La Jolla Cove facts for kids
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La Jolla Cove is a beautiful, small beach surrounded by cliffs in La Jolla, San Diego, California. It is a special place because it's part of a marine reserve, which means the ocean here is full of amazing sea creatures. This makes it a popular spot for people who love to snorkel, swim, and scuba dive.
Sometimes, the ocean waves at the Cove can be quite big and strong. Because of this, it's best for people who are good swimmers to go in the water. The water can also be a bit colder than at other beaches in San Diego. At high tide, there isn't much dry sand, but during very low tides, you can explore cool tide pools filled with sea life.
You might see California sea lions swimming in the water or resting on the beaches and cliffs. Their presence sometimes causes discussions about how people and animals can share the beach safely.
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Visiting La Jolla Cove
Finding free parking near La Jolla Cove can be tricky, as it's mostly street parking. There are also paid parking garages nearby. When you arrive, you'll find a park at the top of the cliffs. From there, steps lead down to a viewing area with benches. This area also has the lifeguard station, where you can find helpful information about the beach conditions. From this level, more steps take you down to the sand.
Smells at the Cove
Visitors should know that the air around La Jolla Cove can sometimes have a strong smell. This is because of the many sea lions and birds that live there. The smell can be stronger on warm summer days. Because of the large number of animals, the water quality is regularly checked to make sure it's safe for swimming.
What to Do at the Cove
The beach at La Jolla Cove is quite small, and the sand has a unique texture. Lifeguards are always on duty from morning until sunset, every day of the year. It's a favorite place for swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. In the summer, special buoys are placed in the water to mark distances for swimmers, up to half a mile out. Some very strong swimmers even try to swim all the way to Scripps Pier and back, which is a three-mile trip! The Cove also hosts several open water swimming events throughout the year.
Rules for the Water
Because La Jolla Cove is part of the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park (a marine refuge), there are special rules to protect the environment. Things like surfboards, boogie boards, and inflatable rafts are not allowed. Kayakers also cannot enter the Cove. Lifeguards make sure these rules are followed.
Since it's an ecological reserve, fishing is not allowed. You also cannot collect any marine animals, even dead ones or seashells. All sea creatures here are protected by law, including the bright orange Garibaldi fish, which you'll see a lot of in the Cove. Hundreds of sea lions also live here, often seen swimming or resting on the rocks.
Weather and Water Temperature
Just like at other beaches, the lifeguard's board shows the times for high and low tide, and the water temperature. The water in the Cove can sometimes be cooler than other parts of San Diego's coast. This is because the Cove faces deeper, colder ocean water. The weather on land is usually mild, staying between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 32 degrees Celsius) all year.
Facilities Available
At the top of the Cove, you'll find outdoor showers to rinse off. There are also large public restrooms with an indoor shower and a changing area with benches and hooks.
Protecting Wildlife
The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) helps protect marine mammals like California sea lions. While there isn't a specific distance you must stay away from them, it is against the law to bother or harm them. This means you shouldn't chase, annoy, or do anything that could injure them. It also means you shouldn't disturb their natural behaviors like migrating, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or resting.
La Jolla Cove is also a public beach, managed by the California Coastal Commission. This means there are ongoing discussions about how people can best share the beach with the wildlife. Currently, the city uses signs, helpful guides (called docents), and law enforcement (like park rangers, lifeguards, and police) to make sure everyone respects the wildlife while still enjoying the beaches.
Around the Cove
Above the beach, stretching south to other nearby beaches like Shell Beach and Children's Pool Beach, is Scripps Park. This is a well-kept grassy area with trees, perfect for picnics and relaxing.
Just north of the Cove are the La Jolla sea caves, sometimes called "The 7 caves of La Jolla." The most famous one is "Sunny Jim Cave." You can walk to it from the Cove and the local shops above the shoreline. You can enter this cave through The Cave Store, which charges a small fee to go down a staircase that leads right into the cave.
Events at the Cove
La Jolla Cove is famous for hosting the annual "La Jolla Cove Rough Water Swim" every September. This is one of the oldest ocean swims in the world! It's also where the Annual Concours d’Elegance, a classic car show, takes place at Scripps Park each spring.
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