La Jolla
How to Spend One Day in La Jolla
La Jolla Cove
Our adventure along the California coastal highway has been our most memorable trip so far. We drove from San Diego to San Francisco (and a beyond) visiting state parks, coastal towns, and amazing beaches. One of the our favorite places to visit was La Jolla, just 20 minutes north of San Diego.
Where is La Jolla?
La Jolla is a town located about twenty minutes north of San Diego in California. It is a must visit if you are in the San Diego area, and you can do it all in just one day.
What is there to do in La Jolla?
La Jolla is worth visiting just for the seals and sea lions alone, which you can find at La Jolla Natural Park. Warning: They have quite the odor! Although most people keep a respectful distance (you will be whistled at if you get too close) there are boardwalks where you can get a pretty good view. We walked around the tide pools (visit during low tide if you want to view the sea life), and walked around the Children’s Pool (where many of the seals hang out). You can also visit La Jolla Cove where you can rent kayak and go on a sea cave tour, or swim near the leopard sharks (they won’t bother you). If the beach is not your scene, you can take a drive up to Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial, which has the best views of the coast and the coastal town. We drove up here for sunset and were not disappointed.
When Should I Visit La Jolla?
You can visit La Jolla all year round, due to the warm temperatures near the southern coast of California. We visited in May and November, and experienced beautiful weather both months. There were more seals and sea lions in the month of May, as most had vacated the beaches near the Children’s Pool by November and were instead found bathing on the rocks near La Jolla Cove.
La Jolla 1 Day Itinerary
Sunrise at La Jolla Cove for the beautiful hazy glow (of course you can visit at sunset instead for the same effect). If it low tide, check out the nearby tidal pools to see the marine life.
Book a sea cave tour with a nearby rental company or explore the cove on your own by snorkeling or renting paddle boards. We chose the sea kayak tour but on another visit we rented paddle boards for 2 hours.
Lunch at one of the nearby restaurants (you can find several within walking distance of the beach).
Spend time talking around The Children’s Pool to see all of seals and sea lions.
Have a drink at a nearby brewery.
Visit Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial for amazing sunset views.