La Jolla Shores Beach, La Jolla Shores Hotel
Think palm trees next to the Pacific, green lawns and bougainvillea blossoms — pink, white, and orange — complementing the Spanish-style architecture of some of the most expensive real estate in all of California. La Jolla Shores beach, home to world-class hotel, La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, is 1 mile of shoreline with park and picnic area. It also features a boardwalk that spans the length of the beach and is great for walking, jogging, bicycling, or rollerblading. La Jolla Shores beach attracts travelers from the nearby La Jolla hotels as well as locals year-round for the swimming, surfing, scuba diving, and some of the most picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean.
La Jolla Shores is a short distance from downtown La Jolla, the Beverly Hills of San Diego, which boasts high-end clothiers, hotels, shops, and galleries. The sheer beauty and flat expanse of La Jolla Shores makes it ideal for strolling, picnicking, or tossing a Frisbee while enjoying the waves breaking on the beach. La Jolla Shores is also rich with marine life, which is protected by the San Diego La Jolla Ecological Reserve. People scuba dive and kayak at the south end of the beach.
La Jolla Shores Parking, Lifeguards, Restrooms
Lifeguards are stationed year-round, and children will love the modern playground with a bathroom (showers and changing area) at the south end of the beach. La Jolla Shores has one large parking lot at the foot of Calle Frescota, near the lifeguard station. However, parking is scarce after 9 or 10 a.m. most summer days, so it’s best to arrive early or late. Street parking is available as well.
La Jolla Shores Insider Tips
La Jolla Shores can be very crowded between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. most summer days. If you’re looking for privacy, plan a late afternoon trip to La Jolla Shores and enjoy the sunset over the Pacific after the crowds have gone home.
The Scripps Institute of Oceanography lies north of La Jolla Shores. It’s open to the public and has an aquarium with live marine life. You can pick up deli supplies at the small shopping area a couple blocks east of La Jolla Shores.
La Jolla Shores Directions
From the north, take I-5 south, exiting at La Jolla Village Drive, west. Turn left at Torrey Pines Road and follow it to La Jolla Shores Drive. From the south, take I-5 north, exiting at Ardath Road. Take a right at La Jolla Shores Drive, a left at Avenida de la Playa, and a right on Camino del Oro.