If you're in the San Diego area this is a really nice place to visit along the coast line. There are many outdoor vendors, seals to see and a board walk. Beautiful place! plus the museum is across the street with a lot contemporary art with amazing views. There are restaurants and stores further down the children pool. There is free parking but it's always really crowded and hard to find parking. read more

Children's Pool - Boardwalk - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

Please go see the sea lions if you're able to. Accidentally came across them and instantly brought me to tears by how cute they are but DAMN DO THEY STANK. worth it read more

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Hidden gem at La Jolla! Recently visited this spot with hubby and we loved it. You get fantastic views of La Jolla cove and there's a walkway that takes you into part of the ocean. It's amazing. You can't miss it! Parking can be a bit tricky. We parked about two blocks away further into the neighborhood, but the walk here is easy. read more

What a beautiful place to come enjoy the seals in their natural habitat. Definitely not a beach to swim at. Last time we were here many years ago you couldn't even walk down to the sand because of the seals. This time people were on the sand but there was a rope across the shore line. All of the seals were in the water or on the rocks all around. Street parking is free but there are 2/3 hour limits. Watch the street signs. read more

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This is a small public beach area where you can relax and swim and snorkel. You can also watch seals lay out on the rocks, crabs scurry in the tide pools, and birds fly overhead. It's beautiful and peaceful. The beach area is closed during pupping season but you can still come by and observe the seals. If you can, come here on a weekday. Less people and easier time finding street parking (which is free but can be a bit tricky during busier times). If you're lucky, you'll see a swimming seal with their cute little head bobbing up and down in the water. CUTEST THING EVER. read more

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Breathe In Breathe Out. Inhale.Exhale. When you own your breathe nobody can steal your peace ! Just breathe. ***^*** Beach relaxing vibes here. Close your eyes. Serenity. Clear your heart and release the BS!!! {~~} Came here today to chill and hangout with fambam. Just beautiful laid back afternoon - This popular beach spot is loved by locals and tourists and must see attraction of La Jolla shores. A beautiful 360 degree incredible views of La Jolla, Pacific Ocean and of course gorgeous sunset. We literally enjoyed watching the waves, harbor seals,sea lions and squirrels and pelicans. Most of all they have public restrooms and showers open to the public. Must visit. The kids will have a blast !!! Parking is a pain in the butt but keep driving around and you'll find one few blocks away. We were lucky we got one nearby and just steps away. Awesome La Jolla ;) Peace;) read more

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Must see at La Jolla, especially in the summer time. My family and I enjoyed passing by this breezy area and getting just a bit of salt water misted on us. read more

Children's Pool - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

This is a quintessential San Diego experience. It is free and fun for all ages. Stay on the side walk area and check out the seals (&babies in the right season!) or take a walk out the long walkway to the edge for great photo ops and maybe even a wave splash or two! It can be slippery when wet so watch your step! Catch the sea breeze with beautiful views, THIS is San Diego showing off! Pro tip: Please stay off the sand and let the seals warm themselves in the sand. read more

While Northern California is a plethora for seeing sea lions, San Diego is a plethora for seeing seals! A short walk from La Jolla Cove, Children's Pool is another great spot for watching the seals and waves. It suffers the same issue as La Jolla Cove in that the beach is pretty smelly due to the seals, but they're so darn cute to watch laying on the beach. I really enjoyed walking along the sea wall - there's a bit of excitement since you never know when a wave is going to hit and get you soaked. Luckily we managed to dodge them and make it to the end for some great photos. Since it's pretty far out in the ocean, you can even watch seals swimming in the water as they make their way to shore. I'd recommend wearing proper footwear, since there's some uneven footing on the sea wall... at the same time, make sure they're shoes you don't mind getting wet. They do have bathrooms and shower facilities onsite... it's a beach bathroom quality, so don't expect it to be super clean. But the showers are handy for cleaning off your flip flops of the sand. read more

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On our drive down the coast, one place we just had to stop was the Children's Pool in La Jolla to see the seals! This is a heavily traveled spot, so you may have to wait for parking (which is free). It's a quick walk down to the water, where an observation pylon stretches out onto the rocks. There's a small beach in this crescent where the seals come to have pups. It's amazing to see so many and watch their behavior. It's the perfect place to take photos. There is a children's education center that offers classes, although it was closed during our visit. Restrooms are free and open to the public (but were not the cleanest). Beaches seem to be accessible during non-pupping season. This is a must-stop for tourists and animal lovers! read more

