La Jolla, California – Best Things to Do
La Jolla Shores Beach is a family-friendly place to play in the sand.
La Jolla – San Diego’s favorite coastal community – is known for beautiful beaches and great dining options.
I’ve lived in La Jolla most of my life and love walking on the beach and having drinks or a meal with a water view. I also know that our community offers many unique activities that first-time visitors typically overlook. Here’s a list of my favorites:
Top ten only-in-La Jolla activities:
1. Take a surf or stand-up paddle board lesson. Surf Diva in La Jolla Shores is the world’s #1 surf school for women. They also offer co-ed surf camps for young surfers ages 5-17. Established in 1996 by twin sisters Izzy and Coco Tihanyi, Surf Diva operates out of a beachy boutique on Avenida de la Playa. Surf Diva has been featured in the New York Times, Time Magazine, and USA Today, as well on the Today Show. Newsweek called Surf Diva “The Starbucks of surf schools.”
Newsweek says Surf Diva is “the Starbucks of surf schools.”
2. Go hiking in Torrey Pines State Reserve. Of the eight short trails in this park, my favorite is the Beach Trail: walk uphill to the park headquarters, located on a bluff overlooking the ocean, and then follow the trail down to the beach. The views are amazing.
3. Savor UC San Diego’s award-winning art and architecture. Stop at the campus entrance booth and pick up a brochure about The Stuart Collection of outdoor art. I can’t think of a better way to pass a few hours than walking around the beautiful campus locating and admiring the creative works. “Fallen Star,” the most recent addition, is a three-quarter-sized version of a small house perched on the top of the seven-story Jacobs School of Engineering building. The gorgeous Geisel Library is named for Dr. Seuss – a long-time La Jolla resident. You can do the self-guided tour at any time.
The gorgeous Geisel Library at UCSD is named for Dr. Seuss.
4. Do a tandem paraglide or hang glide at Torrey Pines Gliderport. You could also just go and watch others jump off the sandstone cliffs and glide gracefully over the ocean. The Cliff Hanger Café is my favorite go-to lunch stop when I’m touring La Jolla with out-of-town visitors.
5. Hit a bucket of balls at Torrey Pines Golf Course – the site of the 2008 U. S. Open and the annual Farmers Insurance Open that takes place every February. It’s challenging to get a tee time on the two championship courses, but anyone can practice their swing. If you want to play the course, San Diego Golf Reservations can help.
The Torrey Pines Gliderport is home to the Cliff Hanger Cafe.
6. Check out the seals at The Children’s Pool and the sea lions at The La Jolla Cove. They’re cute and controversial.
7. Snorkel in the San Diego La Jolla Underwater Park. Look for Garibaldi, our state fish, and giant sea bass. The more than 6,000-acre reserve stretches from south of the La Jolla Cove to north of Torrey Pines State Reserve.
8. Enjoy a self-guided walking tour along the coast from the La Jolla Cove to Windansea Beach. This is my favorite because it offers great ocean views.
La Jolla Cove is a great place for snorkeling.
9. Browse the La Jolla Open Aire Market on Sundays from 9am to 1pm on the playground of La Jolla Elementary on “upper Girard.” That’s the part of our main drag that extends south of Pearl Street. Known to locals as “the Farmer’s market,” this is a great spot to shop for picnic ingredients and gifts – and have lunch. The market is a perfect example of a really cool thing that doesn’t get on the radar screen of most visitors.
The market is popular with lots of locals who are there every week stocking up on fruit, veggies, and flowers. However, even if you are traveling and not cooking (hey, I live here and don’t cook) there are lots of other reasons to go. Think jewelry, free sample of local produce, and a very fun vibe.
The Salk Institute in La Jolla was designed by architect Louis Kahn and named after Dr. Jonas Salk.
10. Tour the stunning Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Acclaimed by architecture critics as one of the world’s boldest structures, the Salk Institute rests on a dramatic bluff high above the Pacific. The Institute was founded by Jonas Salk, inventor of the first successful polio vaccine. Salk hired architect Louis Kahn to design an open building with unobstructed laboratories that would inspire scientists. The building was completed in 1965 and is now designated a historical site. Free one-hour tours are offered Monday – Friday.
Click here if you need help planning your trip to La Jolla.
While you’re in La Jolla, be sure to practice safe sun.
Have fun!
I hope you have a wonderful time in La Jolla.
Category: Southern California
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This is a great read! I always want to explore how La Jolla, California turned out to be one of the best places to visit. After reading this, there are really a lot of best things to experience in this place. I hope to bring my family here soon and have the best times of our lives. Thanks for sharing!