Skip to main content
Event Calendar

La Jolla Cove: Snorkel, Swim & Dive

La Jolla Cove

Tucked between sandstone cliffs, below Scripps Park, this small beach with calm blue waters is San Diego's most desirable destination for swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving.. As part of the La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve, the beach is shared with marine life and sea creatures, like sea lions and seals. Adjacent to La Valencia, the cove is a diving and swimming paradise with water visibility often exceeding 30 feet. Its extraordinary beauty makes La Jolla Cove one of the most photographed beaches in Southern California. Explore La Jolla Cove and discover an entirely new world.
La Jolla Cove

La Jolla Cove

La Jolla Cove, San Diego, California, 92037
Distance from Hotel: 0.20 miles

Hours

Open daily, lifeguards are on duty from 9am to dusk.

Prices

Beach admission is free.

Events

  • Fourth of July Fireworks
  • Concerts By the Sea
  • Rough Water Swim

Activities

  • Snorkeling
  • Swimming
  • Diving
  • Kayaking
  • Scuba Diving
  • Photography

Where Is The Best Tide Pooling In La Jolla Cove?

At low tide, the sea lions and seals head out to the rock islands in the ocean, making it easy to walk the big flat rocky section between Boomer’s Beach and La Jolla Cove. Here you can see a variety of crabs and sea anemones in the tide pools. There’s also a small cave and rocky area near La Jolla Cove Beach. Walk south from La Jolla Cove to Shell Beach and South Casa Beach to explore tide pools with sea anemones, crabs and limpets. Head over to the Children’s Pool, a small picturesque beach and a haven for sunbathing seals. Venture across the seawall to watch the seals play in the surf.

Can I Fish Near La Jolla Cove?

As part of the La Jolla Underwater Park, La Jolla Cove is a marine refuge that protect marine life. Due to Park restrictions, there is no fishing right at the cove. If you walk a little north on the beach toward Scripps Pier, there is fishing access starting at the stairs closest to the pier and to its north. You can catch a variety of finfish, but not invertebrates like lobster or aquatic plants.