I am pretty spoiled to have dived some waters where visibility is great so it was a bit disappointing to snorkel here this morning. I came here at 6:45am and was able to find parking literally right at the cove, so come early, its worth it. Lots of wildlife hanging out there. I saw a bunch of sea lions sleeping, tons of cormorants and lots of badass pelicans flying and scooping down for food. By 7am, I was in the water and there were already plenty of people here. I tried out my wetsuit with all my gear and everything worked well. I wasn't too hot in my 4/3 wetsuits. Visibility was crap today and couldn't see much. I'll have to come back again to see if visibility improves. I got out in 30 minutes, no point wasting time with cloudiness. I used the local showers to get the sand and saltwater off myself and gear. Public bathrooms also available. After getting out, I walked around a bit and it was a lovely day. Beautiful area, no wonder everyone likes coming here. I'll be back! read more

Okay, I'm gonna start off this review by saying everything is perfect (besides one CRUCIAL thing). The atmosphere, the beds, the town, the restaurants, and the living room are great. The negative thing is the shower... This is the worst shower in the entire universe. This pathetic excuse for a shower was so bad that I started reconsidering life. The shower water, straight from the ocean, was freezing even at its max. There was no pressure. It was like 9 consecutive little droplets every 3 seconds and a little bit of Seal semen in the mix, because there is no way that shit was filtered. At first, when I turned on the shower, I didn't notice that the shower head was in the middle of the shower and on the ceiling, so the tiny droplets ricocheted onto my underwear. The problem with this was that this was, like, my last pair, so I had to sleep commando in the same bed as my brother. If you're going to have such a big shower, shouldn't it be angled and have pressure? I swear, the water radius was 20% of the shower, and the other 80% was just there for you to roam around. Don't even get me started on how it felt being under that 20%. It kind of felt like I was sleeping cutely on a beach chair, and some really suspicious obese man approaches me, with his belly hanging right over me. The obese man proceeds to start slowly crying as his wet belly starts dripping on me, and his eye water starts dripping on me too, as he begs for liposuction money. Some dude came over and "cleaned" our shower, and he essentially poked it with a stick and left the room all confident and shit. One of those seals 100 feet away from the hotel would have done a better job than this dude. It's not even just the shower. THE WHOLE BATHROOM SUCKS. 1. Why is the hand soap also body wash? (Weird.) 2. The toilet is in a very uncomfortable spot. 3. The music button on the mirror is unnecessary, and when you click it, it makes a very annoying noise. 4. The body lotion is closer to the toilet than the sink, which symbolizes the encouragement of masturbation. The sink water at its coldest is warmer than the shower at its max. I will admit that the sink does have a little less Seal semen than the shower, though. In conclusion, I will never go to San Diego ever again. If I ever do go to San Diego again, it's probably to harass the seals for what they and La Jolla did to me. Also, this entire area is anti-Dr. Pepper. I tried 6 times at 6 different restaurants, and all the waiters offered me flat Coca-Cola since they thought that was a proper substitute. read more

My friends from the LA county area were in town. They were staying at the Welks or Hyatt's Vacation Club. They have never been to La Jolla so I decided to take them to go see the sunset at La Jolla Cove... It was also my FIRST TIME visiting the cove as well. First thing I noticed that was a challenge is... PARKING: Very challenging! If you have the time. Wait and follow people who are leaving or ask them if they are leaving and follow them to their parking spot. That's how we got parking... PENGUINS: So adorable! So many of them!! SEA LIONS: 10/10 For entertainment and humor! Making all those weird noises really lighten up the cove! SMELL: 4/10 It really stinks! It smells like sewage and salt... SUNSET: 10/10 Totally worth the wait. The sun sets at around 7:30pm. Lots of people were taking pictures... We then walked over to CRAB CITY for dinner!! And HAGEN DAZ FOR dessert!!! THE LA JOLLA COVE WAS WORTH IT!!!!! read more

