La Jolla Shores

Adjacent to the San Diego–La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve, La Jolla Shores is popular for a variety of water sports—both above and below the surface. Gentle waves, particularly in summer, make this area a great place for beginner surfers and stand-up paddleboarders. Visitors can also kayak to the La Jolla sea caves to spot wildlife, or learn to scuba dive in the pristine waters. Birch Aquarium even offers snorkeling tours from July through September so brave souls can swim among the leopard sharks that congregate at one end of the beach.

La Jolla Shores is a mile long gently sloped sandy beach- on the north end is Scripps pier and the Scripps Institute of Oceanography and to the south near the cliffs is the La Jolla Park Ecological Reserve. I’ve swam here with stingrays, seals, dolphins and even came upon a leopard shark- don’t worry though, these sharks are docile (unless cornered) but still can make a heart race when you’re right next to one in the water! There are businesses nearby where you can rent scuba and snorkeling gear, kayaks and wetsuits. The Ecological Reserve is a great place to kayak and where you can see leopard sharks, seals, dolphins and the state fish, the giribaldi. Giribaldis are easy to spot since they are bright orange! There is a little tunnel the ocean has carved from the cliffs to kayak through and I recommend kayaking over to Children’s Beach where you can check out seals lounging on the beach. Just keep an eye out for swimmers and be sure to stay our of the swimming lane. This area also makes for great snorkeling. During winter, the ocean covers most of the beach, so spring, fall and summer are the best times to enjoy this location. Tip- If you’re driving here from downtown San Diego, keep in mind that there are only 4 lanes in and out of La Jolla. Traffic into the area in the morning is worse, and leaving out in the evening is tough. The best time to drive here is either in the morning before or after rush hour (7-9am) and leave after or before evening rush hour (4-6pm)

La Jolla is one of the best places to surf along the Southern California coast. Our community offers three main spots: Black’s Beach, WindanSea, and Bird Rock. The best La Jolla surf spot for learning is La Jolla Shores – quality waves can be found near Scripps Pier and get smaller to the south toward the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. Winter offers bigger, more consistent and challenging La Jolla surf. From October to April, a wetsuit is pretty much required. Summer swells are smaller and the water is sometimes warm enough for surf trunks. Locals call it warm when the water is over 70 degrees. Occasionally during summer, swells from the south can get large and present a challenge. Remember, when it comes to waves the bigger, the better. Wind is better in the morning, but many afternoons can also have favorable winds. Winds that blow out to sea or offshore are the best. No wind is the best wind. Glassy days make paddling and surfing as easy as possible. The best of all days are when a far-travelled swell hits during a sunny offshore period when tides are favorable. A crowd can take the fun out of a good session. It’s always nice to paddle out and get a few waves when it’s not crowded. Really early on cold weekday winter mornings can be a good call. By late morning most surfers who have jobs are gone – in La Jolla that is many. If it’s really good they will all be back later.