La Jolla Coast Walking Tour

90 Minute Tour of La Jolla's Prospect Street, La Jolla Cove, Children's Pool and more!

Our tour will begin with a short walk up Prospect Street to Girard Avenue. Along the way I will briefly explain the history of San Diego, and how La Jolla began as artist's resort called "The Green Dragon Colony." We will also walk past several art galleries, shops and restaurants. You will see historic hotels build in the early 1900s including The Grande Colonial and La Valencia.

As we continue on Prospect Street we will be able to see a few of the "Murals of La Jolla". Murals of La Jolla was conceived in 2010 as a means to enhance the civic character of the community by commissioning public art projects throughout La Jolla. The project's innovative approach expands the definition of the traditional public mural structure by reimagining how to utilize private property as an opportune space for public art. The unique print-based process opens up the possibility of working with a larger sector of multi-disciplinary artists, creating an outdoor exhibition of works from many notable local, national and international artists. There are currently 14 murals on view and the project has commissioned 39 artworks to date. It is a project of the Athenaeum initiated by the La Jolla Community Foundation.

As we approach the Coast Walk Trail we will stop at The Cave Store to see the entrance to Sunny Jim's Sea Cave. This tunnel was dug out by two Chinese laborers hired by German artist, mining engineer, and entrepreneur Gustav Schultz in 1902. It leads from the Cave Store, Schultz's original residence, down through the sandstone cliffs of La Jolla Cove and into Sunny Jim's Sea Cave. It's been said that during Prohibition, bootleggers smuggled alcohol and opium into San Diego through the sea cave by carrying it through this tunnel! We will not enter the cave on this tour, but you can choose to come back after the tour if you want to make the trip!

After we leave the Cave store, We will visit the Coast Walk Trail. This trail is directly above the 7 La Jolla Sea Caves and provides breathtaking views of the Southern California coastline. Along the trail you will see and learn about the secret swing and Rose Canyon fault line, and hear how the current UCSD campus used to be an artillery range during WW1` and WW2.

From the Coast Walk Trail, we will get a great view of the The San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park which spans 6,000 acres (24 km2) of ocean bottom and tidelands. The park's four distinct habitats (rocky reef, kelp bed, sand flats, and submarine canyon) make it a popular destination for snorkelers and scuba divers. The park was created by the City of San Diego in 1970 and actually has two other parks within it: the "look but don't touch" Ecological Reserve and the Marine Life Refuge.

La Jolla Cove Beach is located at the northeast end of Ellen Browning Scripps Park. This historic beach has been a popular spot for over 125 years. I will show you some photos of the exact location we will be standing, showing the hills above the cove in the late 1800s. You'll see only the very first beach cottages present in the photos and see which ones are still standing today!

As we walk along the seawall Ellen Browning Scripps Park will be to the left. You'll learn how Ellen's contributions helped put La Jolla and San Diego on the map. But the main attraction will be the sea lions. June, July and August are especially good months to visit this area as it's the pupping season. You will be able to see baby sea lions from a safe viewing distance during these months!

Shell Beach La Jolla is popular with locals and tourists for its tide pools, small sandy beach, shells, and picturesque terrain. We'll Be able to get a great view from the seawall above!

As we approach the Children's Pool we will be able to see Coast Boulevard Park to the south. This small stretch of grass and sand overlooking the sea is situated between Coast Boulevard and the Pacific Ocean. It's known as the "Wedding Bowl" due to its popularity as an outdoor wedding venue. The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego is just up the street.

Founded in 1941 as The Art Center in La Jolla, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) has evolved into an organization of national and international renown. This location was the former residence of Ellen Browning Scripps and is easily identified by the huge cluster of boats coming out of the roof! We will be able to see this amazing building from our final stop at the Children's Pool.

Our final stop will be at the famous Children's Pool, originally an area in San Diego designated for children to swim. In 1932, a seawall was built to protect the shore from oncoming waves, making it the ideal spot for children to paddle without danger. While the Children's Pool in La Jolla provides a swimming spot suitable for children, the conditions also prove to be idylic for harbor seals and sea lions. Seal Rock, which is located just north of the beach is home to hundreds of seals, and its close proximity to the Children's Pool La Jolla has increased seal interest in the pool area. Seals have since come to the La Jolla Children's Pool to bathe, bask and even give birth to their seal pups. The introduction of these seals to the Children's Pool in La Jolla has caused recent controversy over whether the beach should be preserved for the marine life or for the children. We will be able to walk on the seawall as long as conditions permit.