Museum of Contemporary Art - La Jolla

Things to do in La Jolla San Diego

By Stuart Bak

Sun, sea, and miles and miles of golden Californian sands... San Diego’s picturesque La Jolla neighborhood is famed for its wild, verdant hills and epic 11-kilometer stretch of Pacific coastline that’s perfect for surfing, sunbathing and seal-spotting. Add to that some fine boutique shopping and gourmet dining and you’ve got the recipe for a perfect sunshine break. Dive in to discover our favorite things to do in La Jolla San Diego.

Fun in the Sun

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There’s much to enjoy in La Jolla, especially if you’re the outdoor type. This coastal neighborhood is set in pine-scented hills around 20 kilometers north of San Diego’s downtown, and is chock-full of great walks, sandy beaches and hidden coves. Hit the hiking trails through Torrey Pines Nature Reserve, 2,000 acres of wild plateau and rugged cliffs named for its incredibly rare Torrey pine, a species you won’t find anywhere else on the planet. Pop to the visitor center for guided hikes of the reserve or pick up a map and go it alone: there are a number of unchallenging walks along marked trails. In the best tradition of American nature reserves, you can expect colorful wildflowers, giant rock and sandstone formations and viewpoints with sensational panoramic views of the coastal bluffs and beach below. Head up to Yucca Point Overlook for what are generally considered the best in the park. If you’re lucky you may even spot whales and dolphins breaking surface out at sea and native bobcats, lizards and raccoons skulking among the cacti.

La Jolla’s mild climate makes time spent on the beaches here an absolute joy. Seasoned surfers can show off their board skills at the aptly named Windansea and Wipeout beaches, while beginners should head to the calmer waters of La Jolla Shores beach. The palm-fringed crescent of soft golden sand here is also great for family days out. There’s a huge grassy park bordering the beach and plenty of waterfront restaurants and snack bars; bikes, kayaks, surfboards and snorkeling gear are also all available to rent nearby. Don’t forget to grab a snap or two gazing out to sea from between the giant struts under Scripps Pier: it’s one of the most popular selfie spots in the area, and not without good reason. Visit at sunset for the very best views and Instagram-friendly shots like this one.

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Under the Sea

Budding marine biologists can search for sea urchins, anemones and hermit crabs in the tide pools at Dike Rock, while the nearby Birch Aquarium at Scripps has residents including leopard sharks, a loggerhead Sea Turtle and the world’s biggest octopus species. Don’t miss the two-story kelp forest here, where bright orange Garibaldi fish dart among the enormous green tendrils. Or get even closer to some of the planet’s most amazing critters on a scuba diving tour to the kelp forests at La Jolla Cove and Point Loma, where you might come face to face with moray eels, blue sharks, sea lions and California spiny lobsters. Just round the coast, Children’s Pool is one of La Jolla’s best beaches for seal-spotting. You shouldn’t have to look too hard: a colony of around 200 harbor seals call this particular stretch of coast home.

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Art and Culture

If there’s a better spot for a contemporary art museum than high on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific, we’ve yet to find it. Reopened in 2022 after a $105m renovation and expansion, La Jolla’s branch of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego runs the full gamut of Pop Art, Minimalism and Abstract Expressionism, with a special focus on the city’s connection to Tijuana and Latin America in general. The museum boasts the world’s biggest collection of works by American installation artist Robert Irwin, while other highlights include Earth Bolts, a masterclass in dark abstraction by Dorothy Hood, Miriam Schapiro’s boldly feminist Big Ox #2 and a satanic marionette by Tijuanan Benjamín Serrano.

Outdoors, the Stuart Collection comprises over 20 astounding works of public art dotted around the La Jolla campus of the University of California in San Diego. Try to spot them all on the relatively short walking trail. Here, a 23-foot-tall teddy bear made from boulders looms into view as you come round the bed, there a tiny cottage teeters precariously on top of a university building. This astonishing collection also features trees that recite poetry and play music as you pass, as well as important works by the likes of Ian Hamilton Finlay, Kiki Smith and Robert Irwin.

Also on campus, La Jolla Playhouse is the place to take in a show. This multi-award-winning theater has birthed many plays and musicals that went on to find success on Broadway, including Jersey Boys, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and The Who’s Tommy.

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Shopping and Leisure

Head down to La Jolla Village for some of the best independent boutique shopping in the neighborhood. No faceless department stores here: for those you’ll need to head out to the sprawling Westfield UTC complex, home to stores galore including the likes of Macy’s, LEGO and Apple, plus dozens of bars and restaurants and a whopping 14 (count ‘em) cinema screens.

Meanwhile, back in La Jolla Village it’s all about up-and-coming designers and one-off vintage thrift-store discoveries. Get your fashion fix on Girard Avenue and Prospect Street, pick up books and gifts on Ivanhoe Street and pause to recharge your batteries and people-watch over coffee and homemade cake at any one of the several laidback cafés here.

Golfers will be in seventh heaven at the Torrey Pines Golf Course. Here, a pair of courses unfold across undulating landscapes atop cliffs overlooking the Pacific. The challenging South Course has hosted the US Open Championships twice (most recently in 2021) and will test even the most seasoned swinger. The slightly more forgiving North Course has the better views although, up here in the clean California sea air, such observations are perhaps all relative.