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Always a wonderful time to visit La Jolla Cove. We met up with family for a nice time walking the cove. The place was packed and it was a very hot day at the water. I don't recall it ever being so hot at La Jolla Cove in all of my years as a San Diegan. The outside temperature was 86 degrees and there was barely any cool ocean breeze on this Sunday afternoon. There are many sidewalk vendors here again. They took up a lot of park space and had a variety of items available for sale. I spotted crepes, dessert bundles, artwork, clothing, hats, jewelry, craft work, and some other items. The seals were not in pupping season but they were still swimming in the water with the people swimmers. The birds were taking up the cliff rocks at the north side of the cove. The smell was VERY STRONG so for those who have a low tolerance for excrement, please be prepared. I think the hot sun and weather were factors in the smell becoming cooked and pungent. It's still very nice to see the seals and the birds in nature. There was a man with a trained parrot and other birds at the cove Scripps Browning Park sign. People were taking photos with his parrot. That was cool. Parking was PACKED. If you are patient and wait about 10 mins, you will find a spot. Great day on the cove. I just suggest that they find more opportunities for shade along the boardwalk here. This hot day proved to be a baking moment. read more

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I was on vacation in the area and decided to stop by. I came for a sunrise. It's easier to get parking and the animals are still sleeping so a lot calmer. There's plenty of benches to sit at. It's a very peaceful place in the morning and the sea lions get close enough to get great pictures. I really enjoyed it here beautiful place to go and take a walk. read more

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My favorite experience in my four days in San Diego was seeing the sea lions playing and interacting! This is incredible! A must visit for any trips back to the area. read more

La Jolla Cove - Parks Near Me - La Jolla, California

I was here for their Sunday concert. The area we were in which was the grassy area was fine but as soon as you walk towards the beach front area there was a horrific smell. Sad to see sea lions taking over the cove and birds all over the bluffs with poop everywhere. There were feathers everywhere and along with the poop it made it even more disgusting. My 2 senses, sight and smell, told me I need to get the heck away from there! People were walking by covering their faces and had disgusted looks. I can't believe all the restaurants above that area haven't complained because I'm sure it's taking away customers . I sure wouldn't eat on any of those restaurants on Prospect facing the beach. YUCK! read more

La Jolla Cove - Sea lions taking over The Cove - Parks Near Me - La Jolla, California

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This was our second stop on the tour. Parking was already packed at the time we arrived here. We got to enjoy the views and saw some sea lions. Didn't get a chance to go the cave store since we were limited in time. We just stopped at a nearby store to get some postcards. read more

La Jolla Cove - Parks Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Such a cool spot to see all the sea lions. Soooo many of them that are sun bathing and in the ocean. You can go on the beach but I don't think that part would be that great. It's just cool to see all of them. I guess typically the smell is really bad but when we went it wasn't too bad. Also some really great views! read more

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This was such a cool place to stop. You're able to be close with the sea lions and seals and get a great view of the wildlife. It's a bit crowded with people, but with it being a free stop with no charge for parking and plentiful with animals it makes it all worth it. We've made the drive down from Oregon and stopped at sea lion caves, where we were charged to view them, and this out did those stops by far. Highly recommend. An added bonus is the birds flying by so close, it almost makes you feel like you're in a Jurassic Park filming. read more

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Anytime any family and friends are in town, I take them down to see the La Jolla coves. Beautiful scenery on a sunny day! There are plenty of public street parking and also parking garages. Once you get past the stench of the sea lions, you can enjoy yourself more. It does take some getting used to! There are typically some street vendors there selling apparel. Some really cool hand crafted items. Just go where the wind takes you and enjoy yourself! Do NOT bother the sea lions, they can and will be aggressive if you get too close. read more

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We made a short stop at La Jolla Cove and enjoyed the cliff views and sea lions. It was awesome watching them in their natural habitat and seeing them interact with each other. We arrived on a busy Sunday mid-morning, and parking was somewhat challenging, but we managed. Definitely a nice stop if you are visiting San Diego, but beware that it is a very busy area. read more

