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I stopped here on a tour, but unfortunately the tour guide only allotted 11 minutes to enjoy this gorgeous spot. He recommended against using the bathrooms here, though some did and said they were gnarly. I spent all 11 minutes standing on the walkway near the seals taking in the scenery and snapping as many photos as I could of the super cute little sunning seal families. It was a gorgeous day and I only wish I could have stayed longer!
My friend and I went in late March and we managed to luck out with the perfect timing. Came right before sunset when all the seals were returning to the beach. We even saw one pup feeding! It was adorable! We walked out on the wall and I would just caution, it's uneven, so if you're in heels or not sure footed it may be treacherous for you. There are railings so that helps though.
It was only recently that we discovered this part of La Jolla, which is another beautiful spot to enjoy the beauty of La Jolla and the sea lions. When driving to GIRARD AVE , turn to COAST BLVD and drive all the way down until you see this Facility called the CHILDRENS POOL. You won't miss it because you'll see a lot of people looking for Parking or already posing for Pictures. Coming from the Parking lot we thought it was just an Ocean view we gonna see, getting closer people are walking down to get to the small Bridge. My family enjoys the view and the closer we kept something to see and take pics of the Sealions and Seals . So walking towards the Bridge it felt so nice the Breeze and a little bit of the water splashing on you. This spot of La Jolla became our regular stop, it's really beautiful here.
It was Seal Pupping Season in June and this brings out so many large crowds of people to the Children's Pool and to La Jolla Cove. The seals are at the cove now and along the walkway/boardwalk they are pupping/birthing. The smell is very pungent and not very pleasant. This does not sway tourists and visitors from coming out to witness the live births. Back in the day we would come here to the Children's Pool to swim and avoid the current and high surf with the sea wall that is there. There were no seals nor sea lions coming here in the space. Now they are safely habituating in 2 larger areas on the outside of the Cove and the Children's Pool. This place is nostalgic and people have returned to both the Cove and the Children's Pool to enjoy the space.
If you've never been to Hawaii, picture this: crystal-blue waters and sandy shores so stunning they could've been lifted straight from a Waikiki postcard. That's exactly what the Children's Pool looked like on this day. For as long as I've lived here, I'd never seen the water this clear or the beach this free of the usual sea lion sunbathers who normally claim every inch of sand. I was completely mesmerized, the kind of awestruck that makes you want to dive right in, snorkel around, and let your inner mermaid run wild. Even better? Watching families and kids splash around, laughing and enjoying the pool it felt like the beach came alive again. If you do visit there are public restrooms and outdoor showers to rinse off after splashing in the water. A quick word of advice: if you do visit and the sea lions are hanging out, please give them space. They may look cute and sleepy, but they can get extremely feisty. Don't feed the wildlife, and always leave the beach cleaner than you found it. That way, this magical spot stays beautiful and safe for everyone human and sea lion alike for years to come.
Lovely beach in La Jolla with Lifeguard station right above. While this is a "beach", it is usually closed to the public between December to May during seal pupping season. Even if it is open to the public, I don't recommend letting your children loose here, because seals are in the area year-round. However, it is still a nice spot to visit when you are in the area. You can watch people fish at the seawall, look at wildlife or just enjoy the peaceful beach and waves in general.
The Children's Pool in La Jolla is so much fun! The beach was closed when my husband and I visited La Jolla in early April, but it was amazing to see the seals! During the Harbor Seal Season, which runs between December 15 thru May 15, the Children's Pool is closed. The cliffs and the coves are spectacular. There are great walking paths that you can traverse in the La Jolla area. The Children's Pool area has a few benches where you can sit down and overlook the ocean. You can watch a lot of the seals and some sea lions just sleeping on the beach! The small beach is partially protected by a seawall. It's a great area for scuba divers since the reefs are just offshore. There are several other beaches nearby, such as Shell Beach to the north and wipeout Beach to the south. Children's Pool is one of the beaches that has a permanent lifeguard station. It's not active during the Harbor Seal Season. This place was wonderful to visit. If you're visiting San Diego or in the La Jolla area, I'd highly recommend visiting the children's pool!
