A Beach Vacation in La Jolla, California

Other posts by MudslideMama

Solo Surfer (Jen Miner)
Solo Surfer (Jen Miner)

La Jolla is a gorgeous, high-end beach community just a hop, skip and a jump north of San Diego.  It’s got a reputation as being a relaxing (if somewhat deluxe) vacation destination.  The Mudslide family has never been there; we take road trips to San Diego pretty often, but La Jolla is so close to San Diego that Laguna Beach makes for a better pit stop on the way home. As a California-based travel writer and beach town fan, I clearly needed to check out this place with my video camera fully loaded.

I’m so glad I did! La Jolla is indeed lovely, with cliffs that overhand the Pacific in ways reminiscent of the more rugged views in Northern California. The La Jolla Playhouse is a wonderful local theater, and Scripps Institute of Oceanography is a focal point for training the next generation in marine biology and other earth sciences. The Birch Aquarium at Scripps melds fun and education about marine life and resources so well, I just can’t wait to take my children there. But remember…there are those miles of wonderful, surfer-friendly beaches too.

One beach has been in the news off and on; The Children’s Pool was actually man-made to create a relatively wave-free bay for kids to play in, but this serene alcove was also perfect for seals to birth their pups. (This is somewhat controversial; the philanthropist Ellen B. Scripps had it built for children, but not exclusively so.) Because there are so many other child-friendly beaches along La Jolla’s coastline – and because marine mammals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act – the seals unknowingly won a legal battle to stay in The Children’s Pool during baby season. I love seals! I had to find them…and hopefully get a quick video of the seals in action.

Starting at the south end of La Jolla was a mistake; I found a bunch of beautiful little beaches (and a ton of fancy shops) but no seals. I had my Flip Digital Video Camera on the ready, though: Check out this video. Oh, before you do, keep in mind that I’m no professional. Holding the Flip at arm’s length and hoping for the best resulted in me chopping off my chin. Wish me better aim next time!

Ha, ha! It’s no wonder that The Children’s Pool has also been named “Seal Rock.” They look cute and happy, don’t they? But even from our respectful distance, the other tourists, gawkers, and I were just about equally impressed by the smell emanating from the beach as we were the sight of all those baby seals flopped out next to their mamas. Phoo! I wonder how long it takes to clear the air after the Harbor Seals leave.

La Jolla Beach (Jen Miner)
La Jolla Beach (Jen Miner)

In any case, the Harbor Seals (and yes, I know, I accidentally call them sea lions once in the video above, mea culpa) are a huge attraction when they’re tending to their pups. Since there are a plethora of other beaches around La Jolla, I believe that setting aside Seal Rock/Children’s Pool for the seals and their babies is a good thing. The crowd of tourists, happy to pose for photos with a seal-filled background, surely agree.

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March 18, 2009 | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Destinations, Eco Travel, Family Travel, Girlfriend Getaways, Luxury Travel, Romantic Getaways, Travel Gear, Videos 

Comments

16 Responses to “A Beach Vacation in La Jolla, California”

  1. Nancy D. Brown says:
    March 18, 2009 at

    Way to use that Flip Mino video camera. I’m taking mine up in a Zeppelin this week. Wish me luck.

  2. Keith says:
    March 18, 2009 at

    Hey, I know someone from La Jolla! She insists we pronounce it properly, so I say (in fun!) in that case, why don’t you pronounce Des Moines properly, or say ‘Tay-has’ or ‘New May-hi-co’. I’m still waiting for an answer! :D

  3. Kim says:
    March 18, 2009 at

    I lived in La Jolla for four years, ocean view from my dorm room and that was in the olden times when UCs were cheap. It is a great little beach town. Check out Warwicks, a family owned bookstore that has been in La Jolla for decades. It’s loved by the community and for good reason, it’s terrific and the staff are fun.

