Best Things to Do in La Jolla California

the top places to visit and hidden gems in La Hoya California welcome we're back here in La Hoya again with another list of amazing things to do today we'll visit everything from the Coes and caves to the hidden beaches trails and Parks we'll start with some of the most visited destinations in La Hoya then highlight the hidden places and details most visitors and even locals Miss we'll explore popular destinations like La Hoya cove the children's pool to the local favorite beaches such as wind SE Bird Rock and La Hoya Shores then we'll visit Trails High Above The Cliffs and beaches and Traverse the coastline to explore caves and tide pools rarely accessible on foot we'll highlight popular photography spots as well as story destinations with their own folklore and to complete the journey we'll visit the highest point in La Hoya and one of the most recommended places to visit for a full view of San Diego La Hoya is one of the most visited Beach communities in San Diego just a 20-minute Drive North of downtown San Diego it occupies about 7 miles of rugged and Sandy Coastline it's known for the Bluffs the Coes and sandy beaches with a history dating back thousands of years as the home to the ancient shell miden people and the Kumi people in 1850 the area was incorporated into the city of San Diego and railroads contributed to the growth and establishment of the community wealthy individuals built mansions and Estates along the coast and Hills and the picturesque Beauty has attracted tourists ever since in addition to the incredible homes and attractions today La Hoya is known as a center for scientific research and education with the establishment of the scrips institution of oceanography UCSD and the sulk Institute here are the top 10 places and hidden gems for your next visit to La Hoya many trips to La Hoya begin with a stop at La Hoya cove this is one of the most visited places in San Diego and for good reason the rocky Cove and clear waters create a perfect environment for swimming snorkeling and even scuba diving just offshore are several diving attractions such as a kelp forest and even the site of an ancient Kumi Village the area is popular for the seals and sea lions who live on the rocks and the uninterrupted view of Northern San Diego which extends on clear days all the way up to Orange County many visitors like to come here to take pictures of the wildlife and this cave which is a nice introduction to the many caves caves that are in La Hoya we'll explore a few of La Hoya's most popular caves a little later in the video on the western edge of La Hoya cove is point La Hoya a protected Reserve area for sea lions and their pups this is a popular Gathering point for visitors to view sea lions from above just to the south of La Hoya cove is Ellen Browning scrips Park which is known for its large grassy area perfect for picnics or taking a walk along the coastline along the sidewalk you'll see this lifeguard box which was dedicated to David C Freeman a legendary lifeguard and body Surfer who tragically lost his life here in April of 1994 among the inspirational messages on the box you can see his name spelled vertically under the large e in lifeguard a short walk south is the children's pool which was donated by Ellen Browning scripts and built in 1930 also known as Casa Beach the Breakwater was built here to create a safe swimming space for families over time harbor seals seals and sea lions moved into the area and these days the beach is only open to swimmers during the summer months it's also considered one of the most beautiful places in San Diego to watch the sunset just to the south of the children's pool is Wipeout Beach which is a popular place for photography and known for the rock formations arches and Coes here you can see a small covered Cove area where people left chairs and Equipment there's also many rock formations and arches which make this part of the beach unique as it's no surprise Wipeout Beach is popular for photography just above the beach is the Museum of Contemporary Art and this interesting retaining wall That's become popular among rock climbers just to the South is curvier Park which wraps around the point and it's a popular place for picnics and there's an area for wedding ceremonies called The Wedding Bowl When the tide is low this area is known for the rocks and reef that are exposed and if you follow the shore a few hundred yards south you'll reach the La Hoya tide pools you'll you're there when you see the green benches and during low tides the water's almost 100 yard out and if you look South you'll see Rock and tide pools for as far as you can see there's a surf breake here called horseshoe Reef that in the right conditions makes some pretty impressive barrels and exploring the tide pools you'll see everything from seaan enemies to crabs to fish sea stars and slugs and even octopus to the north is La Hoya Shores a familyfriendly Sandy Beach known for its amenities parks surfing and kayaking at the southern edge of La Hoya Shores is the Marine Room which is known for having waves crashing up against the windows during High Tides nearby is a popular launching area for kayak tours where visitors explore the coastline and the La Hoya caves from The Marine Room the beach extends