Today I would like to showcase a few of the best beaches of La Jolla in the hope that the beauty and wonder will encourage others to visit San Diego and experience the loveliness first hand.
La Jolla is a seaside community situated on top of towering cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean located 20 minutes north of Downtown San Diego.
Table of Contents
Best Beaches of La Jolla
I will be concentrating on The Best:
- Family
- Picnic
- Hiking
- Marine Life Experience
- Surfing
- Diving/Snorkeling
- Tidepool Adventure
- Swimming/Kayaking/Paddleboarding
- Hidden Gem
First off, La Jolla hosts several marine protected environments to encounter and explore which include-
- Mesa Top
- Coastal Canyons and Bluffs
- Sandy Beach
- Rocky Intertidal
- Submerged Coastal Plain
- Deep Submarine Canyon
Of particular note, the marine protected areas begin at Torrey Pines State Beach and end at the La Jolla Cove.
The La Jolla Underwater Ecological Reserve starts at the La Jolla Cove and stops halfway at La Jolla Shores Beach (see map above).
La Jolla, California- The Jewel City
To say that La Jolla is one of a kind or is breathtakingly beautiful would be a gross understatement.
How about awe-inspiring, magnificent, astonishing, and thrilling or gorgeous, energizing, and magical?
All of these words still can not sum up how you feel when you are here. You need to experience this place in person to comprehend, but I will try my best.
How Do You Pronounce La Jolla?
First off, let us get the pronunciation of La Jolla out of the way- LA HOYA, the double L’s are silent.
Ok, that was easy, right?
It is believed to be Spanish meaning “The Jewel,” hence the nickname The Jewel City.
Where is La Jolla Located?
Bordering Del Mar to the north and Pacific Beach to the south, La Jolla occupies 7 miles of rugged coastline and boasts some of the best views if not beaches in all of San Diego.
As we go forward, please click on the appropriate underlined links to get more ‘in-depth’ information. Also, click on each photo to see a larger version.
Are you ready?
Best Family Beach in La Jolla
Best Beaches of La Jolla
La Jolla Shores Beach
Calle Frescota & Camino Del Oro
I would like to start my list with one of the most popular beaches in La Jolla. There is so much to do here that it is not a surprise that I have listed this beach as the first entry.
What Make’s La Jolla Shores So Unique?
Right offshore of La Jolla Shores beach is a very deep underwater trench-The La Jolla Submarine Canyon.
The ocean bottom here slopes and suddenly drops 500 feet and reaches down to 600 feet within the park. That is a huge drop!
Because of this trench as well as other offshore reefs, the tidal swells slow down considerably.
Because of this, the waves are gentle and forgiving, which makes for great swimming as well as other water sports, such as, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding and of course learning how to surf.
Do You Like to Walk as a Family?
Here you have an extensive sandy shore where you can walk for miles north on a low tide. In fact, Black’s Beach is just a three-mile hike or else only 5.4 miles to Torrey Pines State Beach!
How about a short 10-minute walk to the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier?
There are many sea creatures to check out on the cement pilings as well as excellent photographic opportunities at the pier.
A Playground and Picnic Area
Another enjoyable aspect is the large children’s playground. I can not tell you how many times I have brought my kids here for a picnic and how much fun they all had at this playground!
To sum it up, La Jolla Shores has everything that you would need for an outstanding Family Friendly beach experience.
There are several lifeguard towers, two sets of restrooms, showers, playground, water sports rentals, picnic areas and finally a large parking lot.
Word to the wise though, come early, or you will have to look for parking in the residential neighborhoods.
#2 Best Family Beach in La Jolla
Best Beaches of La Jolla
Torrey Pines State Beach
Another fantastic Family Beach is Torrey Pines State Beach. Here is where my husband and I would bring our children when they were small.
We would pack up the baby playpen, umbrella, towels, food and we were all set for a fantastic day at the beach!
The views here are incredible, especially the towering 300 feet sandstone cliffs. There is something to be said about how small you feel standing next to these giants!
Do You Like to Walk as a Family?
Torrey Pines State Beach is an excellent place to go “Beachcombing” In the photo above is the display case showing objects and creatures found by fellow beachcombers.
I wonder if anyone ever saw my husbands’ wedding band that he lost here while in the water 22 years ago?
As stated previously, Torrey Pines State Beach during low tide is a fabulous location to take a very long beach walk. In fact, as previously mentioned above it would be 5.4 miles from here to Scripps Pier at La Jolla Shores Beach!
