Things To Do
La Jolla Cove
La Jolla Cove is a small cove and beach surrounded by cliffs. The area is part of a marine reserve and is popular with swimmers, snorkelers, scuba divers, kayakers, and surfers. A big highlight are the California sea lions which live in and around the cove and spend a lot of their time sunbathing on the shore and rocks. Children's Pool Beach is the best place to see the sea lions. (Open up Google Maps or Apple Maps on your phone, type in Children's Pool Beach, and walk that way! They're hard to miss.) If you're interested in kayaking and aren't afraid of the chilly March water, check out La Jolla Kayak.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is 2,000 acres of coastal state park located in La Jolla. Great place to hike, hit the beach, and get some amazing ocean views. All of the trails are great, but here are some AllTrails links to some of our favorites. We love the Beach Trail Loop, but check the tides first! Guy Fleming Trail is also a short, easy loop with no elevation and great ocean views. Beach Trail Loop: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/torrey-pines-beach-trail-loop Red Butte, Yucca Point, and Razor Point Trail: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/red-butte-yucca-point-and-razor-point-trail Guy Fleming Trail: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/guy-fleming-trail
Black's Beach
One of Bradley's favorite waves to surf in San Diego. Although the wave itself should only be surfed by the experts (!!), the beach around the wave is beautiful and fairly secluded. To get to Black's, park at or Uber to the San Diego Gliderport, and take Citizen's Trail down to the beach. The trail is pretty steep, so make sure to wear your tennis shoes and bring some water for the workout! Let us know if you have any questions about getting to the beach. And be forewarned that the beach is also a popular nudist beach!
Eats and Drinks in La Jolla
Looking for food or drinks while you're walking around La Jolla? Here are some recs (some of which we have been to, and others which are recommended by San Diegans): Breakfast/Brunch: Cody's La Jolla, Parakeet Cafe, The Cottage, Sugar & Scribe, Wayfarer Bread and Pastry (bit of a walk but a San Diego favorite), Better Buzz Coffee, Harry's Coffee Shop, Cove House Lunch/Dinner: The Taco Stand (the line is worth it!), Puesto (fancy tacos), El Pescador Fish Market, Marisi, Verdes El Ranchero (one of our favorites!), Mary's Gourmet Salads, Himitsu, Catania, NINE-TEN Restaurant & Bar (in the Grande Colonial hotel) Ocean Views: George's at the Cove, Duke's (sit upstairs), Birdseye Rooftop Restaurant and Bar, Eddie V's Prime Seafood ($$$$; sit upstairs by the patio) Grab a beer: Hennessey's Tavern, The Spot (dive bar vibes), Eppig Brewing La Jolla Bierhaus (we love the lager!), Public House
Brewery Tour
San Diego is one of the nation's biggest craft brewery hubs. Here are some of our favorites, which are accessible by Uber or Lyft (other than Eppig which is right in La Jolla). Let us know if you need any recommendations for your palette specifically! 1. Eppig Brewing - There is a bierhaus tasting room right in downtown La Jolla, with other locations throughout the city. The Special Lager International Pilsner is one of Bradley's go-tos on days he accepts he's too old to handle multiple heavy IPAs. 2. AleSmith Brewing Company - A favorite of both Kaylie's and Bradley's. We love the .394 Pale Ale, but you can't go wrong with any of their beers. 3. Ballast Point Brewing Company 4. Stone Brewing 5. Burgeon Beer Company 6. Societe Brewing Company 7. Duckfoot Brewing 8. Modern Times Beer 9. Viewpoint Brewing Company (cool lagoon views; great lunch or dinner spot)
Torrey Pines Golf Course
Torrey Pines is one of the country's best golf facilities with amazing views of the ocean. The North and South courses are hosts to the annual Farmers Insurance Open and the 2008 and 2021 U.S. Open. For other golf course recommendations (and more affordable options), contact Bradley at 561-386-1554 or bsp219@gmail.com.
Beach Day
It wouldn't be San Diego without a trip to the beach. Some of the best options near La Jolla are La Jolla Shores Beach (quick Uber ride away, big beach that's good for lounging), La Jolla Cove (detailed above), Black's Beach (detailed above), and Windansea Beach (one of our faves and a popular surf spot). Let us know if you need other recommendations outside of La Jolla!
San Diego Zoo
Lives up to the hype! Make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes, as the zoo is big and requires a lot of walking.
Gaslamp Quarter
For our friends looking to hit the town (read: party), one of the main places to do so is the Gaslamp Quarter near downtown San Diego.
Encinitas
We are biased, but the town of Encinitas about 20 minutes north of La Jolla is by far the best neighborhood in San Diego! (This is where we live!). If you find yourself up that way, please let us know so we can share all of our favorite spots with you (but start with Beacon's Beach, Corner Pizza, Bump Coffee, Duckfoot Brewing, etc. etc. etc.)!
USS Midway Museum
For any of our military and history buffs, check out the USS Midway Museum, located in downtown San Diego at Navy Pier. The USS Midway is the longest-serving American aircraft carrier of the 20th century, having played host to more than 200,000 sailors over the course of its 47 years of service.
Coronado Beach and Hotel del Coronado
Coronado is a quieter, picturesque beach across the bay and slightly south of downtown San Diego. Near the beach is the famous Hotel del Coronado, a National Historic Landmark that made its debut in 1888 and is famous for its appearance in the 1959 Marilyn Monroe film "Some Like It Hot." Coronado is a great place to hit the beach, walk the 1.75-mile shoreline, do a beach bonfire, rent bikes, or grab a drink at "The Del."
SeaWorld San Diego
San Diego is home to one of the country's three SeaWorld Parks. In addition to the animals (beluga whales, orcas, dolphins, etc.), there are theme park rides and other attractions.
Extending your trip in California?
We know a lot of our guests intend to extend their trip in California. While we aren't experts (yet!), here are some of the favorite spots we've visited in CA so far. If you need more recs please email or text Kaylie! (Remember that some of these spots may still have heavy snowfall in March!) Best cities/towns: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Carmel by the Sea, Malibu (near LA), Half Moon Bay (near SF), Laguna Beach (~1.5 hours north of San Diego), Palm Springs Can't miss spots/unique to California: Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley for wine tasting (James Cole Winery and Cliff Lede Vineyards in Napa are two of our faves!), Disneyland National parks and other spots for nature nerds like us: Mammoth Lakes (our favorite trip so far!), Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park (another favorite!), Kings Canyon National Park, Big Sur, Joshua Tree National Park (about ~3 hours from San Diego)
Adventure to Mexico
Fun fact: we're getting married 30 miles from the United States-Mexico border! San Diego is a great launching point to numerous destinations in Mexico, including Mexico City and Cabo San Lucas (or really anywhere in Baja California). If you're feeling extra adventurous, you can even fly out of Tijuana International Airport, which is accessible from San Diego via a land bridge. Tijuana flights are usually very cheap, with round trip fares to numerous destinations for $100 or $200! For more information, look into the Cross Border Xpress or reach out to Kaylie for details. We recently flew to Mexico City from Tijuana and had an amazing time!