A relatively small beach down a cove surrounded by impressive cliffs with various erosion patterns. We visited there on a Sunday around 1:30 pm. It was difficult to fine parking as the shore line was full of pedestrians. The water looked clean, a bit of seaweed but it wasn't that crowded on the beach partly because of the warning sign saying that the bacterial counts were high. The beach site has restrooms but relatively primitive if you are used to the regular kind. Shower stalls are also available and you have to line up for its use. There were a few seals lying lazily on a rock a bit out from the beach. More seals were seen further out on the manmade bank guarding the mouth of the cove. You can walk on top of the bank and watch the seals close by. There are many more beaches along the coast line but only a few were opened to the public. It was a nice place to visit especially to watch the waves come in from an expansive sea vista.
Children's pool is located pretty much in the same area as the La Jolla Cove. It's a good viewing area to see seals and sea lions although when I came in January most of them were hanging out by the cove. During the winter to early spring beach access to children's pool is off limits since many of the seals and sea lions have their pups with them. Even without access to go down to the beach for a closer looks this is a great location to relax, take in the views, and enjoy nature.
California 01-2024 Seal Island at LA Jolla near San Diego. Tony and I happened upon this right along side the beach. You can literally just walk up to it. It's absolutely Free and so is the parking. It's amazing to see the Seals and Sea Lions playing in the water and relaxing on the beach. The seals are more playful. The sea lions more noisy
4 years ago
9 years ago
This place was so much better than I expected. Went on a weekday afternoon, and I lucked out and found parking right away. It was so nice to watch the seals. I went in May, and there were younger and smaller seals there. Walking out on the wall was wonderful, you can get a closer view of the seals, plus the ocean view with the crashing waves is so nice. The majority of the people there were tourists. 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
I have an overwhelming fondness for seals so this is a must see when I'm anywhere near La Jolla. On earlier trips I would typically see 3 - 10 seals in the spring. When I was there a few weeks ago, the number was closer to 50, with a large number of pups. It is just pure joy to watch the seals sunbathe and tussle in the sand. read more
4 years ago
I don't see what all the fuss is about. The seals seem to be doing alright, even with all the people stopping by to visit. The Children's Pool was literally built in the early 1900s for exactly what it sounds like: a place for kids to swim in, in a protected area (hence the large wall). But now, since the pool is filled with sand, the harbor seals are using it as a sheltered area to get a rest from the buffeting waves of the Pacific. I visited the cute little blubbery figures on Saturday morning around 9AM. Some guy stuck a large pole that said "OPEN" in the sand, and I walked down by it. Even with me approaching, and hitting the sand, the seals just freakin' laid there. Like the Honey Badger, they didn't give a sh... They raised their heads to check me out, then went right back to sun bathing (er, overcast bathing. The sun wasn't really out that morning). I had no wanting to touch them. I just observed them, and they didn't seem to have a problem. One even edged closer, and I was the one who backed away. No one said anything. I got as far as sitting in the sand and just staring at them for 15-20 minutes before I got up and walked around La Jolla. As long as you don't try to touch the seals on land, and keep a respective distance, I don't see why you can't enjoy their company and vice versa. They are docile in the water, and it's nice to see people attempting to interact with sea life. Just don't poke, prod, or pester them, or THINK about doing it, and you'll be fine. Follow up: The second time I went was in the afternoon, when there were oodles of people. Yes, most of the seals stayed in the water, and one alpha male/female of sorts came on the beach... so for all the idiots that got within 20 feet of the seal, one of the monitors from the lifeguard tower boomed the loud PA of "STEP AWAY FROM THE SEAL. THE SEAL CAN BITE. YOU ARE WELCOME TO STAY ON THE BEACH, STAND BACK, AND USE THE ZOOM FEATURE ON YOUR CAMERA OR DIGITAL RECORDER." That's all it took... the people backed off, the seal went back into the water, and reemerged a minute later with a friend. Then everyone gawked at those two until sunset. read more
I came her as a child so many times and finally returned today. It was so pretty! The seals are just relaxing in their natural state, that is so much nicer than seeing them in an aquarium. Plenty of viewing area far enough away so we don't disturb them. To be a seal living in la jolla is a pretty awesome life I think. :) read more
