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Photo: MarineStreetLocal, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A local beach with some rough and dangerous surf. This is a great spot for body surfing and body boarding. No facilities are available here.
Marine Street Beach is a public beach in the community of La Jolla in San Diego, California, on the Pacific Ocean. It sits at the western terminus of Marine Street, with Children's Pool Beach to the north and Windansea Beach to the south. The surf has been described as rough and not suitable for children. However, the rough surf has made the beach popular with surfers and bodyboarders. Nearby kelp beds host marine life making the area a popular dive spot.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
This beach has no facilities, but is notable for playing host to a great number of talented and famous surfers. The simple "Surf Shack" structure there has been designated a historic landmark. There are huge, smoothly sculpted rocks on this beach that are fun to climb on and look at.
Permanent and changing contemporary art exhibits.
Private members-only club. Strict attire, cell phone, and tipping guidelines.
This beach is a favorite breeding spot for harbor seals. The beach is closed Dec 15-May 15 during breeding season, but you can still observe the seals from a safe distance. This beach used to be the children's beach, and there is an ongoing dispute between animal rights supporters and others who disagree about who should own the beach. Depending on the current turn of events, swimming may or may not be permitted. Occasionally, the seals vanish, but move a few hundred feet to the right, close to the cove itself.
A nonprofit, membership library which sponsors art exhibitions, concerts, lectures, and art classes.
A very popular beach for swimming, scuba diving and snorkeling, set against beautiful sea cliffs. In 2026, it was ranked by TripAdvisor as no. 1 in the United States and no. 7 in the world. The bluffs above the beach are grassy, making a great spot for picnics. Keep in mind that La Jolla Cove is part of the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve, so fishing, scavenging, or "swimming devices" (surfboards, boogie boards, inflatable mattresses, etc.) are not allowed. You may also find a very large number of sea-birds and animals flying, walking and lazing around the area in the daytime.