From Wikitravel Shared

La Jolla [1] is an upscale beach community in San Diego that, while technically within the city limits of San Diego, is considered by many to be its own city in many ways. La Jolla is home to the University of California, San Diego campus, beautiful beaches, and gorgeous scenery.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By car

La Jolla is located off the I-5 freeway, north of downtown San Diego and Pacific Beach. There are several ways to get there:

• La Jolla Parkway to Torrey Pines Road from I-5 North (there is no exit to La Jolla Parkway from southbound I-5) or westbound State Route 52
• Northbound Mission Boulevard and La Jolla Boulevard from Pacific Beach
• Southbound Torrey Pines Road from Del Mar
• Westbound La Jolla Village Drive to southbound Torrey Pines Road from southbound or northbound I-5. La Jolla Village Drive from I-5 can also get you to University City (east), or UCSD (west).

[edit] By public transit

San Diego's public transit outfit, the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), has a couple of bus routes serving La Jolla: Route 30 [2] serves much of the community, connecting to Pacific Beach and Downtown to the south and UCSD and University City to the east, stopping within walking distance of many of La Jolla's attractions, such as the Cove and the Birch Aquarium. Route 101 [3] serves University City and UCSD and runs north on Torrey Pines Road, connecting to Torrey Pines State Park and other destinations around there. In addition, a number of bus routes serve the UCSD campus.

[edit] Get around

When you're in "downtown" La Jolla (near the Cove), the best ways to get around do not involve a car. This area is dense enough that you can easily walk, bike, or roller skate around the neighborhood. Plus, parking can get a little difficult to find, so once you get a spot you might not want to risk losing it.

For the areas of La Jolla outside downtown, such as around USCD or Torrey Pines, a car will be the easiest way to get around due to the distances and hilly terrain of the surrounding area.

[edit] Learn

• University of California, San Diego [4] (USCD) is a state public university located in northern La Jolla. UCSD is notable for its science and engineering departments and contains several well-known research centers. In fact, UCSD was based around the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, a world-renowned center for ocean and earth science research.

[edit] See

• Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall Street, +1 858 454-5872 (fax: +1 858 454 5835), [5]. T, Th-Sa 10AM-5:30PM, W 10AM-8:30PM, closed Sundays and Mondays. A nonprofit, membership library which sponsors art exhibitions, concerts, lectures, and art classes. Free.
• Birch Aquarium at Scripps, 2300 Expedition Way, +1 858 534-3474 (fax: +1 858 534-7114), [6]. Every day, 9AM-5PM. The public center for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, this world-renowned aquarium has many fantastic exhibits. Oceanic species from all over the Pacific Ocean are displayed, as well as sharks, a tide pool, a kelp tank, and a coral reef. $11 adults, $9 seniors, $7.50 children/teens, free for children age 2 and under.
• The Cave Store, 1325 Cave Street, +1 858 459-0746, [7]. Built on top of a sea cave, this gift shop offers tours of a small cavern open to the ocean. $4 adults, $3 children 16 and under.
• Children's Pool Beach, 850 Coast Boulevard (near La Jolla Cove), [8]. This beach is a favorite breeding spot for sea lions. The beach is closed from December 15 through May 15 during breeding season, but you can still observe the sea lions from a safe distance. When the beach is open, swimming is allowed but not recommended.
• Mount Soledad is a prominent landmark just to the east of La Jolla, overlooking much of San Diego. The top of the mountain is adorned by the Mount Soledad Easter Cross and Veterans Memorial.
• Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego La Jolla, 700 Prospect Street, +1 858 454 3541 (fax: +1 858 454 6985), [9]. Th 11AM-7PM, F-Tu 11AM-5PM, closed Wednesdays. Permanent and changing contemporary art exhibits. $10 general admission, age 25 and under free.
• University of California, San Diego, [10]. Take a walk around the campus and observe a number of famous artworks and architectural structures such as the Geisel Library, named for the noted author Theodore Geisel (you may know him as Dr. Seuss!).

[edit] Do

• Torrey Pines State Park, 12600 North Torrey Pines Road, +1 858 755-2063, [11]. A scenic park consisting of a plateau with steep cliffs overlooking small canyons and Torrey Pines State Beach. There are a number of hiking and beach-access trails, and a variety of wild flora and fauna, including the rare Torrey Pine tree, for which the park is named. There is also a visitors center with a small museum on top of the plateau. $8 parking fee per car.
• Torrey Pines Gliderport, 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, 1 858 452 9858 (fax: +1 858 452 9983), [12]. Learn to hang glide.