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We came here on a Saturday and wanted our kids to see the sea lions. They were not at the main pool area by the long dock, but rather were further up north, about an extra 5 minute walk. It was nice there and there was a decent crowd, but nothing overwhelming. There were so many sea lions and the smell really made the experience that much more authentic. People were taking pictures and some of them were being dumb, getting so close to the animals. Folks, they are wild and this is their natural habitat. Disrupting this is both hazardous to them and your own safety. We sat and watched for about 30 minutes as some of the babies followed their parents around, and some got into and out of the water. Mostly, they just laid there, and some wrestling around with one another. It was a good experience overall. read more

Excellent place to see the seals! Parking can be difficult here, but if you circle around the area, you're bound to find something street side for 2-3hrs. There are a few rocks to sit on and plenty of space to watch these peaceful creatures. Very lovely! read more

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There's a whole story behind the Children's Pool....I'll spare you the boring details and all the time people have spent in court over it. I'll just talk about the beauty of it. This is the main area for seals to congregate. You'll see them playing, swimming, but mostly lounging. I would do that too if I was a seal! The ropes are up to keep people a certain amount of distance from the animals but there's always that ONE person who needs to have a selfie with them. Ugh. Let them be. It's nature...they were here way before us! Parking is only one hour here, so watch your time...or watch the ticket on your windshield! read more

Children's Pool - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

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What fun! You can get very close to the harbor seals and sea lions here. Like, close enough to touch them. But, warning -- do not bother these darling creatures! Their claws are the size of kitchen knives. So, you have a couple of options. You can remain upstairs and get a panoramic view of the area. You're sure to see lots of seals, pelicans and squirrels on the cliffs near the beach, where the seal congregate to rest. For a closer look, take the stairs down to the opposite side of the beach and walk around to the tide pools, which are home to tons of shellfish. Note: I did not see wheelchair or stroller access there. History lesson: The name Children's Pools dates back decades ago when the barrier wall was build to break up the waves, providing a safe place for children to swim in the ocean. Also, while there is street parking, there is no structure for parking in the vicinity. Expect to drive around for a bit, or park blocks away. read more

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The Children's Pool in stunningly gorgeous La Jolla is a small beach enclosed by a partial sea wall. The sea wall was originally built for children to have a small, shallow and protected area of the ocean to swim in. This was a great idea and apparently seals and sea lions could see the appeal and eventually took over the Children's Pool. What this means for you is that you can go here and spend some time observing these cute animals in a natural habitat. So cool! My daughter squealed with delight while watching them (who am I kidding...so did I) and laughed and laughed at them when they moved because they have no legs and have to basically just flop around to get where they want to go. It was a real treat to be able to do that and something we will never forget. It's a definite must do if you're in San Diego! While we were there we did see some people get way too close to the seals. One mommy seal was barking at them because she had some babies that she was protecting and you could see that she was afraid the tourists who were getting too close would harm her babies. PLEASE don't be an asshole and respect these animals by keeping a safe distance. There are plenty of great viewing spots without having to get too close. read more

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We love love love this place. All of our family live out of town so this is always a must stop when they visit. We come simply to watch the seals and enjoy the view and sounds. Some people like to swim in this area but the seals have taken it over and they don't smell awesome so I would not recommend swimming in this particular area. There are mass stretches of beach where the seals don't hang out for people to swim and enjoy the water. You can venture down the stairs to the sand to be closer to the seals but don't be a jerk and please do give them their space. You can walk out on the wall and have an ocean view to one side but be cautious, the wave can be crazy and you may get wet! Or you can peer down the other side to see into the cove area where the seals are chilling. read more

This is a must see for visitors to La Jolla. It's been an ongoing battle between the citizens who want to use this beach and the ones who want to protect the seals who use it as a safe harbor. I tend to be in favor of the seals myself. Many seals lounging on the beach, swimming or playing and in pupping season lots of babies to coo over. There are often ropes up to protect the seals but don't be surprised to see at least one jump over so they can get closer, never mind that they are wild animals. Parking can be a trick but if you don't mind walking, drive a bit farther up the street away from the pool and most times there will be space available. Remember it's one hour close by and while I don't generally see law enforcement, you just never know. The sea wall that goes around to protect the beach can be walked on but use good sense. If the waves are high, they can come right over the railing and people have been washed away. read more

Children's Pool - Children's pool at La Jolla. Many seals. Breathtaking - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

The Children's Pool in La Jolla is a marvelous place to come observe the seals from afar. The beach area is closed off to the public from December 2018 through May 2019 for the seal pupping season. It's a great spot to take in the waves and watch the seals. We spent about fifteen minutes here watching the wildlife and the ocean was absolutely gorgeous as well. Definitely a must see while in the San Diego area. There are also public toilets here, which makes it a convenient stop. read more

