During a recent trip to San Diego we spent two days in nearby La Jolla, which was great. Sadly, I wasn’t able to take the surf lesson I had planned because of “rough water conditions” (Boo, I swear I’m not meant to pursue surfing as a hobby, weather always seems to provide a challenge) however we still had a great visit to La Jolla.
Where to Stay:
La Vallencia- Although I didn’t stay here I’ve heard it’s a fabulous option for La Jolla. I had a lovely brunch in its Mediterranean Dining Room and checked out the hotel, which had awesome views of the beach and various other dining areas worth visiting. 1132 Prospect Street. La Jolla, CA 92037-4577. 858-454-0771.
The Grand Colonial - We stayed at this hotel, which was perfect for what we needed. We had a fairly large room (two queen beds and a large dressing area) which fit four comfortably. The location was ideal, literally right up the street from the ocean (see pic below) and it was very reasonable at $229 a night for four people, including breakfast for two. 910 Prospect Street. La Jolla, CA. 92037. 855-267-4884
Where to Eat:
La Vallencia Mediterranean Room - We had a delicious brunch here. They offer a tasting menu for $35 or you can order a la carte which is what we did. They also offer a bottomless mimosa for just $10 (also the way to go!). I had a pretty delicious cheeseburger, although the fries were undercooked I ate everything so not too many complaints here. 1132 Prospect Street. La Jolla, CA. 92037. 858-551-3744.
Where to Shop:
Most of the shopping is along the main drag of Prospect Street. I found a great unique gourmet food store which was memorable (see below.) There were other great shops but nothing super unique that you couldn’t find anywhere else. Sorry being a New Yorker in the fashion industry it takes quite a bit to impress me!
We Olive - This was a great gourmet foods store specializing in Olive Oils with assorted breads and dipping options. For someone who loves to shop and eat well this was a cool find. 1158 Prospect Street. La Jolla, CA. 96023. 8578-551-8250.
Other suggestions, not necessarily unique to La Jolla but fun to check out include the below.
- LuluLemon
– Banana Republic
– The Gap
Important Sights to see and activities to do:
Sight see/Walk along the Beach & Enjoy the views -
Visit the Seals at La Jolla Cove - The first thing we did upon arriving in La Jolla was walking to the beach where we stumbled upon a Cove Beach area full of Sea Lions probably up to 75. It was fun to watch them hang out with the gorgeous ocean views in the back ground.
Visit the Sea Lions along the beach – Just past the Seals along the waterfront was a group of Sea Lions. Me being a huge animal lover (or mammal in the case) it was so cool to see the Sea Lions 100 feet down the beach from the Seals.
