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Lionfish
susnet view
ensenada
downtown
I've decided after reading all the VT tip pages this morning about La Jolla, plus previous comments letting me know that Point Loma closes prior to sunset, to spend my Thursday evening catching sunset and dinner in La Jolla.
1. If I leave the Balboa Park area at 4:00 PM, will I have enough time to drive to La Jolla to be there around 5:00 PM? Which would be the quickest road (scenic is nice, too) to get there?
2. Is there a "must see sunset" beach that stands out in anyone's mind?
3. I was surprised about the lack of VT tip pages about La Jolla (just finished visiting them all this morning) and was wondering if anyone could recommend a good place to go for dinner? I'm not really caring for Mexican food, as I live in an area that I can eat good Mexican food just about any time that I want to.
4. I plan on driving back up to La Jolla the following morning on my way over to Joshua Tree, and I'm thinking there is a switchback type of road going up a hill that is rather scenic. Am I correct or do I have my towns mixed up?
Hi Bob,
Here are some thoughts on your question.
>>> Point Loma closes prior to sunset
Cabrillo National Monument (where the tidepools are) is closes before sunset, but Point Loma doesn't especially Sunset Cliffs. You can go there any time as it never closes.
>>>If I leave the Balboa Park area at 4:00 PM, will I have enough time to drive to La Jolla to be there around 5:00 PM?
Yes, you should be able to get there in time, but you will have to deal with rush-hour traffic. The freeway--even busy--would be the fastest route.
>>>Is there a "must see sunset" beach that stands out in anyone's mind?
Besides Sunset Cliffs, in the La Jolla area, Wind-n-Sea beach, La Jolla Coves and La Jolla Shores.
>>>could recommend a good place to go for dinner?
Georges At the Cove, upstairs is a casual place overlooking the Cove and good food. Brockton Villa, is located lower down towards the LJ Cove and should offer great sunset views. The Marine Room at LJ Shores would be pretty interesting. It's on the beach and the view of the coast line is nice especially if you sit by a northside window. This is the more expensive of the three and none of them serve Mexican food.
>>>...a switchback type of road going up a hill that is rather scenic. Am I correct or do I have my towns mixed up?
From the downtown area to La Jolla on Interstate 5 the Ardith Road exit goes up and between hills and following that to Prospect might be what you are thinking of. I'm not sure. Also, you can take the coast road from Mission Beach through Pacific Beach into La Jolla and part of that route is nice, but the road from La Jolla towards Del Mar is more scenic in my opinion.
Hope this helps,
Linda
Per the drive to La Jolla, I did the same thing with a friend the last time I was there (seeing sunset at La Jolla). The best way, although maybe not for rush hour, is to go through Mission Bay, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach. It gives you that sense of San Diego. If you can get to Washington Street and head west, then north on Pacific Highway to Friars, west to Sea World and north to Mission Bay. That area is pretty confusing, so you may want to look at a map.
We also went to Coronado for sunset, however Coronado turns so much that the sunset was actually slightly obscured by Point Loma. Later in the year that would just get worse, but it's nice being there when the lights of Tijuana come out. La Jolla had an excellent sunset though.
Yeah, I don't know that there are any Mexican places in La Jolla, at least not near the cove. It's just not that kind of place. It's very upscale. Mostly seafood, actually.
You may try to go up to Mount Soledad. You can see virtually the entire city and there is a switchback road going up, although it's well-traveled. I've been on some roads in East County that may work for you though, specifically Highland Valley Road, which starts off of the 15 near Rancho Bernardo and heads east. But I'd strongly suggest, if you're heading to Joshua Tree from San Diego, that you take CA 78 through Julian. Very scenic, and Julian is just a great town.
Per the drive to La Jolla, I did the same thing with a friend the last time I was there (seeing sunset at La Jolla). The best way, although maybe not for rush hour, is to go through Mission Bay, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach. It gives you that sense of San Diego. If you can get to Washington Street and head west, then north on Pacific Highway to Friars, west to Sea World and north to Mission Bay. That area is pretty confusing, so you may want to look at a map.
