One Day In La Jolla

You could easily spend a week in La Jolla, walking
on the beach, puttering around town and enjoying
meals in great restaurants; but if you only have
one day, you can still enjoy some of the best La
Jolla has to offer.

You'll want to start off by going to the beach.  La
Jolla Shores is one of the best beaches in the
state of California, with a gently sloping beach
and panoramic views.  A sunset or morning walk
on the beach is enough to relax even the most
stressed individual. The walk is better with the
tide going out, as it leaves the beach with a
mirror like water display.

La Jolla is home to some of the best restaurants,
with many of them serving excellent cuisine at
lunch, although a lower price at night.  This way,
you can live large on just the right budget.

Something else you'll want to do is go tide pooling.
The Tiny La Jolla Cove is a couple of blocks away
from downtown, and accessible by a stairway.  At
low tides, the tide pools will have hundreds and
hundreds of hermit crabs.

Walking around is also a great way to spend part
of your day.  You can go for a window shopping
stroll along Prospect Avenue and the side streets
there.  With chain stores in sight, you'll
probably find something you must have.

If you have time to stay through the evening,
the La Jolla Playhouse is worth your time, as it
offers plenty of entertainment for the entire
family.

For just a day to spend in La Jolla, there is a
lot that you can do.  Once you spend a day in
La Jolla, you'll probably find yourself wanting
to come back for more - the town is simply that
good.

Mount Soledad

Mount Soledad in beautiful La Jolla gives you the
chance to enjoy amazing, 360 degree views under the
shadow of a towering cross.  All along the summit,
there are many veteran's plaques.  Mount Soledad is
truly splendid to look at, as it is a well known
fixture to the area of La Jolla.

On Mount Soledad, you stand more than 800 foot high
underneath the shade of a 43 foot high cross, and
enjoy the views and splendor the mount provides.  You
can enjoy a picnic here, the panoramic views, or
just watch the sunset.  Mount Soledad is also a
great spot for photos, if you like to take photos.

Beauty - everywhere you look
Below Mount Soledad is the shimmering waters of La
Jolla Shores and terra cotta roofs of those that
are very lucky folks indeed.  To the north you have
the coastline that extends all the way up to Orange
County.

To the south of Mount Soledad there are views of
Mexico with city skyline and everything else the
area has to offer.  And off to the east, there
are vistas as far as the eye can see.

The cross
You may be wondering just what the cross is and
what it's for.  The story dates back to 1913, when
Pacific Beach residents built a cross out of redwood
and set it atop the mountain.  Thieves removed it
ten years later, and the replacement was created
in 1934, which was taken out by high winds in
1952.

Soon after that, the Mount Soledad Memorial
Association build the current cross to commemorate
soldiers of the Korean and the two world wars.

The cross of Mount Soledad has been a subject of
controversy, although the problem appeared to be
solved in the late 1990s.  The San Diego Council
sold the cross and the half acre of land that
surrounds it to the Memorial Association.

In 2002, mini walls were installed to honor the
veterans that are underneath the cross, though
they have fueled more controversy from those who
feel that the towering symbol highlights Christian
vets over others that are there.

For those that live in the area, Mount Soledad and
the cross are a true beauty.  For visitors and
tourists, Mount Soledad provides amazing views and
the cross seems to add to the detail.

If you ever visit La Jolla, make sure you check
out Mount Soledad.  It's very close to the downtown
area, and it'll be one thing you'll be glad you
made time for.  The cross is something you simply
must see - as words can't begin to describe it.

Marine Street Beach

Located near the upscale community of La Jolla, the
Marine Street Beach is a small cluster of high end
clothiers, hotels, shops, and galleries.  The
beach is also legendary to body surfers and body
boarders due to it's thunderous waves which always
seem to crash the shoreline at the right time.

Keep in mind, this beach may not be ideal for
families, as there are no public restrooms, picnic
areas, and the rough surf conditions aren't well
suited for children.  If you have a family, you may
want to find another beach.

Even though it isn't the best beach for families,
Marine Street Beach offers plenty of privacy and
gorgeous white sand that can make for a fun day
of sunbathing with friends.

The rough waves found at this beach have been
known to seriously injure swimmers and body boarders
in the past.  If you aren't that experienced with
the water, you should always make sure that you
repect both the water and the waves here.

