With its spectacular natural beauty, La Jolla was an obvious choice for the first settlers. Over the years, increased demand for rooms with views has established the market and turned La Jolla into an affluent enclave, as evidenced by the premium restaurants, fine art galleries, and Ferrari dealerships scattered around town.
Experience the Best of La Jolla Reefs
Wondering where to go to experience the best of La Jolla Reefs? Take a driving or walking journey along the La Jolla’s rocky points and reefs, from La Jolla Cove to Windansea Beach, to fully appreciate the simple riches that started it all. We know the perfect stops on the way!
Stop#1: La Jolla Cove
La Jolla Cove is a lovely tiny beach with just enough space for a few dozen beachgoers. It is located on the seaward end of the cliffs that form a little deep water bay in this area. The cliffs are pocked with marine caves that attract kayakers. Visitors can descend a creepy tunnel in the basement of The Cave Shop or snorkel over from The Cove on a calm day to explore the massive cave beneath “The Clam.”
Stop#2: Boomers
As one travels south from La Jolla Cove, the coast becomes vulnerable to the whims of the sea. Boomers, a wave allocated for bodysurfing, is the second stop on the trip. A stairwell at the park’s southern end leads to Shell Beach. The main attraction here is Seal Rock, where California grey seals cluster during low tides and calm surf. If you’re feeling brave, you may stroll out on the seawall and observe the seals from a closer vantage point, but keep in mind that you’ll be closer to the waves as well.
Stop#3: Casa Beach & Wipeout
Casa Beach is the teeny-tiny beach to the south of the Children’s Pool, whereas Wipeout is the slightly larger beach to the south. Both of these locations can be dangerous for swimming due to the presence of flowing water and pebbles. There are a few small caverns on the shore, but they are frequently clogged with seaweed. There are beautiful tidepools and shelling opportunities all along this stretch of shore at low tide. Although the conditions are not always cooperative, when they are, this is the best dive location in town, with magnificent underwater arches and ledges teeming with lobster.
Stop#4: Marine Street Beach
Between Horseshoe and Windansea, the road departs the coast, preventing most people from discovering Marine Street Beach, San Diego’s prettiest, whitest beach. As a result, the beach is primarily populated by teenagers and locals. Marine Street’s claim to fame is its treacherous shorebreak. Bodysurfers have brief, deep tube rides when the waves crash against the steep shelf and unload into the beach.
Stop#5: Windansea Beach
It’s often packed to capacity. The beach is divided up by rocks, producing naturally occurring alcoves of various sizes ideal for intimate parties or encounters. Between Kolmar Street and Big Rock Reef, the beach’s southern section is ideal for swimming. Lifeguards patrol near the grass shack at the end of Bonaire Street in the summer.
Final Stop: Bird Rock
From Big Rock south to P.B. Point, the remainder of the coast is characterized by foreboding cliffs and rocky beaches. The beachgoer who stumbles onto the stairs at the foot of Bird Rock Avenue on a neap tide is indeed fortunate, as they discover the sea bottom unfolding before them like a magic carpet. These are the town’s most productive reefs, with several surf locations when the swell is running!