We also went to Coronado for sunset, however Coronado turns so much that the sunset was actually slightly obscured by Point Loma. Later in the year that would just get worse, but it's nice being there when the lights of Tijuana come out. La Jolla had an excellent sunset though.
Yeah, I don't know that there are any Mexican places in La Jolla, at least not near the cove. It's just not that kind of place. It's very upscale. Mostly seafood, actually.
You may try to go up to Mount Soledad. You can see virtually the entire city and there is a switchback road going up, although it's well-traveled. I've been on some roads in East County that may work for you though, specifically Highland Valley Road, which starts off of the 15 near Rancho Bernardo and heads east. But I'd strongly suggest, if you're heading to Joshua Tree from San Diego, that you take CA 78 through Julian. Very scenic, and Julian is just a great town. You can then go north on the east shore of the Salton Sea.
"If I leave the Balboa Park area at 4:00 PM, will I have enough time to drive to La Jolla to be there around 5:00 PM? Which would be the quickest road (scenic is nice, too) to get there?"
Sorry, but forget about scenic. You will be in the beginnings of rush hour traffic, and you will be able to make it if you don't dawdle.
1) Get on I5 when you come out of Balboa Park
If you are going out of the western side, go south on 6th to Hawthorne ( yes, a map will show that Laurel goes straight over to the freeway, but you end up on the world's longest on-ramp ) Go west on Hawthorne to I5.
If you are coming out of the eastern side of Balboa Park, go south on Park for about 1 mile, turn right on B street, go 1 block and turn right on 11th. Stay in the right lane and you will be on I5.
2) Going north on I5, as you approach I8, get over into the leftmost lane. The right and even middle lanes slow down to make the turn to I8 west, and the traffic becomes turbulent and dangerous.
3) Take I5 north to LaJolla Parkway west ( aka highway 52 west, aka Ardath rd ).
4) La Jolla Parkway will become Torrey Pines Road in a long gradual sweeping curve that will have you going south through La Jolla. Turn right onto Prospect st. ( Torrey Pines goes mostly downhill; when it goes slightly uphill start looking for Prospect. Prospect is a rather innocuous street at this point. You must watch the signs closely.)
5) Go about 1/3 mile on Prospect, then hunt for a parking place. There will be lots of restaurants and beaches. It will probably be so congested that you will do better walking than driving.
Hwy 371 east from Temecula is also very scenic
>>>go south on Park for about 1 mile, turn right on B street, go 1 block and turn right on 11th. Stay in the right lane and you will be on I5.
HB, is there a reason you didn't suggest taking the I-5 North exit from Park Boulevard? It seems simpler to me. :-)
Probably because I never knew that it existed.
Thanks to everyone for the great tips. They have really been a big help to me and I've added them all to my Custom Travel Tips page.
>>>Probably because I never knew that it existed.
FYI: It's just before you reach the I-5 south exit on Park, across from the old location of Balboa Hospital and it might also say 163 North as well as I-5 North.
I know it looks like you should be pronouncing this like La Jawla but you'll be less conspicuous if you pronounce it correctly and say La Hoya. La Jolla is Spanish for "the jewel", and indeed La Jolla is a jewel along the Pacific Ocean.
Go to Wind N' Sea Beach in La Jolla to watch the local surfers and the sunset. There is a local legend that if you watch the sunset til the very end, you will see a green flash just before the sun hits the water. I think I have seen it, but it may have been too many coronas....
This beach is really pretty and a little off the beaten path...more of a local hang out.
Ask a local for directions to this beach. Close to downtown La Jolla.
Never seen so many pelicans together in my life. We were actually looking for the seals that we did not get to see (seems we missed that turn snif snif) but this was something we did not expect.
Just beautiful!
This beach is a little bigger than the previous one ;-)
Now serious, we though this was going to be the famous pier of the seals, but once again we where wrong.
We did not complain as the views were great and from here we headed to Mission Beaches
We stumbled upon this town during a recent visit to San Diego. After turning down Prospect Street, the first thing we noticed was an odd (and not too pleasant) smell. We soon discovered that the smell was coming from over 50 sea lions resting on the coastal rocks.
We spent quite a bit of time watching - and listening to - these amazing animals.
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