GO HERE! It was sooo beautiful. There are tons of spots to have great views from up high and spots to go down near the water. I'd say this is more of a place to see than to swim for most people, but a must stop none the less. We saw a family of seals as well, as other reviewers have mentioned. read more
16 years ago
Was once wonderful... Adults ruin it for "children" on both sides... Too little too late for all involved, I won't even drive past it anymore. RIP to whatever it was and whatever it turned into... read more
Such a fun little spot!! The seals were fun to watch and the sea wall is so great to walk out on. Was definitely one of the highlights of our San Diego trip! Such a beautiful place, and best of all, a great spot to interact with nature! read more
Always a great place to bring visitors! Street parking can be tricky during peak seasons. The place is lined with seals and sea lions which you can check out from the walk way that crescents around the beach. The views are worth it! read more
When I used to work a block from here years ago, I'd come early and hang out here even though the seals are annoyingly loud. But when I went to say hi to the seals this time, there wasn't a single one there. It was one of those rare days when they decided to chill elsewhere. In their place, people were snorkeling there. I don't think I would snorkel there because it smelled pretty awful, probably from all seal crap. But the waters were pretty clear. For a second I thought Children's Pool was back to being Children's Pool, but the vendors around there said they're just taking the day off and they'll be back. read more
GOT THE BEST PARKING!! MUAHAHAHAHA Anyways, it was so stinky here but all the nature around me made me feel good :D Oh, good luck with finding parking her lol I was just lucky today LOL theres either a way down to the sand or just to the bridge. I didn't wanna get my feet dirty so we chose to go over to the bridge. Theres was about 15 sea lions :D So cute n lazy~ most of them were sleeping hehehe Would love to come back when its not so crowded with people :) great place to come with family or bf or gf read more
So cool - a must see when in the area! Get up close to seals. We saw probably over 50 seals including babies! This beach was originally constructed with a wall to close it off for children to swim but it is now roped off for the seals to enjoy. There was some construction while we were there but with a little hop you can walk up on the wall and look at the spectacular view of the ocean or in towards the seals! The drive along the coast is so beautiful as well. Take your time! read more
Great for kids, and the kids at heart! Children's Pool is a favorite for both tourists and locals. I love bringing first-timers here. Yes there are seals in this small cove, and yes, there is a smell. It's a cool experience to be able to get really up close to these wild animals, who are protected throughout the day by security. They advise if you find yourself making too much eye contact with a seal, begin to slowly walk away. What happens if you don't, I'm not too sure. The protected stone walkway is a great lookout point to observe the seals both lounging in the sun and swimming in the water. Parking can be difficult, but even if you park far from Children's Pool, you can still have a fantastic view of La Jolla's ocean shores while walking. read more
3 years ago
14 years ago
11 years ago
I'm sure this was once a great place for kids to swim, but now it's a mecca for lazy seals. CUTE lazy seals. My daughter loved this place. You can get really close to the seals, as they seem to have no fear of people. They are in a roped-off area where they must know they are safe. I envy those seals. What a great life! They looked very happy. read more
Nice little spot to watch the seals. There were plenty of them out there. Again this is another controversial area of La Jolla for reasons I am not sure of. I really don't care enough to know though. I guess this used to be a children's pool but has been transformed into some sort of a seal beach. Lots of seals were out that day and the tide was low. A nice place to come out here with your gal and just shoot the breeze on a slow day. Again very limited parking so patience is a must. read more
12 years ago
12 years ago
This is a great place to visit if you're in the San Diego area. I've seen videos of kids playing in the water but I do not think this is allowed anymore. It is completely fenced off and it probably isn't wise to get near the seals anyway. It has turned into a seal watching place and not much more. For some, this may not be an exciting place. For me, I can watch the seals all day long and not get bored. I loved this place and so did the kids. read more