[edit] Beaches

• La Jolla Cove, 1100 Coast Boulevard, [13]. A very popular beach for swimming, scuba diving and snorkeling, set against beautiful sea cliffs. The bluffs above the beach are grassy, making a great spot for picnics. Keep in mind that La Jolla Cove is part of the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve, so fishing, scavenging, or "swimming devices" (surfboards, boogie boards, inflatable mattresses, etc.) are not allowed.
• Windansea Beach, in south La Jolla, [14]. This beach has no facilities, but is notable for playing host to a great number of talented and famous surfers, and the simple "Surf Shack" structure there has been designated a historic landmark.
• Marine Street Beach, in south La Jolla. A local beach with some rough and dangerous surf; great spot for body surfing and body boarding. No facilities are available here.
• La Jolla Shores, [15]. In north La Jolla, this beach has some of the gentlest waves of any beach in San Diego. The beach is notable for being near the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus and contains the Scripps Pier. This is one of the only beach boat launching areas in La Jolla, so it's a popular spot for kayaking.
• Black's Beach, in north La Jolla just below Torrey Pines State Park, [16]. Set against high cliffs, Black's Beach is the largest nude beach in the country. Technically, there are two parts of the beach: the southern part located within the City of San Diego, where nudity is not allowed (although this rule is rarely enforced) and the northern part located within Torrey Pines State Park, where clothing is purely optional. Black's Beach has one of the most powerful beach breaks in Southern California, making it a popular but dangerous surfing spot.
• Torrey Pines State Beach, north of La Jolla. Stretched along Torrey Pines State Park and set against gorgeous cliffs, this beach is one of the most beautiful around. A salt marsh at the north end of the beach empties into the ocean. The beach is also a popular one for surfing and body boarding.

[edit] Golf

• Torrey Pines Golf Course, 11480 North Torrey Pines Road, +1 858 452-3226, [17]. Public golf course noted for hosting the PGA Tour Buick Invitational every January or February.
• La Jolla Country Club, 7301 High Avenue, +1 858 454-9601, [18].

[edit] Buy

• A number of high-end shops and art galleries are located along Prospect Place and Girard Streets in downtown La Jolla.
• Westfield UTC (formerly University Towne Center), 4545 La Jolla Village Drive (just east of La Jolla, in University City), +1 858 546-8858, [19]. M-F 10AM-9PM, Sa 10AM-8PM, Su 11AM-7PM (individual store hours vary). An outdoor shopping mall located just outside of La Jolla, in the University City area. Basically anything you'd find in your average suburban shopping mall with the addition of an ice skating rink, called Ice Town [20].

[edit] Eat

• La Valencia Hotel, 1132 Prospect Street, +1 858 454-0771, [21]. Best known for their Sunday Brunch.
• Chart House, 1270 Prospect Street, +1 858 459-8201.
• Elijah's Restaurant and Deli, 8861 Villa La Jolla Drive, +1 858 455-1461, [22]. M-Th 7AM-10PM, F 7AM-11PM, Sa 8AM-11PM, Su 8AM-10PM. Best place to have breakfast in UTC/La Jolla area. $8-$15.

[edit] Drink

• Karl Strauss, 1044 Wall Street, +1 858 551-2739, [23]. Su-Th 11:30AM-9PM, F-Sa 11:30AM-10PM.

[edit] Sleep

• La Jolla Residence Inn, 8901 Gilman Drive, +1 858 587-1770 [24]. A very pleasant suite-style hotel. It is located in a quiet area of La Jolla, very close to the University of California at San Diego. The rooms are spacious, with full kitchens. There is a pool, there are hot tubs placed close to the rooms, there are BBQ grills in a little common patio between the buildings. Within walking distance there is a nice shopping center with several restaurants, a full service Sav-On Drug Store and a Whole Foods grocery store. Free high speed internet access. $250-$280.
• Empress Hotel, 7766 Fay Avenue, +1 858 454-3001, [25]. $180-$200.
• Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, 9700 N. Torrey Pines Road, ☎ +1 858 550-1000, [26]. A rancho style conference and vacation resort located adjacent to the University of California at San Diego.

• Hotel Parisi, 1111 Prospect Street, ☎ (858) 454-1511, [27]. A Zen-elegant luxury boutique retreat.

• La Valencia, 1132 Prospect Street, ☎ (858) 454-0771, [28]. A Luxury Spanish-style hotel, famed for its views of the La Jolla Cove.

• The Lodge at Torrey Pines, 11480 N Torrey Pines Road, ☎ (858) 453-4420, [29]. Rustic alpine-style hotel adjacent to the PGA Championship Torrey Pines Golf Corse.

[edit] Get out

• Pacific Beach lies just to the south, on the coast.
• Del Mar is to the north, past Torrey Pines State Park.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!