Los Penasquitos Lagoon
I would also like to comment that there is a trail that goes across the street over to the Los Penasquitos Lagoon. The Marsh Trail makes its way along the southwestern part of the lagoon and marshland shore for about 3 miles.
Los Penasquitos Lagoon is a prime spot for the serious birdwatcher.
For more information, please click here.
Family Fun At Torrey Pines State Beach
Torrey Pines State Beach has two parking lots as well as a few spaces along the road leading up to the park entrance.
In summary, Torrey Pines State Beach is one of the best family beaches in La Jolla, or in all of San Diego if I had my say.
There are many lifeguard towers, restrooms, a picnic area set up in both parking lots, showers, sinks and even the option of hiking up top at the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, but more on that later.
Best Picnic Spot in La Jolla
Best Beaches of La Jolla
Calumet Park Beach
I thought that I had a pretty good idea of all the ‘secret’ beach locations in San Diego, but when I came here, I was pleasantly surprised at what I found.
You see, it is important to realize that an opened area with green grass in a residential area overlooking the Ocean is not something you see every day in San Diego.
What an excellent spot to have a picnic! It is as if you are at the beach, but without the sand!
Calumet Park Beach is a city park which overlooks a famous surf break-Rock Pile. There is a dirt path at the north end of the park that will take you down to the rocky beach.
Rock and Roll Stones
It also a great place to come on a low or negative tide as there is not much beach at all, mostly all large to medium size stones.
The music that these stones make with each wave is another reason to check this place out! The only way I can think of describing the sound is eerily beautiful.
Have a listen to the video for yourself below!
Look at these views!
Whether you come here to eat a picnic or to check out the shore at low tide, or maybe just to watch the surfers way out in the water, you will always have a fantastic time.
I felt like a little kid at Christmas the first time I came here. I have always known that central La Jolla had stellar views but also enormous crowds.
Here at Calumet Park Beach, you can have the views virtually to yourself! Please use caution when standing on or near the bluff as it is very unstable.
Seeing that this park is in a residential area, parking is limited, and there are no restrooms.
#2 Best Picnic Spot in La Jolla
Best Beaches Of La Jolla
La Jolla Strand Beach
Here is another beach that not many know about as it is rarely crowded! Shhh! The La Jolla Strand Beach is found right near the La Jolla Hyatt Regency and is a little piece of heaven.
White sandy beaches with tide pools to both the north and south, there is much to see here.
La Jolla Strand Beach is unique in that you can shelter between the tidal shelf rocks on shore and pretend no one else is around.
The surf at the La Jolla Strand Beach breaks right on the shore. I find it thrilling to sit and watch the waves crash into the sand.
Big Splash!
For instance, you can feel the vibrations of the sounds of the waves crashing resonating in your body!
Additionally, I like how sometimes my mind plays tricks on me, and I sense the wave’s vibrations before it even hits the shore.
Have a listen for yourself!
La Jolla Strand Beach is in a residential neighborhood, so parking is limited and again no restrooms.
Best Hiking Beach in La Jolla
Best Beaches of La Jolla
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
If you are in the mood to hike on a Mesa top with an ocean view, well look no further than Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is an example of how Southern California used to look like in the past. There has been no development on this site, ever.
Home to one of the rarest pine trees in the nation, the Torrey Pine, this Reserve has several trails to choose from as well as a visitor center with copious amounts of information on the area.
Naturalist-led tours are available each weekend. For more information, please click on the link above.
Making our way up the hill to the trailhead and the Visitor’s Center.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is my number one recommendation for beachside hiking. The views and the terrain are just out of this world.
You must come here and experience it for yourself!
Best Marine Life Experience in La Jolla
Best Beaches of La Jolla
The La Jolla Children’s Pool Beach
Now how often do you get to see California sea lion or a Harbor Seal up close? When I say up close, I mean more like 30 feet away at least.
Anyone caught bothering them or trying to scare them back into the water will be fined $500.
These marine mammals are seen off the coast of La Jolla with much frequency and love to hang out here at the Children’s Pool or on the big rock-Seal Rock just outside of the Children’s Pool.
Ideally, this spot was a perfect place for children to swim because the seawall shelters the area. But there is a problem with water pollution due to these animals, so it is not recommended to swim here.
Though that doesn’t seem to stop some from doing just that; nevertheless, I for one would not.
A great time to visit is during the Spring when the babies are born.