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We decided to stop by La Jolla Cove to catch the sunset on the way back from San Diego. Finding parking in the area is a challenge, and unless you want to pay $35-45 to park in one of the Ace parking lots, you need to find one of the opens street parking spots in the shopping area: more difficult than it sounds. In any case, once we found our spot, and made our way down to the cove, we were greeted with an amazing view of the ocean and cliffside bluffs. My fiancee wanted to get some nice scenic pictures, and I think we were able to. We've ran into quite the number of couples doing the same thing, and noticed a large number of families enjoying the wide open grass field area. We heard there are quite a number of seals down by the cliffs, but we only saw one swimming around. What we found interesting are the people sun bathing on the cliffs. I'm not sure why they allow people to do that, as it appears quite dangerous with some of the waves crashing into the side of the cliffs. In any case. It's a nice view, and their are some vendors around, but I feel like the area just gives me the vibe that everything is built around shopping, and the park and cove is just there for people to take a break from it. read more

La Jolla Cove - The under cliff caves - Parks Near Me - La Jolla, California

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3/30/26 update: Free parking is very difficult to find if you come during peak times. You might have to drive around in circles to see if anyone is leaving. We decided to park in the garage that is close to the Cave Store. It's about $15 and you have to pay by scanning a QR code. I didn't feel like waiting for people to leave since we were in a time crunch. There is a path by the Cave Store that you can walk down and get some great views. The cove where you can see the sea lions is a short walk. You can go to the beach which is shared with the sea lions. There's a park ranger that makes sure people don't get too close to the animals. read more

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La Jolla Cove is a beautiful and scenic beach in San Diego. My husband and I really enjoy coming here for a leisurely walk while taking in the stunning ocean views and watching the countless sea lions. I appreciate how clean and well-maintained this beach is. The water always looks nice and clear, with marine life that is taken care of. It also feels like a safe place, as there are permanent lifeguard stations patrolled by multiple lifeguards. This beach is truly made for anyone and everyone, including families, nature lovers, and more. Keep in mind that this is one of the most popular attractions of San Diego, so it will likely be crowded during the day. read more

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Living the dream at La Jolla Cove. This beautiful spot in San Diego's La Jolla is one of SoCal's must. We strolled along La Jolla down those awesome steps to take in the sand, sea and sea lions as well as seals (though not so much at or near the cove directly), not to mention, black cormorants, pelicans and seagulls. The seals some to love the beachy areas best and the sea lions are more carefree adventures of all parts of La Jolla, from rocks to water to land to even steps. There's a few watch tower area, most are deemed unsuitable for support, but the ones that are are pretty okay, definitely a lot of wear and tear from the weather. Lifeguard towers as well as lifeguards and Ja Jolla volunteers keep everyone safe, including the animals and will remind you to keep your distance and not feed them. The shore of the cove is very rocky and slippery so absolutely be careful and keep within a certain boundary for safety especially with the seal lions loving to be nearby. if walking the pathway above there's a beautiful park area, railing all along the cove and beach and views for days! Parking is typically limited to 3 hrs if you manage to find some, we got pretty lucky. The steps down are pretty large and there's a big gap between the beach shore and that first one, which I feel was much closer in the past but the beach reforms and the sand levels shift with the tide and time. I've got the ripped shorts to prove it from taking such a giant step back up lol they had a good run and luckily I had back up loose fitting ones in the car. Restrooms nearby above, fairly well kept up. You can find some fun vendors throughout as well like a caricature artist and eats. Definitely a recommend. Absolutely for everyone, pets and kids included. We passed by a cool field trip on our way down the path. read more