12 years ago
7 years ago
Stinky overcrowded place, parking spots are a rare find, but the views are worth it. The perfect spot to watch the sunset! Don't bring your swimsuit because like other people mentioned, this is not a place to swim. There were a few surfers when we visited and they were pretty cool. The seals are not very entertaining, my kids actually thought they were rocks. They just lay there sleeping. The views of the ocean are the real winners here! Bring a picnic lunch or a dinner and bottle of wine and enjoy the sunset. Picturesque seaside California, just like the post cards! read more
I came here today at 6am to take some long-exposure photographs of the ocean. Man, did this turn out to be great! It was a bit chilly, but because of the recent November heat that came our way, the climate was very tolerable, even this early in the morning. This early in the morning, parking is plentiful and you don't have to tailgate cars looking for a spot. I'll just shut up now and submit some photos :) read more
12 years ago
A great tourist spot for those visiting San Diego and checking out La Jolla. Perfect for taking a, walk, relaxing, have a picnic, and take plenty of pictures. This is also a great spot to hang out after a nice meal in one of the fine restaurants off Prospect since it is a really short walking distance. There are a number of seals laying on the beach and a couple swimming along the coast. Cool little spot to watch seals. You can go down to the beach and get pretty close but there is a rope to separate man from seal (which is a good thing). read more
7 years ago
My favorite place to people watch in San Diego. It's very crowded in the weekends with limited parking. Summer is an impossible to enjoy the peace of nature, so if you really want to take it in, winter is best durning the week. read more
9 years ago
Among many things to see in La Jolla is the Children's Pool, located at the end of Jenner St., on Coast Boulevard. It's not officially a pool but it once was a public beach where everyone can sun bathe, dive, and swim without the strong impact of the waves. The wall was previously built just for the reason for kids to openly play in this area. Not too far out is Seal Rock, which has always been the home for the seal population but slowly began to populate this region. At the time, we were able to walk around on the outer rim only. The inter beach area is off limits to the public during pupping season, which I believe to be during November through May. As far as public access to the beach itself, I've not seen the area open for many years. Besides appreciating the view of the seals basking in the open sun with their family, the La Jolla Coast line is quite the vista. We walked among the higher rims of the pool area and watched the waves crash. Amidst the open sky, a school of many exotic birds fly in formation. The rocks were mesmerizing with the constant changing hues from the aquamarine ocean blues. The site is constantly engaged with all walks of life no matter what the age. Bathrooms are available and clean. Patience is a must since parking is a rare commodity during certain times of the day. Parking meters may also be available and are also timed for certain areas, please read the signs to avoid being towed. read more
8 years ago
Not always the destination, but always leave happy when visiting the Children's Pool! It's the unmatched sunsets viewed from the sea wall and watching the seals disembark from their naps that make this place special. read more
8 years ago
10 years ago
Loved the up close encounters with baby seal lions!!!!!! We found free parking, even though it was the Saturday of labor day weekend. It was a windy, blustery day, but still really enjoyable. We snorkeled a bit and saw some Garibaldi, but the water was pretty chilly which made it hard to stay in long without a wetsuit and we didn't venture out too far as the current was fairly strong even in the 'pool' area. My favorite moment was when a baby seal swam by me underwater! I have fond memories diving with eels and sea turtles in the Caribbean and this was a new treat! I would love to check this place out on a calmer day with fewer crowds. Other notes: The sea gulls are aggressive here so make sure you have a zippable bag for any food you bring. The public bathrooms were not open which was a bummer on a holiday weekend. read more
9 years ago
8 years ago
Unfortunately the children's pool is not longer for children or any person in fact due to it being taken over by harbor seals. It is a nice stop of your only purpose is to visit/observe the seals. It's also a little smelly. What's convenient are the public showers and toilets. read more
8 years ago
We came here and it was amazing ! My son loved seeing the seals in there natural environment. We were nervous at first and thought we weren't going to see any. Parking is ok, we found a parking in less than 10 minutes. It's a must see, if you have children. They will enjoy it! read more