Best Surfing Beach in La Jolla
Best Beaches of La Jolla
Black’s Beach
Black’s Beach has some of the best surfing in all of Southern California making it one of the best beaches of La Jolla. I have yet to go, but I will soon.
Another exciting feature I would like to add is that it is also an optional clothing beach.
Nude surfing anyone?
Black’s Beach is a half-mile stretch of beach known for it powerful and consistent waves because the La Jolla Submarine Canyon funnels the swells straight into this beach.
The underwater canyons increase the power of the waves and in turn creates terrible rip currents. These waves are definitely for the advanced surfer.
No Direct Route Here
Black’s Beach is a pretty hard location to get to as there is no direct route. There is a dirt path behind the Torrey Pines Gliderport, and I have linked the address above.
The trail is very steep, so I do not recommend this way if you are not up to it, especially holding a surfboard!
I would advise starting out at La Jolla Shores and walk three miles (on low tide). Or you could start at Torrey Pines State Beach as well and walk only two miles.
There are no restrooms or showers here, and lifeguards patrol randomly throughout the day.
Video Credit- JacuzziSurfer
#2 Best Surfing Beach in La Jolla
Best Beaches of La Jolla
Windansea Beach
Windansea Beach is another extremely famous surfing beach in San Diego and the west coast in fact.
The surf is considered to be a moderate to a severe shore break due to the steep beaches which result in the hard-hitting waves right on the shoreline. Because of this, it is recommended to surf during low tide when the waves are a little farther out.
Windansea Beach is suggested to be for advanced wave riders only as there have been many serious accidents that have taken place here in the past.
The Surf Shack
The palm covered wooden shack (The Surf Shack)- was first built in 1946 by three famous surfers-Woody Ekstrom, Fred Kenyon, and Don Okey.
It was knocked down by large waves and a high tide on Dec. 24, 2015, but was eventually rebuilt by locals in June 2016.
The Surf Shack by Windansea Beach was further named a historical landmark by the San Diego Historical Resource Board on May 27, 1998.
Fun Fact- Windansea Beach was the inspiration for the many “Beach Films” of the 1960’s
Parking might be a problem here as there are only a few designated parking spaces for the beach in this residential area. Furthermore, there is no restroom or shower at this location.
Best Diving/Snorkeling Beach in La Jolla
Best Beaches of La Jolla
La Jolla Cove Beach
There is one sure winner for the best diving/snorkeling spot, and that would be the La Jolla Cove!
Look at this place!
A tiny white-sand beach positioned between sandstone cliffs is the gorgeous background you will experience while swimming in the clear blue-green waters. Visibility here can sometimes be more than 30 feet!
As stated earlier, the La Jolla Cove is part of the La Jolla Ecological Reserve, so everything here is protected. Nothing is to be touched or taken. Also, stay away from any seal or sea lions as they may bite if frightened.
The diversity seen here is incredible. You can stay in the cove and experience the underwater sandy shore and rocky intertidal or swim out a bit and discover the Giant Kelp Forest!
I do not have an underwater camera, yet, but I found this lovely video that high lights this location. I am sure you will enjoy!
Video Credit- Jamie Norcutt
Best Tide Pool Beach in La Jolla
best Beaches of La Jolla
Bird Rock Beach
Bird Rock Beach is a tidepool dream come true on a Spring Tide (one of the lowest tides of the year!)
Unknown to many, it remains a terrific secret and is not easily assessable to the general public, unless you have directions, that is.
Bird Rock is the go-to place to experience tidepools at their best! In fact, this is the number one place that college professors bring their students to identify rocky intertidal specimens.
I am going to present to you two videos, with the first one being the one that I took on a low tide of around 1ft and the second is the effects of a Spring Tide of -1.9ft.
Do you notice how utterly transformed the shoreline looks when the water is pulled away with such a negative tide?
Tide pool creatures are genuinely the most adaptable creatures in the world, don’t you think?
Video Credit- James Weaver
Tide Pool Specimens
Creatures that you might encounter here include-
- sea anemones
- hermit crabs
- mussels
- barnacles
- sea hares
- octopi
- limpets
- sea stars
- brittle stars
I have made available to you this printable list of possible tidepool specimens to help identify flora and fauna the next time you are in the tide pools. (Courtesy of the Cabrillo National Monument).
And if you are coming for the tide pools, make sure it is sometime in the winter because that is when the lowest tides occur.
