La Jolla Shores Beach - California

Address:La Jolla, California

For that perfect lazy summer day at the beach, surrounded by palms, tiny shells and a gently sloping shore-line, look no further than La Jolla Shores. La Jolla Shores Beach boasts gentle waves that are just right for building sand castles and dipping your feet in the water as you soak in the sunshine. Novice surfers also flock to La Jolla for the small waves along with scuba divers and those just looking for great views of the grand Pacific. The packed sand here attracts many early morning runners and power walkers too. But aside from great beachside activity, La Jolla Shores is known for its world-class resorts as well as great parks, picnic areas (made even better with the delis available nearby at the shopping area east of La Jolla Shores—yum!) and a boardwalk for bicycling, rollerblading and just hanging out. If you're looking for a good spot to cool off from the hot sun, head over to downtown for high-end clothiers and galleries. Or if you prefer something a bit more natural, the San Diego La Jolla Ecological Reserve is right here, as is the Steven Birch Aquarium, just 1/2 mile from La Jolla Shores—open daily. Lifeguards are stationed at the Beach year-round, and the station is generally staffed daily from 9:00 a.m. to near dusk—due to the strong rip currents, its best to stay near a lifeguard during swims. Do note that the beach gets very crowded on weekends so if you prefer a less populated beach scene, come on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Finally, for relatively easy parking, head to the lot at the foot of Calle Frescota, next to the lifeguard tower for maximum beach time.