Naval Base Point Loma

Naval Base Point Loma sits on a peninsula shaped by both ocean and bay, home to a cluster of major Navy commands rather than a single homeported fleet.

Most personnel arriving for duty at NBPL fly into San Diego International Airport, which is only about four miles from the base and a short drive via North Harbor Drive and Rosecrans Street to the Main Gate.

A USO desk near Terminal 2 can help arrange discounted shuttles to the gate, though its hours and services have varied and calling ahead is worthwhile.

There is no temporary lodging facility at Naval Base Point Loma itself, so incoming families typically rely on Navy Lodge or Navy Gateway Inns & Suites locations elsewhere in San Diego, plus civilian hotels, while they sort out permanent housing. A Navy Gateway Inns & Suites location does exist on the Point Loma Sub Base.

Because San Diego is a high-demand duty station, book Navy Lodge reservations early — mentioning PCS orders can help secure priority, but availability still runs tight, especially in summer.

If you're traveling with a pet, lodging options narrow considerably: only the Naval Base San Diego Navy Lodge takes pets among the Navy Lodges, while pets are permitted at the Gateway Inns & Suites on Point Loma and at Coronado's Amphibious Base.

Government family housing assignment for Naval Base Point Loma personnel runs through the Commander, Navy Region Southwest Family Housing Welcome Center, based at Naval Base San Diego, which manages housing referrals across the whole San Diego region including Miramar and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot — not just Point Loma. Checking in with that center soon after arrival is the standard first step for anyone hoping for military housing.

Across the region there are 9,130 government homes spread over 38 sites, split between enlisted and officer units, with wait times ranging from a few months to well over a year and a half depending on the site chosen.

NBPL has its own Navy School Liaison office at 140 Sylvester Road, a useful first contact for families trying to understand local school options and enrollment timing before or after a move.

Naval Base Point Loma has a naval branch health clinic, NBHC Naval Training Center, on Cushing Road, offering routine outpatient care with weekday hours only — for anything urgent outside those hours, families need a plan for civilian or Naval Medical Center San Diego care instead.

For hospital-level and emergency care, Naval Medical Center San Diego is the regional hub and is described as the largest military medical facility in the world, running a 24/7 emergency room and a network of clinics feeding the broader San Diego military community.

Beyond the hospital, the region runs eight TRICARE clinics for beneficiaries, and dental care for active duty is handled through installation dental clinics, with TRICARE Dental Program coverage available for other enrollees.

The Fleet and Family Support Center supports NBPL personnel with financial classes covering budgeting, home buying, and investing — a practical resource given San Diego's cost of living.

Because San Diego lacks true long-term temporary Navy quarters, arriving families should expect to lean on hotel stays for longer than they might elsewhere.

Given how spread out San Diego's installations are, remember that housing, schools, and even some support offices you'll deal with for NBPL duty are administered regionally out of Naval Base San Diego rather than on Point Loma itself — worth knowing so you contact the right office the first time.