Children's Pool - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

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I could have stayed to watch the seals and sea lions alllllll day! Very awesome spot- heavily trafficked, but that didn't bother us. Stunning views and a paved path to walk up and down the ocean to take in the gorgeous sight. We didn't go out on the man-made-jetty-walk because it was very crowded, however the views from the other side were sufficient enough. There was a loser who decided to walk down and get a closer look... don't be that guy. read more

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I took a nice long bike ride from Mt. Soledad down to La Jolla beach, which ended up at Children's Pool. The Children's Pool is located in the heart of La Jolla and is made up of a nice cove filled with seals. Some of the seals swim while most of them lounge on the shore. There is a stone pier that allows you to walk out into the sea and see some of the seals swimming. There are some rocks farther out in the sea, which some seals lounge on. If you walk further down the road you will see some nice restaurants and even some sea lions. Altogether, Children's Pool is a great place to see the seals of beautiful San Diego. read more

Located in La Jolla along the California coast there is a scenic walking path on top of a sea cliff. The views of the ocean are amazing. Don't bring your swim suits to the children's pool. It is not a swimming hole for kids. It is a place for you to see seals swimming up to the beach and taking a break in the sand. These playful seals rolled around in the sand, sun bathed and occasionally barked at one another for disturbing their nap. You can also see lots of Pelicans flying around and diving for fish. After you leave the children's pool, make sure you continue to follow the path north to see sea lions playing in the ocean and some other scenic views. read more

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A must go attraction! It's a fun experience for adults and children. You can't get close the seals, but they're pretty visible and close! read more

Children's Pool - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

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While visiting La Jolla Cove, I learned the difference between a seal and a sea lion. Up until this point in my life I always thought a seal was a sea lion and a sea lion was a seal. But after googling it up and seeing them in person, I now know the difference! So this area is where all the SEALS come to hang out. If you want to see the sea lions just head a little bit along the coast and you'll see all the sea lions playing on the rocks. read more

Great place by the coast, often with lots of people around. It can be a bit hard to find parking at first but eventually a spot will open up. There's lots of spots to take nice pictures at and also plenty of spots on the beach/sand to enjoy the view. It's also super cool seeing the seals just chilling on the rocks or swimming in the water! read more

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This was an awesome FREE experience. I was taken back by the scenery and the seals, oh and the smell. Be prepared for the smell, but it's totally worth it. Make sure to walk all the way to children's beach, if you park by the cave Store it's less the a mile walk along the beautiful coast seeing sea and land animals and keep an eye out for stray seals. PARKING: Go early. La Jolla's Coast Boulevard runs along the shoreline from the Cave Store to Pearl Street and is the best place to park if your goal is to see the seals and sea lions, experience La Jolla Cove, and walk the coastline. read more

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Great skimboarding at South Casa Beach! Lots of free 3hr parking in the streets too!

We visited on April 14th and walked ~10 minutes from La Jolla Cove after seeing the sea lions. When we arrived at Children's pool, we were greeted with seals! They were so incredibly adorable and fun to watch. They were little seals out and about, making their way around from the water onto the shore and a bunch of adults just lying down and relaxing on the sand. You are not allowed to get down onto the beach so you have to watch from a far. Even so, it was fun and amazing to watch them do their own thing. read more

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First time in SD and came across this wonderful little spot. Parking was easy to find and easily accessible to the cove. Lots of children at play so i decided this was the spot to stop at for the kids. The waves were not hard which was great for the kids. I love that you can see harbor seals here and lots of other sea animals that dare come into shore. If you search long n hard, youll be able to snag some awesome seashells as well! read more

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very cool spot for kids and adults to play... small swimming area with long bridge walk way and the seals, they dont bother people and the people don't bother them. read more

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What a beautiful spot! Visited during pupping season so much fun to watch the mothers and pups play in the waves and on the beach! Even a walkway so you can be literally right next to them, by far the closest I have ever been to seals, great fun to watch them sun bathe and stretch and play! read more

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You don't need to talk about this beach, but you need to see it with your own eyes! A huge number of animals and birds, the children were delighted !!! read more

