Remember Desmond’s poem about La Jolla Shores? It speaks of souls rising in rapture. Right here at La Jolla Shores Beach you can capture shells.
La Jolla Shores is a mile-long crescent of sand. It stretches from sea cliffs to Black’s Beach. This beach is a vacation spot and residential community. La Jolla Shores boasts a mixed-use village. It encircles Laureate Park on Avenida de la Playa.
In 1913 Mary Elizabeth Clarke Rose Lowry purchased 500 acres. She paid $225,000. Today, a home here averages over $2 million. Oceanfront properties exceed $10 million.
Before development, it was Long Beach. A dairy farm stood here. Cows languished on the sandy beach. Young boys hunted for Indian artifacts. They searched for arrowheads.
Wheeler J. Bailey commissioned a weekend retreat in 1907. Architects Irving Gill and Frank Mead designed it. It sits above the ocean near the Marine Room. Bailey made it his permanent home around 1913. The Wheeler J. Bailey House is a historic site. It remains in Bailey’s family.
The Evans-Lee Corporation began the “La Jolla Shores Development” project. They advertised the “best beach in California”. The project opened in 1926. It drew thousands of visitors. A 1926 article described La Jolla Shores as a superb panorama. It embraced a natural amphitheater with a mile of water frontage. The beach was level and clean. The tide exposed pale sand. It stretched hundreds of feet wide.
The stock market crash halted development. It wasn’t until after World War II that construction resumed. By the 1950s and 1960s La Jolla Shores boomed. Several original 1920s homes remain.
One home has been restored. It is the Uriah and Clara Barkey House. The owners won an award in 2007.
The La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club opened in 1927. It was originally the La Jolla Beach and Yacht Club. Robert Stacey-Judd designed the original buildings. The Kellogg family purchased the club in 1934. They renamed it the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club. Tom Shepard designed additions. Visitors can enjoy ocean views from the Marine Room. They can visit the La Jolla Shores Restaurant. It was formerly the Sea Lodge.
Florence Scripps Kellogg donated land for Kellogg Park. It was in honor of her late husband F. W. Kellogg. Kellogg Park is a popular picnic spot.
La Jolla Shores is perfect for swimming. It is also great for long walks at sunset. Scuba diving is popular. There is an underwater canyon. It teems with sea life. This area is part of the La Jolla Ecological Reserve.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography is nearby. The original site cost only $1,000. The “Old Scripps Building” was completed in 1910. Irving Gill designed it. It is the oldest oceanography laboratory in the western hemisphere. The original Scripps Pier was dedicated in 1916. The current pier replaced it in 1988.
La Jolla Shores is a wonderful summer destination. In summer, waves are gentle. La Jolla Shores is adjacent to the San Diego La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve. Fishing is prohibited here. Removal of objects is unlawful.
This beach is popular for novice scuba classes. Lifeguards patrol the beach year-round. Lifeguard stations are permanent. La Jolla Shores is dog-friendly. Dogs are allowed outside specific hours.
Kellogg Park borders the beach. It has a grassy area for picnics. There is a playground. The Map of the Grand Canyons of La Jolla sits here. It’s a large LithoMosaic. It showcases the underwater park’s topography. It shows sea life.
Leopard shark sightings happen between July and December. Peak viewing is August and September. Female leopard sharks incubate their babies in the warm water.
You can launch a kayak from here. You can rent one. You can take a guided tour of sea caves. Stand-up paddleboarding is also popular. Scuba diving is excellent in the ecological reserve.
The Ellen Browning Scripps Pier is a research pier. Birch Aquarium at Scripps offers pier tours.
Dike Rock is one of the best La Jolla tide pools. Birch Aquarium leads tide pool adventures here. Hotels offer beachfront stays. The Marine Room offers high tide dining.
Pack a picnic to watch the sunset. It is beautiful here any time of year. There are things to do regardless of the weather.