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La Jolla Cove is San Diego's most famous beach, where you can see a vast number of seals and sea lions. You can hear constant barking sounds at La Jolla Cove, and the source of this noise is the California sea lion. To distinguish between a seal and a sea lion, look at the ears: seals have only ear holes, whereas sea lions have visible, protruding ears. You will find far more seals and sea lions on land than swimming in the water, as they need to spend at least seven to eight hours a day out of the water to rest and regulate their body temperature. What makes La Jolla Cove special is that humans and animals share the beach; people, seals, and sea lions all swim in the same waters. Wildflowers bloom around the beach, and the area is home to a variety of wildlife, including cormorants and seagulls, alongside the seals and sea lions. read more

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One of my favorite spots to head to before arriving to San Diego. La Jolla Cove is one of the best coast line stretches around. There's plenty of space around to walk, you'll see many admiring the wildlife (mostly birds and sea lions). You'll also find parts of the coast where you can take the stairs down for a closer view of the ocean, mainly a beach area and some parts include a cove corridor across the entire coast line. Often times, you'll see sea lions laying around, some are playing, and some are swimming. Depending on the time of the day of course. They're full of personality and a great watch especially if you love animals like my wife and I. Parking here is a mix of emotions, while you can find parking on the coast occasionally as people are leaving, I highly recommend parking on the streets as there's many spots that are free. Watch out for metered parking and if you want to park closer aside from the coast line, you can park in some paid lots but they're quite expensive compared to the time you're spending at La Jolla Cove. La Jolla Cove is always a top spot and is often very busy. It's totally worth it whether you're traveling or a local. It's quite nice to enjoy the breeze, fresh air, and sea lion watching. Highly recommend adding this unique spot to your bucket list while visiting. read more

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La Jolla Cove in San Diego is absolutely beautiful and a perfect place for photographers to take pictures of wildlife like exotic birds, sea lions and seals. It's not really a long stretch of beach with white sand, even though there are a few people out there trying to soak up the sun in the small sandy area that they have. There's a lot of opportunity to do kayaking, snorkeling, and swimming amongst the sea lions and seals. It's a very touristy area and sometimes it can be challenging finding parking, but there is plenty of public parking and most of it is free. There's a beautiful little shopping area near La Jolla Cove where you can catch the sunset with small bites and cocktails. I hate to admit but along the cliffs area it smells very bad. It's the sea lions and the birds make this place smell kind of like a zoo and or an aquarium that needs to be cleaned. So I think just in general La Jolla may be a tad bit stinky. Just want to let the people with a high sense of smell and sniffers the heads up before you head out here. Still very beautiful and rated one of the best beaches in the United States read more

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We visited La Jolla Cove on a weekday and arrived a little after 9 AM, hoping to see the sea lions and it definitely didn't disappoint! The sea lions were amazing to watch. Hearing the sounds they make and seeing them just lounging together on the rocks was such a fun experience. The smell of the seawater was surprisingly calming, and the whole area felt peaceful even with other visitors around. The views are absolutely stunning, with the ocean stretching out and waves crashing along the cliffs. It's such a beautiful spot to slow down and take everything in. I would definitely come back again, especially for a sunset walk. read more

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La Jolla Cove is absolutely stunning and truly a must-see in San Diego. The park is clean, well-maintained, and offers some of the most beautiful ocean views around. One of the coolest parts is how close you can get to the sea lions -- just remember to give them space and be respectful! Parking can definitely be a challenge, so pack your patience. It's worth it once you're there! There are also plenty of great restaurants and cafés nearby if you want to grab a bite before or after your visit. Whether you're here for the wildlife, the views, or just a peaceful stroll, this spot should absolutely be on your itinerary. You won't regret it! read more

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I see that my review is 8 years old so it is time for an update. We went to La Jolla cove in November 2025 and it was even more beautiful than I remember. The views of the coastline are spectacular This time, we arrived early so it was foggy, which added to the mystique. People come for the seals and they did not disappoint. We saw them swimming and playing in the water, but it was not sunny enough for them to sun themselves. Free parking is extraordinary hard to find so you just bite the bullet and pay for parking. There is public parking and in 2025 it was $25 for all day, which if you stay several hours is not bad. From the cove you can walk up to the Main Street for shopping and restaurants. Overall, it's a great side trip from San Diego and I highly recommend it. read more