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Parking is confusing. Driving here is difficult as well but once you find parking and start walking towards the beach all your worries seem to disappear. The view is amazing! I love the way you can look down and see green vegetation, hills, a beautiful beach and the skyline. This place is fairly packed so come early to find parking. We got here around 10am so although there was a lot of people we were able to find a good parking spot. I was looking forward to seeing seals but there were none on the day I was there. The water was a little cold when you first get in but nothing too bad. There is no shade in the Children's Pool. The area is also very small but the good thing is that if you are not trying to avoid the waves, there are plenty of places you can go to enjoy the beach. They have showers and you can change clothes inside the toilet stalls, if you really wanted to. It's such a tiny little stall that it was very difficult to change in. There are no hooks to hang your stuff on. I had a very difficult time changing myself, let alone, trying to change my toddler in that tiny space. I will definitely be coming back here on my next San Diego Trip, if only, for the views. Im in love with the views! read more

I love bringing visitors here to see some of the raw beauty of San Diego. The seals are calm and sun bathing and resting, so it's a nice break from the hubub of downtown San Diego. I would say it's best to avoid between December 15th and May 15th, due to pupping season you can't access the raised boardwalk that gets you up close to the seals. Still a fun visit but it's cool to be on the raised boardwalk that goes right out to the crashing waves. read more

Children's Pool - Beach Closed December 15-May 15 for Seal Pupping Season - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

Beautiful beach. My grandbaby loved been able to see the seals up close. It is a bit disheartening how much we invade their environment. We stopped and admired then we tried not to get too close but close enough to see them and the gave them their space. We had a great time . We have been going to different beaches and this has been one of the top ten in our list of great spots to visit. read more

Cute beach in La Jolla. Though if I had kids, I would be a little wary on the fact that there were a ton of sea lions! But, if your there for aerial photography then it's great! I took out my drone and got some great pictures of the architecture from a birds eye view! read more

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Went here yesterday for the first portion of Karyn's Hookey event http://www.yelp.com/events/san-diego-hookey and while I was waiting for Bill or Karyn to return my call, I sat on a bench looking across the Children's Pool. It makes me nostalgic to days gone by when I'd go on late night jaunts with friends and out of town guests to check out the seals. There were only 3 baby seals at the Children's Pool this time...you could tell they were basking in the adoration that those on the bridge were fawning over them. It's a pretty spot...great for hand holding and late night make out sessions (not that I would know) Only downside- it smells to high heaven (CLOSE YOUR LEGS!) : / read more

I won't talk about the politics of this place, but I am writing about the beauty of this place. I've been coming to this place since 2006 when I lived in La Jolla and would be in the area pretty often. I loved watching the seals and told myself I'd bring my kids to see it one day. Fast forward to 2011 and sure enough, I brought my daughter here to see the seals. We were able to get close at the time and she was clapping in excitement to see seals. I've even kayaked up to the rocks in the past and see seals in the area so this really is a nice sight to share with your family. However, I feel like people ruin it for the rest of us by trying to hurt the seals and threatening their habitats by being disruptive. I think we should just let these seals be and just admire them from afar. It's still one of my favorite areas today. read more

We were in awe of the scenic views of La Jolla and delighted to watch the sea lions. There were several tiny pups trying to make their way around, which were adorable. We loved our visit. This is so awesome to see them up close in their natural habitat. Go early! We went at 10:30 am, on a weekday parking was not an issue. We parked right on the main walkway area. By the time we left parking was filled. read more

Children's Pool - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

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We were there for few hours but we fall in love with This place, we planned to Going back Next year. Everything here is very expensive but it is beautiful place. It is Very relaxing read more

I don't get why this place is called the Children's Pool when it's clearly been overtaken by tons of seals...unless of course they are trying to compare children to seals. I guess I can kind of see the resemblance...a lot of sqawking and pooping and laying around? ha ha ha JUST KIDDING!! For real though, I don't get it?? On the real, this place is absolutely picturesque...and I'm not just talking about the seals that reside here. The beach is magnificant, and really makes you forget you are in San Diego and feels like you are on a beach in the Mediterranean. It's also nice to check out seals in a more natural habitat than at a place like Sea World where they are caged, spoiled and turned into whiney little pussies. It's pretty sweet to come here and watch the sun set over the horizon, as well as to walk out onto the jetty and observe the waves crashing on the rocks. I'd imagine it would be quite exciting when it's windy because the water would splash right up and hit you...you know, it'd give the term "The Perfect Storm" a whole new meaning. Or how awesome would it be for a scene from "Jaws" to come to life right in front of your eyes and for a great white shark to come jumping up out of the crashing waves? Totally unrealistic, I know. But still exciting to imagine. Baby seals are one of nature's cutest wonders...so why is it that they have to grow up and morph into big, lazy blobs of flubber? I'll personally never understand. I'd say this is a definite must-see if you're in San Diego. Magnificent!!! Woulda been a five but I had to knock off a star because of the gawd awful smell those lil rascals leave in the air. read more

Children's Pool - so beautiful at sunset! - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California