Bird Rock Beach is located in a residential neighborhood so parking can be a problem. I always suggest avoiding crowds. In the early morning or the late afternoon is your best bet.
Again, no restrooms available here.
Best Swimming/Kayaking/Paddleboarding Beach in La Jolla
Best Beaches of La Jolla
La Jolla Shores
Calle Frescota & Camino Del Oro
Well, what makes for a good swimming/ kayaking /paddleboarding beach?
First off you need a beach that is easy to enter the water and where there is not that much tidal action.
Do you happen to recall reading about such a place? Why yes, good old La Jolla Shores Beach.
Do you also recall that I previously mentioned that there is a vast underwater trench offshore of here? And that said trench is the reason that the waters are relatively calm?
Many companies rent out kayaks and paddleboards just up the street from the beach.
One of the benefits of kayaking in La Jolla is the caves.
La Jolla Shores is a Great Beach!
Well, as you can see, there are endless amounts of activities to do at La Jolla Shores Beach, making it indeed one of the best beaches of La Jolla!
Be it swimming, diving, snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking, boogie boarding, or surfing near the pier, La Jolla Shores Beach has it all.
Oh did I mention underwater photography too? Seriously, you must come to this beach and experience what it is like!
Best Hidden Gem Beach in La Jolla
Best Beaches Of La Jolla
Camino de la Costa Beach Access
Driving up to Camino de la Costa Beach Access, I had no idea what I was in store for or what I was about to discover.
After parking in the residential neighborhood, I proceeded to the stairway and immediately noticed that this beach was made up entirely of medium to large stones with a tiny bit of sandy shore on the south side.
I have to say that when I turned my head to the left ar the stairway, I was taken aback by what I saw.
Million-dollar views!
Here is the only little bit of beach.
Mind you; it was low tide so I can only imagine that the water most likely covers the whole area during the high tide.
I am so thrilled that I found this spot. Next time that I visit, I plan on sitting on a rock ledge and gaze out onto the horizon. Hopefully waiting to see if some whales or dolphins pass by the shore.
Just one more look before I say goodbye.
End of the List
I hope you enjoyed my picks for the best beaches of La Jolla. As you can see La Jolla is a pretty spectacular place to visit.
Please check back soon as I will be making a comprehensive list of touring companies as well as hotel and motel deals!
I would like to leave you with a few Honorable Mention Photos of other great beaches in La Jolla because I felt these other four needed to be seen and appreciated.
Until next time!
Best Beaches of La Jolla Honorable Mention
Hospital Beach
Hospital Beach is another La Jolla beach that is in a residential neighborhood that is a favorite of photographers and scuba divers.
Marine Street Beach
Do you like to boogie board? Here at Marine Street Beach, the waves crash extremely hard onto the shore
.Really, the waves here have the nickname “The Whomp.”
Whispering Sands Beach
Whispering Sands Beach is another fabulous spot to photograph as well as checking out tide pools!
Scripps Beach
El Paseo Grande & La Jolla Shores Dr
Scripps Beach is north of the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier. If you keep walking north, you will find “Dike Rock” which is a beautiful place to look at the tide pools.
In this area, you are allowed to surf as well.
Black’s Beach is about 2 miles from here.
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I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
Hello,
Thanks for the excellent information about Best Beaches of La Jolla. I was not in San Diego, and I do not know about these beaches, but now I know a lot more about them. The beaches are wonderful, and I want to visit one day San Diego and all these beaches Beautiful post.
Best regards.
I am so glad that you appreciated all the beaches in La Jolla! I hope one day you get to see these beaches in person! Thanks for commenting!
Wow! What a fantastic variety of beaches to choose from. They all look fantastic! What if any restrictions are placed on camping?
And if allowed, what are the campsites like?
Hi Brad! Yes, La Jolla Beaches are fantastic, but no camping at any of them. There is coastal camping up north in San Elijo, Carlsbad, and San Onofre. Down south there is camping at Silver Strand Beach. In fact, I think I will make a reference page with all the addresses. Thanks for the suggestion! 🙂
My gosh, I didn’t realize there were so many beaches in La Jolla to see! I’ve always wanted to visit here and now have an even better reason. Awesome information to bookmark on my trip to California.
Thanks!
Hi Angie! Can you believe these beaches? It is so gorgeous in La Jolla. I hope that you find the information helpful for your next vacation! Thanks for commenting!
First off, thanks for saying how to pronounce Jolla. I would have said it the way it was spelt. So I would have looked quite silly.