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North Park street sign in San Diego
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Things to do in North Park San Diego

North Park’s eclectic mix of art galleries, microbreweries, boutique shops and 1920s Craftsman houses prompted Forbes to include the area in its list of America’s best hipster neighborhoods in 2012, calling it ‘culturally diverse’ and praising the North Park Observatory and Ray Street Arts District as twin ‘bastions of creativity’. There’s certainly plenty to do here in this compact urban neighborhood that hugs the northeast corner of sprawling Balboa Park, from brewery bar crawls to street art tours. Here, then, are our pick of the best things to do in North Park San Diego. Beer, Glorious Beer! North Park is a beer drinkers’ dream-come-true, with around a dozen local craft breweries clustered within easy stumbling distance of each other, mostly in and around the main drag of 30th Avenue. Sample a hoppy West Coast IPA here and you’ll soon understand why San Diego is considered the craft beer capital of the USA. The Belching Beaver Brewery’s North Park tasting room is easily identified by the huge painted logo on the side of the building featuring – yup, you guessed it – a great big belching beaver. Don’t miss the Greetings from San Diego mural right next door, an absolute must for your Instagram feed. Modern Times’ nearby tasting room is known as – wait for it – ‘the North Park Flavordome’. And, with a bold claim like that, it would be remiss not to take up the challenge. Grab a table beneath the forest of inverted lampshades inside and browse a menu of over 20 brews that includes the hazy Technomancer and rich Black House coffee stout. Can’t decide what to order? Flights of four different beers of your choice are also available for the terminally indecisive. Then there’s the Fall Brewing Company with their slightly creepy Humpty Dumpty mascot that gets dressed up for special occasions like Thanksgiving and Halloween, and the sociable North Park Beer Company where weekend brunches are almost – almost – as legendary as the beers. Still thirsty? The North Park Festival of Beers rolls into town every spring, bringing street food, live music, party vibes and an ocean of beer to the streets of San Diego. Tickets include unlimited tastings. Cider, Cocktails and Art But North Park isn’t just about the beer. No! Those who like their drinks a little more... appley should make a beeline for Bivouac Ciderworks, where flights of three glasses let you sample dry, sweet and flavored brews. Meanwhile over at Polite Provisions, smartly dressed bartenders mix lively cocktails for adventurous hipsters. Try the Zombie if you dare: this rum-and-absinthe concoction packs such a dizzying punch that customers are limited to just two per visit. For visions of swirling colors and forms that are not absinthe-induced, mosey on down to Ray Street. Here in the hub of the North Park arts scene, you’ll find a plethora of shops and galleries displaying works by local and international artists. There’s plenty more to see for free on a wander through the nearby streets, with what might just be the highest concentration of great street art anywhere in San Diego. Look out for colorful works by local favorites Madsteez and Kreashun, as well as a samurai cat and skateboarding donut. Fans of American rock royalty should head north to Adams Avenue to check out artist Travis Crosby’s wall-sized tributes to Prince and Jimi Hendrix. Formerly a 1920s cinema, University Avenue’s North Park Observatory was restored to its former glory and has played host to a veritable who’s who of indie legends since reopening as a 21st-century music venue. The roll call of past performers reads like a hipster's dream festival line-up and includes St. Vincent, Dinosaur Jr., Death Cab for Cutie, Mogwai, Cat Power and James Blake, to name just a few. Out and About Thanks to its unique topography, you’re never far from a canyon in San Diego, and North Park is no exception. Making the boundary between the North and South Park districts, Switzer Canyon is a green oasis of lush vegetation that's home to rabbits, coyotes and other cute critters. There’s a short walking trail that’s worth a wander before heading into the vast expanse of Balboa Park, where an absolute embarrassment of riches awaits the intrepid explorer. Inside you’ll find some of the best museums and galleries on the West Coast, from the stunning collection of 19th and 20th-century American and European art at the San Diego Museum of Art to prehistoric monsters at the Natural History Museum. This is also the place to come face to face with all manner of weird and wonderful creatures at the San Diego Zoo and to chill out and find your inner zen among the cherry blossoms, bonsai trees and koi ponds in the Japanese Friendship Garden. North Park is also well-positioned for trips to downtown San Diego and the historic Gaslamp Quarter, as well as easy day trips to Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach and even Coronado and La Jolla, both of which are within a 20-25-minute drive. The route to La Jolla is particularly scenic and the rewards when you hit the bluffs are quite something. All swaying palms, golden sands, sweeping pacific views and harbor seals basking in the sun, it’s SoCal beach life in microcosm, and well worth a few hours of your time. Save on things to do in North Park San Diego Save on admission to San Diego attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
The pier at Ocean Beach, San Diego
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Things to do in Ocean Beach San Diego