During the summer months and on peak weekends during
the fall and spring, there are lifeguards stationed
on the beach.  You should plan to park on the
street at Marine Street Beach, as there are no
public lots.  You should try to get here early,
as it can be very hard to find a parking space,
especially during summer and on the weekends.

Getting there
If you are coming from the north, take I-5 south.
Take the exit at Genessee Avenue, head west, then
make a left on Torrey Pines Road.  Go down the
hill into downtown La Jolla, turn left on Girad
Avenue then right on Pearl Street.  Turn left at
La Jolla Boulevard then right on Marine Street.

From the south, take I-5 north to Torrey Pines
Road.  Once you arrive in La Jolla Downtown,
simply follow the same directions from above.

La Jolla Village Tour

A trip to sunny La Jolla isn't complete with a tour
of the city's downtown area, known by locals as the
village.  With trendy shops, galleries, and nice
places to eat, La Jolla Village is something you need
to tour on foot to appreciate.

If you are traveling from a distance and must drive
to the village, parking is not easy.  The downtown
streets offer two hour free parking, although your
best bet will probably be one of the garages along
Fay Avenue where a flat rate will ease your mind of
parking worries for the entire day.

Once you have found a place to park, you should
begin your tour at the corner of Fay Avenue and
Prospect Street.  Here, you'll find some of the most
famous restaurants in the downtown area, including
Moondoggie's and Il Forno.

As you pass by the restaurants, you'll see the
Arcade Building, which resembles an old hybrid
style.  The Arcade Building leads to an alleyway
with many specialty shops.

After you explore the treasures of the Arcade Building
alley, continue your tour North along Prospect
Street and you'll come to a stretch of art galleries.
If you appreciate art, you'll love everything
the village has to offer you.

Just across the street from the art galleries,
you'll find The Grande Colonial Hotel.  This hotel
is famous and well known for its rate of $1 per
day since the opening in 1913, has been renovated
many times and now ranks as one of the best
landmarks in La Jolla Village.

As you continue your walk down Prospect Street,
you'll encounter Girard Avenue, which offers
you plenty of shops and eateries.

La Jolla Village

The Village of La Jolla is the vacation showcase of
La Jolla.  The village offers postcard type beauty,
with elegant homes, lush real estate, resorts,
luxurious hotels, and even the best in intimate
bed and breakfast lodging.  The La Jolla Village is
the gateway entrance to some of the most amazing
beaches San Diego has to offer.

The village consists of a 30 block downtown La
Jolla area that's home to over 1,400 businesses
that are fully committed to vacation pleasure to
the over 7,000 people that visit the village each
and every day.

In the village you'll find all the conveniences
that grace the shores, such as world class shopping
and quaint boutique shops.  Upscale restaurants,
intimate cafes, museums, art galleries, and
attractions such as the Birch Aquarium can be found
here as well.

The La Jolla Playhouse is in the village as well.
It has earned over 200 awards, including the 1993
Tony for outstanding regional theater.  The Playhouse
is a creative haven that attracts more then 150,000
theater enthusiasts each year.

Most visitors to the La Jolla Village like to walk
the shoreline around Scripps Park and soak up the
perfect weather and majestic views of the oceanfront
panorama.  If romantic tranquility is what you
seek, late afternoon and early evening strolls are
less crowded and at dusk you can catch some of
the most stunning sunsets.

The beaches of La Jolla are the biggest tourist
attractions here.  All you need to do is choose
your style of water recreation and relaxation.
Swimming, surfing, bodysurfing, snorkeling, scuba
diving, sun bathing, or just watching others swim.
Make sure you arrive early to avoid the crowds,
then stay late to catch the beauty of the moonlit
skies.

La Jolla Golden Triangle
The Golden Triangle of La Jolla is an area that's
intersected by three major freeways - I-5, I-805,
and State 52.  The Triangle lies east of La Jolla
Village and ten minutes north of downtown San
Diego.

The established residential community blossomed
into a financial triad of high rise office
buildings, full service hotels, shopping, and
plenty of restaurants.

The Golden Triangle also offers the business
traveler and vacationer all they need within a
self contained area of business, retail, shopping,
hotels, dining, and boutiques.  The Golden Triangle
is also located close to the oceanfront beach
area of the village and all the vacation attractions
that San Diego has to offer.