about a mile North to the scrips Pier making it an ideal place for people to walk or jog along the Sandy Beach twice a year around Sunset photographers from all around the world come here to capture the moment the sun sets right in the center between the two pillars the phenomena is called scrips henge and it typically draws a large crowd above the beach is the scrips institution of oceanography which we'll explore a little bit later and near the center of the beach by the playgrounds is a Hidden Gem and map of the Grand Canyons of La Hoya the educational Plaza at Kellogg Park features thousands of Mosaic towels depicting the animals that live just offshore the exhibit is dedicated to the oceanographer Walter Monk and features educational displays about the local geology the indigenous Kumi people and a 3D model of La Hoya's underwater Canyons high above the beach at the scrips institution of oceanography is an area called the scrips Coastal Meander the path is a publicly accessible walking route that passes through the scrips campus it's part of the California Coastal Trail and offers incredible views of La Hoya Shores below along the path you'll find some interesting sites in including the oldest known archaeological site in Southern California home to people who lived here 7,000 years ago there's incredible architecture in the area to explore including the scrips crossing bridge a pedestrian pathway that's recently become popular with photography and down below is a somewhat hidden area with benches that Overlook the scrips Pier this is a great place to watch the Surfers below or to stop for a quick picnic lunch the area has wide open views of the ocean and it's a great place place to watch the sunset just north of La Hoya cove on top of the Bluffs high above the caves is the coastwalk trail The 6m Long Trail is an easy hike that offers amazing views of the Pacific Ocean below the path is easy to walk making it accessible to many people and the trail passes over areas that have been used for thousands of years as hunting and fishing grounds it can sometimes be difficult to find parking in this area but you can also get here by taking one of the Lesser known access points at Park and Prospect Street the trail leads down a few staircases leading close to the trail head it overlooks the State Marine reserve below where the tide pools kelp forests reefs caves and canyons are protected a little later in the video we'll head down there to explore some of the caves on foot along the trail is this bridge that passes right over the Rose Canyon fault this area is known for the swings which are often taken down as quickly as they're constructed although dangerous and not advised some people walk past the warning signs to head down to the beach using ropes that lead down the bluff when we visited it looked like they were working on some plants to make it more difficult to get down there down below are the La Hoya caves and usually people explore the caves here using kayaks but it is possible to visit some of the caves on foot during the lowest tides to get there you can use the beach access point by The Marine Room following the path leads right to the southernmost point of La Hoya Shore this is right next to what they call the sand castle Mansion continuing south on the beach you'll have to walk across the tide Poole area which can be slippery and Rocky along the way are some incredible sites like this abandoned home or this Cove and all along the way are tide pools interesting Rock features arches and caves you might even recognize some of these features from popular local photography what kind of stone is that oh man I think that's a part of my chimney that's missing from The Marine Room it's about about a half a mile walk to the La Hoya caves and as you can imagine you could spend a whole afternoon here look it's a natural water slide oh that's how they get down here water eventually you get to the area that's at the bottom of the coastwalk bridge and this is also where the Rose Canyon fault passes through La Hoya and you can tell by the two land masses that intersect here at different angles we're here in early January during one of the lowest tides of the year it's the king low tide it's about a negative 1.6t tide right now so that makes it one of the rare occasions where you can actually walk out to the caves from here you walk around the bend which can be pretty slippery to the entrance to the white lady Cave the Cave extends about 80 ft back into the cliffs and once you reach the section called bridal veil to the left is the opening to the iconic little sister cave the ceilings are about 40 ft high and this is as far as you can go unless you feel like taking a swim to the next cave but while you're here this is an excellent place to take a couple of photos and enjoy a different perspective of La Hoya just make sure if you visit you come with a partner for safety the westernmost cave is called Sunny Jim sea cave and you can actually visit this cave by going to the cave store paying an entrance fee and taking the 145 steps down through a tunnel to sea level in the viewing platform at Sunny JY sea cave the La Hoya underwater canyon channels the tides towards the shore and where the waves break is one of the most popular big wave surf spots in San Diego