La Jolla Shores – La Jolla, California: Best Beaches in California
Beach Personality: A Wildlife Lovers’ Dream In A Convenient Location
La Jolla Shores
La Jolla Shores is a very nice pocket beach in a beautiful community. The beach’s visitors are a diverse group of people including locals and tourists of all ages. Its physical attributes include soft, fine-grained, light tan sand with a fairly large amount of natural debris along the tideline, but no garbage. The water is clear and clean with separate areas designated for swimmers and surfers.
Various surf schools operate from this beach including Surf Diva and Menehune Surf School. It’s also home to a boat launch, so numerous kayak tours and private boats takeoff at La Jolla Shores beach.
One of the best things about La Jolla Shores is the fact that it’s part of the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park and Ecological Reserve. “The San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park and Ecological Reserve spans about 6,000 acres of ocean bottom and tidelands, from Scripps Park at La Jolla Cove, north across La Jolla Shores to the end of Torrey Pines State Reserve. As a ‘look-but-don’t-touch’ ecological refuge, the park is an ecological haven and has become a popular destination for snorkelers, scuba divers, and kayakers.” (San Diego Bike and Kayak Tours)
While I was visiting La Jolla Shores I took a kayak/snorkel trip to see the resident wildlife in a more up close and personal way. Leopard sharks are a common sight here between June and October when the water warms up. Other fish and animals can be found year-round. My 2-hour trip took off from La Jolla Shores beach, kayaked down to the sea caves by La Jolla Cove, then returned to the beach. During this time I saw multiple leopard sharks, swam with sea lions, and snorkeled with a variety of fish. It was definitely the highlight of my trip.
Beach Activities:
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Boogie boarding
- Body surfing
- Paddle boarding
- Kayaking
- Scuba diving
- Snorkeling
- Lounging
Beach Amenities:
- Public bathrooms – Yes.
- Showers – Yes.
- Parking – Yes, free in the beach parking lot. Fills up early in the summer and on weekends.
- Food – Yes, within walking distance.
- Lifeguard – Yes.
- Dogs allowed on the beach – Yes. From 6:00 pm to 9:00 am April 1 through October 31. From 4:00 pm to 9:00 am the rest of the year.
Additional amenities – drinking fountains, picnic tables, grassy park, benches, paved path, playground, fire pits, boat launch, and handicap accessible.
Beach Rentals:
Yes. Rentals are available on nearby Avenida de la Playa. Items available for rent include kayaks, surfboards, bicycles, and snorkel sets.
Directions:
La Jolla Shores is located at the intersection of Camino del Oro & Calle Frescota in La Jolla, California, 92037.
To many joyful beach experiences!
— Lisa Dworkin
Image Source: Lisa Dworkin. All rights reserved.
