Located just 20 minutes from downtown San Diego is La Jolla, also known as “San Diego’s Jewel by the Sea”. It is a picturesque seaside community home to bluffs, beaches, restaurants, shops, festivals and so many photo ops. 

The Bluffs

Above the beach at La Jolla Cove are the bluffs. A rocky and sandy coastline stretching all the way south and all the way north to other beaches. 

On top of the bluffs is Scripps Park. It is a well maintained grassy park, offering shade, public bathrooms, showers and change rooms. It is the perfect spot (with great views) to have a picnic in La Jolla. 

Sea Lions

The Sea Lions are another big reason to visit La Jolla. They are adorable. You can see many sea lion families. Signs (and locals I’ve spoken to) do caution you to steer clear of them. However, you can go down the bluffs to get a better view while still keeping enough of a distance.  I got pretty close to a family on the beach, they completely ignored me while I snapped a ton of pictures.

One word of caution however, they reek. Really badly. I don’t understand how such cute animals (that spend a lot of time in the ocean) smell so bad. It is tolerable if you want to go down quickly and get some pictures though. Or just bring a telephoto lens.

The Best Background

The rocks (down by the smelly sea lions) make the perfect background for a photo op. I took the liberty of continuing my dream of being a mermaid, but many tourists were there taking (normal) pictures capturing the waves. 

After hearing about Victoria Secret’s departure from swim, I decided to do one more order from the sales before it is all gone. I got the Lace-up Top and matching Lace-up High-wast Cheeky bottom. The top is extremely flattering while also being unique. I do worry about the tan lines though. I’m not the biggest fan of high-waisted bathing suit bottoms, as I don’t think they are the most flattering on me. However, I am very pleased with this cut. High-waisted bottoms have a tendency to look like a diaper, and these ones didn’t.

I also wore this open kaftan from Zara as a beach cover-up. 

La Jolla Beach

The actual beach in the cove is small, but very picturesque. There are lifeguards there everyday from 9am until sunset if you are brave enough to face the cold ocean water. While I was there, there was a sign warning of increased bacterial presence. However, if the Olympic rowers survived in Rio, I think you will be okay swimming here. 

The Community

The community surrounding the cove also has a lot to offer. From cute boutiques to nice restaurants, it is easy to spend the day in La Jolla.

La Jolla is definitely worth the short drive north from downtown. Whether you go there to have a picnic or pretend to be a mermaid is up to you.