16 years ago
The City's Children's Pool management by inaction has led to the current state of chaos at the beach and invited lawsuits to force the city to act in accordance with the Trust. Still they did nothing. Former city leaders should be held accountable and the current council must correct the past mistakes by continuing the shared use policy while seeking to reduce the seal population in the Children's Pool. Discourage the buildup of animals currently using the pool and relocate animals that have been permanently imprinted to humans to a natural environment far away from daily human contact. The Children's Pool can then return to the former balance with a seal population that has a natural wariness of humans. Truly wild seals would not remain with the close proximity of people. Seals will remain in the general area but not at the polluting levels of overpopulation. A shared use plan without reducing seal populations still has people using the seal contaminated beach during the summer. Will the city clean the beach or allow it to be cleaned by volunteers to make it safe for human use during the summer? Or will the seal activist's pro bono liar convince us that pollution from seal feces is a benefit to us all. The San Diego City Council did not react quickly enough to the overpopulation of seals caused by Sea World's rehab and release program and the assumption of authority by the seal activists. How can it be that someone using a public beach has to worry about criminal prosecution for having been in the presence of a seal? If the seal takes notice of the person, lifts it's head to look or returns to the ocean should we criminalize that persons actions? Under the strictest interpretation of the MMPA, that event would be a criminal violation for disturbing a marine mammal. This is an outrageous view of human conduct and a violation of human rights to interact with his or her environment. The definition of to "take" under the law was never intended to be so strictly interpreted. Under this interpretation any contact between humans and marine mammals could be considered harassment. The bureaucrats at NOAA need apply some common sense in giving advice and interpretation of the MMPA. The San Diego City Council, by accepting this specious argument and the accompanying delays, has been a major component of the Children's Pool problem. The use of a man made pool, Children's Pool built for human use, while seals are present can hardly be considered harassment of seals. Yet many people have been intimidated away from using the Children's Pool by self appointed seal babysitters. There are lots of places the seals can move to if they were ever to feel threatened by the human activity at the Children's Pool. There are secluded coves and sheltered beaches up and down the San Diego coastline that are very hard for people to access and are available to the seals. The fact that most seals flee humans is normal and should not come with the threat of criminal prosecution or physical assault to someone using a public beach. Any seals that have lost their natural fear of humans should be relocated to more secluded areas to allow the remaining seals to restore the natural balance of human/seal interactions. The overzealous attempt to ban people from Children's Pool by the pro seal activists should be exposed for the crime that it is. They should be moved away from the Children's Pool area until they learn to behave and respect the rights of all beach users. The constant harassment and intimidation by this group should never be tolerated and will lead to increasing problems as people resist their bullying. The evidence is clear that this problem was caused by the San Diego City Council's many years of mis-management of the Children's Pool. They did not react quickly enough to the overpopulation of seals caused by Sea World's misguided rehabilitation and release program and the assumption of authority by the seal activists. They now have plenty guidance by the State and the courts on how to finally resolve the problems at the Children's Pool. The seal activists will do anything to deny people legal access to Children's Pool to save their open air pet shop. Given their way, all the seals will have cute names and people will have to wade through the sea of humanity at the La Jolla Cove to get to a sheltered ocean entry. Place no barriers to beach access at any time of the year. Continue the shared use policy, clean the beach and remove the pro seal / anti human terrorists. read more
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850 Coast Blvd
La Jolla, CA 92037
La Jolla
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(619) 235-1169
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Children's Pool - beaches - Updated May 2026
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