Black's Beach during winter swells in the right conditions the waves can get up to 20 to 25 ft and this attracts big wave Surfers from all around the world high above on La Hoya Shores Lane is a walkway and a hidden Lookout Point where you can see the waves at Black's Beach breaking below this is also right above the Mushroom House originally called The Bell Pavilion it was built in 1968 as a guest house connected to the home above on the cliff the Mushroom House is no longer in use and it's in a state of disrepair regardless it's still a popular spot that passers by like to stop to take pictures of this unique and iconic La Hoya Landmark 372 fet above is the Tory Pines glider Port it's considered the Kittyhawk of the West and it's known as America's Top Flight School which offers lessons certifications flights and equipment sales many Aviator earned their wings here and Charles Lindberg had a historic glider flight here in 1930 soaring over these Cliffs from Mount solidad to delmare these days it's a popular place for paragliding and to pick up some food and in my opinion perhaps the best place to watch the sunset in San Diego heading down towards the edge of the bluff you'll find the Black's Beach Vista Point and if you're willing to step onto the observation deck this is one of the best panoramic views of all of Tory Pines this area is also known for its incredible hikes and if you're willing to do some exploration there's some amazing trails and even hidden spots hiking around this area can be potentially dangerous and there are a lot of rescues here every year from people who get stuck on the trails the surfaces can be Sandy and slippery and if something were to happen many times the only way out is by helicopter lift so be safe wear shoes with good grip watch your step and travel with a partner but with that said there are some amazing things to see here this is called the rainbow Shack and it has an amazing view of the Black's Beach surf lineup after visiting here I think next time we'll bring some trash bags to help clean the area it's a pretty special place so if you visit please take care of it so others can enjoy it in the future one of the most well-known hikes here is the Saigon Trail otherwise known as the hoian trail or the blacks beach access Trail the access point most people use is at La Hoya Farms Road but today we headed down from the glider Port from the parking lot you can walk south along the ridge to the backside of the the trail from here you can walk downhill into the Ravine which leads to the hoian trail the hike is considered a challenging route which involves Rock scrambling and navigating the Sandstone Ledges there's quite a few steep drops and many points along the trail with lots of exposure it's considered a difficult hike because of its technical nature and hikers are advised to use caution especially after the rain when the Sandstone becomes slippery the trail has a reputation for being treacherous with rescue and even fatalities reported here every year and with that in mind this Trail is an adventure and certainly if you enjoy hiking I recommend it it's a lot of fun with some really amazing slot canyons along the way one of the most difficult parts of the trail is the last stretch at the bottom and there's a rope here for people who need to use it the trail ends at Black's Beach near the main surf break from here you can either take the trail back up explore the beach or head north to the citizens Trail which leads back up to the glider Port if you take that route you'll pass an area where there was a massive Landslide here in 2023 a heavy storm dampened the Sandstone here adding weight to the massive Cliffs it triggered a landslide here that lasted for over 10 minutes and the equivalent weight of about three Titanics worth of sandstone crumbled to the shores Below in the past the Sandy Beach extended continuously along the coast today there's an area that blocks this passage extending out into the water for a detailed explanation of what happened here I have another video about that and I'll put the link to it in the description below climbing past these rocks will take you back to the citizens Trail which leads back to the glider Port one thing to note is this beach is clothing optional so keep that in mind and there might be things you don't want to see once you reach the citizens Trail it's a 3/4 M hike back up to the top there's an alternative Trail here that Surfers use to get up and down the hill it's a lot shorter and steeper and we took this way up but I wouldn't recommend it because the trail is less developed and potentially dangerous and if this is your first time I recommend sticking to the citizens Trail which is much more predictable and safe heading back south here are a few local favorite beaches that are great to explore Marine Street beach is a Sandy secluded beach known for its soft sand and Powerful waves great conditions attract everyone from Surfers to body boarders and even scuba divers but the lack of amenities means it's not the most family friendly Beach but regardless it's still a popular local favorite attraction for sunbathing and beach activities Wind and Sea is a popular surf beach and it's known for its iconic windy Surf Shack the Historic Landmark was built here back in 1946 by