Antique shops rub shoulders with surf boutiques, organic grocery stores and tempting taquerias in bohemian Ocean Beach, a buzzing neighborhood at the estuary of the San Diego River, around 10 kilometers from downtown. The broad sun-kissed strip of golden SoCal sand draws surfers and sunbathers from near and far while the neighborhood’s historic streets play host to markets and festivals throughout the year. Read on for our pick of the best things to do in Ocean Beach San Diego. Paint the Town Laidback Ocean Beach revels in its reputation as San Diego’s hippy chic hangout. There’s a real community feel to this welcoming neighborhood: stroll palm-lined Newport Avenue and you’ll soon see what we mean. This is also the place to find unusual souvenirs of your trip. Head to French-themed antique store Vignettes for vintage Chanel and Tiffany jewelry, beautiful art prints from Paris and unique Victorian and Edwardian engagement rings. Track down that elusive Pearl Jam LP in hip Cow Records and pick up preloved vintage fashions and other collectible knick-knacks in the boho Humble Heart thrift stores. There are also several tattoo parlors, should you be in the market for a truly indelible souvenir of your trip. Newport Avenue bursts into life every Wednesday when the popular Ocean Beach Farmers Market rolls into town. Wander among more than 100 stalls soaking up the community vibe and live music, and breathing in the heady aromas of sizzling burgers, fresh flowers, handmade soaps and more from local producers. Pick up a canvas tote bag adorned with the market’s colorful logo and stuff it full of goodies to take home: the freshly baked breads and homemade desserts here are to die for. Afterwards, sample San Diego’s legendary craft beers in one of the avenue’s sociable taprooms. Close to the seafront, Ocean Beach Brewery serves up house ales, lagers and porters alongside tacos, burgers, salads and bar games, with a side order of sensational sea views from its third-story rooftop terrace. Further back along the drag, Kilowatt Brewing offers an eclectic selection of small batch beers amid several works of black light art and – in a nod to the brewery’s name – cool, color-changing LED lighting. If wine is more your bag, the nearby Gianni Buomo Vintners has you covered – take a tour of the winery and sample a flight of six great wines, some from California. You can also, should the mood take you, grab a coffee to go and take a gentle stroll around the neighborhood, noting the colorful painted murals and historic buildings including the old Strand Theater and the Bank of Italy – both around 100 years old – along the way. Life’s a Beach Ocean Beach’s tempting stretch of blonde sand and rolling waves make it a firm favorite with surfers. Pros and novices flock here and to other nearby surf spots every summer. Watch them turn 360s and wipe out from the comfort of your lounger or get involved with popular beach sports including volleyball and over-the-line. Wander the 600-meter length of Ocean Beach Pier, the longest concrete pier on the West Coast. On any given day you’ll be sure to see young couples taking selfies against the famous California sunset and dozens of anglers fishing for herring, no doubt with a couple of hopeful-looking pelicans hanging out nearby. Look out for sleek native harbor seals ducking and diving in the fish-rich waters below. When the tide goes out, vast beds of rock and kelp emerge beneath the pier. Kids can take a well-earned break from sandcastle-building duties to forage in the exposed tidepools, discovering hermit crabs, anemones, prickly sea urchins and maybe even an occasional sea star. At the top of the beach by the mouth of the San Diego River, Dog Beach provides amazing off-the-leash fun for your four-legged friend. Here, dogs of all shapes and sizes frolic freely in the sand and surf and mingle with like-minded canines. Note that owning a dog is not a prerequisite to visit this pretty stretch of beach; you’re equally welcome if you simply wish to fill your heart with joy at the sight of all those doggos living their best lives. Attractions Near Ocean Beach Ocean Beach’s location just north of Point Loma means easy access to attractions along the peninsula. Hire a bike and take a ride down Sunset Cliffs Boulevard to Sunset Cliffs Natural Park where – as the name suggests – you can expect stunning sunsets from atop rugged cliffs. Adventurers will relish the chance to scramble down to the Sunset Cliffs Cave at low tide, but be prepared to get wet! To reach this geological marvel – a huge open-ceiling sea cave – head to Luscomb Point and take the steps down to the bottom. You’ll have to cross rocks and wade through some shallow water to reach the cave from here but, boy, is it worth it. Towards the tip of the peninsula, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse is a historic landmark that lies a mere 20-minute drive south from Ocean Beach. Erected in 1855, the lighthouse marks the highest point within the Cabrillo National Monument park. Visitors can take a look around inside and may occasionally be startled by volunteers in period costume, there to reenact key moments from the lighthouse’s storied history. The lighthouse tower is open only twice a year: on August 25 and November 15. Like Sunset Cliffs, the lighthouse is a great place for filling your Instagram feed with humblebrag snaps of the sun setting over the ocean. It’s also pretty good for spotting whales between December and April, when gray whales migrate en masse from Alaska to the warm calving grounds of Baja’s lagoons. Dedicated whale-spotters may even be lucky enough to see mothers swimming with their calves in late April and early May, as they set out on their long journey back to the Arctic. Save on things to do in Ocean Beach San Diego Save on admission to San Diego attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Balboa Park carousel
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Quirky Things to do in San Diego

San Diego is an absolute treat for sightseers, and perhaps especially those who like their attractions with a large side order of quirky.
Stuart Bak

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