (I think).

Remember to bring a blanket or seat, a jacket, and snacks!