local Surfers it served as a place for Surfers to rest their surfboards and seek Shelter From the Sun over the years it's been destroyed by storms and rebuilt several times wind and SE is popular among locals and tourists like who visit here to see the picturesque and iconic Surf Shack but it's also a worldclass surf break and a popular local favorite Beach a few hundred yards south is a beach named after its interesting rock formations follow this pathway from Camino De La Costa which will take you to the entrance of Mushroom Beach this beach is probably best visited during a lower tide when you can see most of the formations this video was filmed during some High Surf which makes it hard to see everything but here's what you can expect it's amazing how much more is revealed during the low tides in La Hoya for that reason it's a great idea to check the tides when planning your activities at the southern end of La Hoya north of Pacific Beach is the Lesser known neighborhood called Bird Rock the area doesn't have any beaches but it's known for its hidden ocean Lookout points and that makes it a great place for exploration and you'll find incredible views here that most visitors Miss at 6200 Camino De La Casta is a beach access tra Trail that's easy to miss taking the trail down there's some nice areas to sit and enjoy the view around Bird Rock heading south you'll find Vista Point which has a parking lot with a few spaces and it's a great place to stop to walk down the stairs and enjoy views of the beach on Bird Rock Avenue there's a Lookout Point with stairs that lead down to the beach and this is the location of the actual birdrock that the community is named after this is all part of a marine protected area called the South La Hoya State Marine reserve and these Reserve areas provide a sanctuary for a wide range of marine species and ecosystems close by is La Hoya Hermosa Park which has a few benches and tables overlooking the bay below one of the nicest Parks here overlooking the ocean is camit Park this neighborhood park has some great views of the surrounding Vistas it's a nice place to sit at one of the benches enjoy the view and listen to the sounds of the water crashing along the Rocks below near the southernmost part of La Hoya overlooking the turmaline surf Park and Pacific Beach is the bird Brock Waterfront it's a great Viewpoint where you can see as far south as Point Loma the stairs lead down to the beach making it a popular access point for Surfers and if you'd like you can take a walk down the coast along the rocky Shoreline heading Inland there's some interesting sites to see including badier Street which is recognized for its palm tree lined Street making this a popular spot to to take some photographs close by is starky Park a local neighborhood park that's known for the La Hoya bike path that runs along the back and you can also find a hidden swing here on the hillside close to mount solidad is a house tied to a local Legend called the munchkin house it was thought to have been built for the actors in the movie The Wizard of Oz constructed by the famous architect Cliff may it was designed to accommodate the hillside creating an optical illusion the house appears shorter than it actually is yet this still attracts many people who like to come here and take pictures three of the four homes were replaced making this the last remaining House nearby is another attraction known as the troll Bridges distinguished by the overgrowth of vines and Ivy they have a fairy tale like appearance and if the bridge looks familiar it said it was designed by the same people who built the Cabrio bridge in Balo park at the top of the mountain you'll find Mount solidad at 823 ft high this is one of the most prominent landmarks in San Diego here you'll see the mount solidad cross and the Veterans Memorial it honors US veterans from all eras with over 6,000 black granite plaques commemorating their service from here you'll have an almost 360° view of all of San Diego and if this is your first time in San Diego I highly recommend visiting here as you'll get a great idea of the layout of the city on clear days you'll be able to see as far south as Mexico and as far north as Orange County you can even see the Catalina and Coronado Islands off in the distance we have another video covering many more details about La Hoya to watch that click right here or if you'd like to learn more about what to do in San Diego click right here if you enjoyed the video or learned something new please give the video a like it really helps the channel and for more content about San Diego and Southern California subscribe for more I'll see you in the next [Music] video he

Channel: Voyager

Views: 20,263

Keywords: san diego, san diego travel, things to do in san diego, la jolla cove, la jolla san diego, la jolla california, la jolla cove sea lions, san diego la jolla, la jolla shores, children's pool la jolla, scripps park, downtown la jolla, scripps pier, scripps institution of oceanography, birch aquarium, torrey pines, torrey pines gliderport, torrey pines state reserve, blacks beach san diego, blacks beach, salk institute, salk institute architecture, marine street, bird rock

Id: pbVBs1s5nrg

Length: 20min 38sec (1238 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 21 2024