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Walking Tour in La Jolla
Ever since I moved to La Jolla from Los Angeles in 1996, I am continually amazed at how easy it is to walk in La Jolla. Even though I love the same route along the coast from my house in Birdrock, (located 2 miles south of La Jolla Village) heading toward the Cove in La Jolla, I still find new routes that take me past large estate type homes, as well as beachy cottages. Come take a walk with me.
I love the unique architecture in the homes, the personalized landscaping, and the natural beauty of the ocean, as well as the free form sand beneath my feet.
The walking tour I enjoy the most begins at the La Jolla Cove. You can start your walk at the steps leading down to the beach, where many swimmers (year round) will venture out to swim the buoys. The first buoy is placed at 1/4 mile, and the second is placed at the 1/2 mile. Some will swim across to the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club….then return. 
You begin walking north on the boardwalk while watching the body surfers take chances with the big sets breaking so close to the rocks. Next you will pass the very controversial home of the seals. You see them laying in the sun as their pups move through the crowd of larger seals. As you continue your tour and wind up the hill, on your left is the creme d’la creme of retirement villages, Casa de Manana. Let me spend my last few years here, I promise I’ll be good. Just past this perfectly built center, you can’t miss the Museum of Contemporary Art, www.mcasd.org/. Through May 16th, 2010, The Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla is celebrating 25 years of Art Collectors. Enjoy an artful lunch after your viewing.
Across from the Museum is the world famous Wedding Bowl (Cuvier Park), the outdoor site for many weddings all year round in La Jolla. Set majestically overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and across from La Jolla Scripps Inn, where the Bride & Groom’s wedding party will stay in preparation for their wedding vows. Can you picture standing there looking out over the water, as the sun sets, saying “I do”? I am such a romantic. 
As you continue your walk south, you make your way through a residential area, marveling at the homes, soon reaching the beach of Wind ‘n Sea.
Here you can take a rest on one of the many perfectly situated benches, or venture down the stairs onto the sand where you would find a rock that fits your backside perfectly (how did that happen?) and there you’ll be, gazing out onto the sparkling sea. It’s as if a million diamonds fell from the sun on the water. It sparkles and shines as the waves crash on the beach. The surfers who surf this beach own it. There seems to be a mating call among surfers, so if you see one, you’ll see dozens shifting and calculating their line careful not to intercept another boarder. It’s hard to leave this beach, but when you do, you’ll be in awe of the large estate-style homes that border your walk south. 
Leaving the beach, you will turn right onto Camino de la Costa. I call this the Street of Dreams. For most of us, it is a dream. The large homes on the west side, overlooking the ocean are priced between $8,000,000.00 – $20,000,000.00. The homes on the east side of the street are a modest $3,000,000.00-$7,000,000.00. This is candy for your eyes. No home is like the other…all custom…all unique.
From here you’ll travel another 1/2 mile where you will come to the corner of Camino de la Costa and Chelsea, at your turn-around point, there is a small park with benches. A great resting spot overlooking the Pacific Ocean. You will return at this point having traveled slightly over 3 miles.
I hope you enjoy your Tour of La Jolla from the Cove to Birdrock. You will have walked over 6 miles in total and burned at least 700 calories. Now pour yourself a glass of wine and reflect on your day.
Next, I will take you on a Tour of Birdrock, a small community south of La Jolla, but still in the La Jolla zip code of 92037.