There’s quite a variety of beaches to explore with my family. It would take quite some time to visit the ones that interests us.
Do you have any recommendation on where we could stay while in La Jolla?
Thanks.
HI Owain! I can not tell you how many time I have heard people unfamiliar with the area pronounce La Jolla wrong. I am glad that I can be of some help. Thank you for asking about the hotels, as I need to make a list of possible deals around the area… I did a quick search for you, looking for the more economical prices. La Jolla is unique, especially as a family outing! I hope you all can make it down here. Thank you for commenting! http://bit.ly/2IcB3fZ
I and my better half are thinking of doing a little traveling, and some of these have made our list of places to visit. She loves the beach. I’m not always the biggest fan, but some of these have me excited about getting some sand between my toes.
Hi Jean! Thank you for taking the time to comment. The beauty of La Jolla is that you do not necessarily have to go to the beach to enjoy yourself. But I have to say, it is very therapeutic to have your feet in the sand! Please have a look around, as there are many great beaches to visit in San Diego! Thanks again!
Wow! I’ve been to La Jolla, but I didn’t visit the beaches there. Now you make me want to go back. Look at all of the blue skies and interesting sea creatures! Maybe I can bring my metal detector and find your husband’s ring. 🙂
I have been hiking through Torrey Pines, and that was stunning! I loved that so much. Thank you for sending me down memory lane and for giving me the motivation to get back to the San Diego area. 🙂
Hi Christina! Thank you so much for your comment! Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is just incredible; I can not say enough about it. If you do happen to find my husbands ring, it is just a plain gold band, and you know how to find me 🙂 Thanks again for stopping by the website!
Wow, these beaches are beautiful! I have never been to La Jolla. I have been to Northern California, but not southern. I loved the descriptions, photos, and videos you had for the beaches. I love being near the water because it is very calming. Maybe one day I will visit La Jolla. Love your website!
Hi Marylou! As Northern California is beautiful as well, I will always be partial to Southern California.
I love being by the water too, in fact even writing about the ocean seems to calm me. Thank you so much for visiting, and please stop by again!
Wow – those beaches are pretty awesome! Thanks for sharing.
I’ll save this information for a future trip to CA.
I am glad that you found this helpful John!
These pictures are beautiful! I’m from Puerto Rico, so when I moved the Chicago, I definitely missed being next to water all the time. Would you consider these beaches accessible to people in wheelchairs? I know some beaches have accessible docks or paths that people in wheelchairs can use to get around. Thank you for sharing!
I am glad that you liked the pictures! I know what you mean about missing the ocean, as I live 20 miles inland. Of all the beaches that I listed, Torrey Pines, La Jolla Shores have ramps for wheelchairs. Thank you for your comment as I feel like it would be a good idea to make a page for wheelchairs accessible beaches so I just made one! https://70milesofcoast.com/san-diego-wheelchair-accessible-beaches Thanks again!
OMG, can I please go on vacation to a beach now. I live near Clearwater beach, and I love the beach. Your pictures are beautiful, and you make me want to be there. Please keep sharing with us.
Thank you for the comment, Jackie! It is so beautiful in La Jolla, and I sure hope that you will be able to visit sometime soon in the future. We are not as hot and muggy over here as in Clearwater. The water is not as warm, but there sure is a lot to see and do here. Thanks again for visiting!
True story. Although I am from the Midwest, I’ve had a special affinity for La-Jolla, CA because I grew up on La-Jolla Drive. Back in 1993, at 20 yrs old, I finally had a chance to visit the real La-Jolla and have been coming back every year since.
WOW! Do you all pronounce it the same way in the Midwest? La Jolla is unique, isn’t it? Hopefully, this guide will help you the next time you are visiting! Thanks for the comment.
I have always known it to be pronounced la-hoya.
Thank you, I was just wondering if it pronounced that way in the Midwest. 🙂
Lovely pictures! I’ve never been to California but it is on my travel bucket list.
I hope you can make it down here soon! You will not be sorry!
I have only ever been to La Jolla Shores Beach and loved it. But I sure would love to visit La Jolla Cove! The whole area is beautiful, and we have been a couple of times. You have just enticed me to want another visit. I am a true beach bum, and the ocean calls me. Great information on the different beaches here. Loved it!
La Jolla is one of a kind isn’t? The photo opportunities are endless. I am so glad that you enjoyed the information! I wish I could go there every day too. Do try and come in Spring as the flowers next to the Ocean are just stunning! Thank you 🙂