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Free parking is really hard to find but there are paid parking spots nearby. The seals all lounge on the rocks on the beach. They make loud sounds! read more

La Jolla Cove - Parks Near Me - La Jolla, California

Absolutely stunning, breathtaking views. My favorite spot I went when I visited San Diego. Do not miss it!!! read more

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Worth the trip to see the sea lions and birds resting. Lots going on there and worth the trip north to see it. Not busy on a weekday morning and it was a treat read more

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La Jolla Cove- an example of why we must be good guardians of nature. When you come take a deep breath, just enjoy the view and the beauty. It is stunning. The water is clear there are sandstone rocks. It's just peaceful, especially if you get away from humans Lots of birds and sea lions. My photos were taken with the cell phone in Zoom. The only negative are the humans who seem to think they can get close to sea lions. Leave them alone - They don't want you to try to pet them. There is a ranger out with the microphone telling people to move away from the sea lions. TeamSeaLion read more

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If you are going to San Diego, you have to make a pit stop here for a couple of hours!!! It's such a gorgeous view of La Jolla and the ocean! It can be a pain to park - across the street from the shop there is a private parking that is about $50 to park but totally worth. It is a nice little place to see sea lions chilling out on the shores and swimming in the ocean. The smell can kind of get to you but with the wind, it's not really that bad! Every time we come to San Diego, this is the first place we stop!!! read more

La Jolla Cove is a stunning part of La Jolla, and it's close to many restaurants. My family doesn't get tired of this place. We come here to see the Sealions and the Seals , once you are here you won't even notice you have been looking at the Sealions and Seals for more than half an hour already. The sound the Sealions and Seals makes and looking at them playing with each other or just looking at them around makes you just sit there and be entertained by the beauty of the Ocean and the Sealions and Seals . You can see them upclose that sometimes I'm tempted to touch them but thats a no no , not a good idea, they look nice but when theres a sign "do not touch the Sealions or Seals " then its better not and just admire them by looking at them . Not only the Seals and Sealions you can see here, there are lots of Birds, mostly Seagulls. They also have a big park here that you can enjoy and relax , sometimes theres a show or bazzar too . Many bathrooms are available too here and Parking could be tough because everybody wants to see the Beauty of La Jolla Ocean and the Sealions and Seals read more

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Such a beautiful place to walk around and be one with nature. So cute watching the sea lions in their element just living their best life. there's various places to see them. There is an area where you can walk down to the beach area and see them up close - but with that said, please do not try to touch them or provoke them. It's individuals like that that ruin the experience for others. Parking might be hard to find especially if you come during peak hours. Lucky we get to live here and be surrounded by this! read more

La Jolla Cove is an absolute must visit for when in San Diego! I didn't know what to expect when going and I was blown away with the views, the amount of wildlife, the numerous baby seals and more! I brought my entire team with me to see the cove and everyone else was equally as excited. Don't miss this stop - well worth an hour or two of your time! read more

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One of the most beautiful spots in SoCal. The walk along the cliffs offers incredible views of the ocean and local wildlife. It's should always be on the to-do list for anyone visiting the area. The only downside is that there usually is a strong stench due to the sea lions that gather on the rocks. If you can get past the smell, the beauty and atmosphere are there. read more

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You just never know how nice this can be. We just sat it stood and watched the sealife. And there is a lot to see. You can snorkel in the cove with the seals. Just no touching or chasing. read more

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One of my first adventures with my husband was at the La Jolla Cove. So I already have really fond memories. When we visited again recently, it was more crowded than I remember way back when, but just as lovely and such a calming place to gave out into the ocean. We saw so much marine life; it was a huge treat! Another lifetime ago, I also did a beach dive from this cove and I saw during our recent visit that this is still happening. One of these days, I will get out there again! Parking can be difficult as others have mentioned, but if you don't mind some hilly walking in that fresh air, it's doable. Will definitely return again soon. read more