  4. Sharlene says:
    March 18, 2009 at

    I need to get my butt to Children’s Pool/Seal Rock. I would love to see all the pups! I wonder how long pupping season is…

  5. Sheila Scarborough says:
    March 18, 2009 at

    I thought you did a great job with your one-armed cameraman! :)

    I’m still learning the very basics of shooting video, and really the only way to do it is to jump in. You’re doing a wonderful job.

    It’s been years since I visited in La Jolla; thanks for the memories.

  6. Lorraine Akemann says:
    March 18, 2009 at

    I spent 8 years living near La Jolla, working at Scripps, and enjoying the beaches. Thanks for the wonderful review and for the memories. It is truly a special place and somewhere that would be great to visit with my family of youngsters.

  7. Kim@Galavanting says:
    March 19, 2009 at

    Super fun, the seals were a nice bonus to a beautiful beach! La Jolla is fun, used to live near it for a while when I was a kid. I should go back!

    I thought you did a great job…hardest thing is to hold it steady on your face when you shoot yourself, and you did!

  8. Amy says:
    March 19, 2009 at

    We were out that way last August, waiting for a new cousin to be born. We live in Virginia, but actually started our vacation in Oregon and drove down to San Diego. My son keeps asking to go back to San Diego, but he says he wants to fly this time instead of drive. He thinks we drove there from here.

    The beaches were great there. The kids could go out pretty far before it got deep and there was a lot of beach to play in the shallow water.

    Amy
    Mom to 3
    http://www.sofiabean.com

  9. theme parks says:
    March 19, 2009 at

    La Jolla is a wealthy [1] seaside resort community, occupying seven miles of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean in Southern California. Although officially a part of San Diego, California, La Jolla retains its own small-town atmosphere and its own civic pride. Home to roughly 42,808[2] residents, La Jolla is defined on three sides by its rugged coastline of ocean bluffs and beaches, backed by steep canyons and hillsides culminating at Mount Soledad.[3] Located 12 miles north of San Diego, and 40 miles south of Orange County California,[4][5] La Jolla is probably best known for its beautiful weather year round with an average daily temperature of 70.5º (21.4 degrees Celsius)[6][7][8] making this area a tourist hotspot. In addition, La Jolla is well known for its elite shopping and dining, with upscale boutiques, import shops, and gourmet restaurants lining Prospect Street.

  10. Karl Strauss Brewery & Grill La Jolla CA says:
    March 19, 2009 at

    [...] and the Sampler can change with the time of year.  After playing in the water or walking on the beaches of La Jolla, it just feels great to come in to Karl Strauss, order lunch and some beer you can’t get [...]

  11. Wassan says:
    March 19, 2009 at

    Oh this just makes me want to fly out to California, especially on this chilly chilly day! What a great post, thank you for sharing. I also really enjoyed the self video!

  12. iNeverGetLost Team says:
    March 23, 2009 at

    La Jolla is SUCH a beautiful area! You can enjoy the beach, restaurants, shopping, and enjoy nature all in the same place. It’s a favorite destination of ours. Thanks for sharing your video!

  13. April says:
    March 28, 2009 at

    Maybe you were just at the kid’s pool at a bad time of day? I used to live in San Diego and found that it wasn’t always stinky at the kid’s pool.

  14. Inspiring Travel Blog Carnival - April Edition | Sharing Experiences says:
    April 5, 2009 at

    [...] out the beach them is a great post from the Travelling Mamas about La Jolla. The post even includes some great video footage; La Jolla is indeed a stunning coastal [...]

  15. Guam-Hotel.Net » Blog Archive » A Best Mother’s Day Brunch in Venice, Los Angeles says:
    May 14, 2009 at

    [...] Angeles is Hal’s Bar & Grill. It’s fun, hip, and trendy, with that relaxed, casual Southern California ambience [...]

  16. Mark Freed says:
    August 13, 2009 at

    La Jolla has some of the best beaches for surfing which include Black’s beach for advanced surfers and Tourmaline for beginners. San Diego overall has some fantastic beaches. http://www.sdsurfspots.com
    hang ten!

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