Cabrillo Beach

Cabrillo Beach is a historic beach located in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California. It is named after Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese explorer who was the first to sail up the California coast. Cabrillo has two separate beach areas.

Cabrillo Beach is a historic beach situated within the small coastal community of San Pedro. Cabrillo Beach is named after Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who was the first European to sail along the coast of California. The city of San Pedro was in consideration of being the host of a major port in Southern California. After much deliberation, the federal government selected San Pedro. Construction of the San Pedro Breakwater began in 1899 for the purpose of protecting San Pedro Bay and the new, major port. Rrocks from Catalina Island, 25.1 miles away from the coast of San Pedro, wereoriginally used in the construction of the breakwate. However, due to many problems and set-backs, rocks from Chatsworth, California were transported to San Pedro for the construction of the breakwater. Some of the rocks used weighed about 6,000 to 16,000 pounds. In 1913, Angel’s Gate Lighthouse was built at the end of the breakwater, which was, and still is today, the main entrance to the Port of Los Angeles.

The ocean water traveled right up to the cliffs; there was no sand between the cliffs of San Pedro and the ocean. So after completion of the breakwater, sand was added in 1927 in order to create the outer beach. The addition of sand was from the harbor dredging. As a result of the addition of sand, the expansive outer beach of Cabrillo was created. Cabrillo Beach opened in 1928, and residents of San Pedro, Wilmington, and Los Angeles flooded the beach to enjoy the new Southern California beach. The San Pedro city leaders were excited to have a newly added destination for visitors and residents to enjoy in San Pedro.

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