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Beautiful place. When it comes to parking, it is hectic as expected. Free street parking is hard to find obviously, and even if you come early, some signs will say "2-3 hour parking," so watch for that. I parked at an AC parking lot, a lot of those around this area. They are $30 for the whole day, at least mine was like that. And no option to choose between 2 or 4 or 6 hours. The cove was packed, lots of people enjoying the view, the seals, the huge seating/picnic area. You can bring your snorkel and fins, go all the way down and enjoy the water. Seals are everywhere too haha. Not sure if it's really worth the drive for me to be honest (From Orange County.) But it definitely was beautiful. read more

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Lo Jolla cove one of the most beautiful beaches in San Diego. The atmosphere is amazing. You get so see so much while you're here! There's lots of ocean wildlife so snorkeling is very common in the area. It's a very family friendly area for picnics. Theres lots of restaurants and shops to check out as well. Parking can be a little tricky around this area but if you drive around long enough you'll find there is street parking with exceptions. Also, there can be a lot of uphill walking. The views of the water and wildlife all make it worth it in my opinion. We always drive through here when visitin read more

La Jolla Cove - Parks Near Me - La Jolla, California

This was the highlight of my San Diego trip! It was so cool to be able to get so close to the sea lions. And the scenery is gorgeous! Watching the sunset here was amazing read more

La Jolla Cove - Parks Near Me - La Jolla, California

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What beautiful views so many different things to see and if you have an exercise in a while, get ready cause if you're walking up and down that hill it's quite the workout. I couldn't believe the amount of pelicans, sea lions and birds just hanging out on the cliffs.. what was really impressive as the people out there swimming practicing for either Iron Man's or just because they're in the greatest shape of their life, either way it was awesome to watch. The only downside for me and the reason I took one star off is because the smell the day we went was insane. It literally smells like everyone went to the bathroom outside all at once and with the wind blowing it just made it hard to wanna hang out there. We spent a couple hours there people watching eating lunch and enjoying the views from the cliff next time we come we'll definitely have to take the kayaking in the cove. It looked so fun. There was a parking garage nearby if you can't find any street parking but be prepared because it's a 14 hour parking garage for $40 and even if you leave early, they do not refund anything so if you're spending all day there I'd say it's a decent deal otherwise not. read more

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Must do while in San Diego!! It's one of my favorite parts of San Diego because the seals are so cute. There's so many of them, and it's so fun to watch them. One thing is they stink lol. Just one of the many things that makes La Jolla special. read more

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Lots of wildlife to see in many many seals on the beach. It was a nice walk and the town of La Jolla also offers great people watching and high-end shops. The area is a bit congested in terms of traffic but a fun little stop if you want to see seals in a bit of wildlife. read more

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"Down along the cove We walked together hand in hand Everybody watchin' us go by Knows we're in love, yes, and they understand" (Bob Dylan) La Jolla Cove is a very small beach with sandstone cliffs, extraordinary beauty and hundreds of sea lions and seals on the Point La Jolla rocks. No wonder it's one of the most photographed beaches in Southern California. When we exited our car, the first thing that hit us wasn't the scenery, it was the "ripe" smell of the sea creatures. But as we walked around the bend, thankfully that smell dissipated. The highlight of our stop was the incredible concentration of creatures on the beach and the rocks at Point La Jolla. The first example was the hundreds of jet-black seabirds near the cliffs and rocky outcroppings. We also saw quite a bit of seagulls that have apparently become fearless of humans and gladly pose for photos atop light poles and fence posts. But the stars of the show were hundreds (or thousands?) of bellowing and barking sea lions, sprawled on the rocks and cliffs as if they were sunning themselves at a Fourth of July beach outing. The soaring palm trees against a clear blue sky, blue-green water, sandy beach, green plants and the landscape's yellow and purple flowers on the slope up to the street, and all of nature's glorious creature combined for a fantastic visit. read more

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