La Jolla sea caves

Sea lions, garibaldi and the Seven Caves.

From the gentle surf of La Jolla Shores, you paddle about a mile along sandstone cliffs to the Seven Caves below La Jolla Cove, inside a no-take marine reserve full of sea lions, seals and garibaldi. Guided tours are the way to get into the caves; rentals let you explore the reserve on your own. Easy, quick and good for families.

At a glance

Launch

La Jolla Shores beach, Avenida de la Playa

Caves

Seven sea caves under the cliffs east of the Cove

Reserve

San Diego–La Jolla Underwater Park, no fishing or collecting

Guided tour

90–120 min, ages 5+ in a tandem

Rentals

1.5 hr; caves only on a guided tour

Good for

Beginner, Intermediate

What’s here

• Sea kayaking
• Boat rentals
• Guided tours
• Paddleboarding
• Wildlife
• Swimming

Rentals, guides and shops

• La Jolla Kayak

  Family-run since 1994: cave tours, sunset tours, kayak-and-snorkel trips, plus kayak, SUP and snorkel rentals.

• Everyday California

  Guided kayak tours to the caves, kayak-and-snorkel tours and board rentals on Avenida de la Playa.

• Bike and Kayak Tours

  La Jolla sea-cave and sunset kayak tours, plus bike-and-kayak combos.

Where to stay

• hotelLa Jolla Shores Hotel

  Beachfront hotel right at the kayak launch.

  On the beach
• hotelThe Grande Colonial

  Historic 1913 hotel in the village, a block from the water.

  5 min drive
• innScripps Inn

  Small ocean-view inn above the cliffs near the Cove.

  5 min drive

Nearby

• Birch Aquarium at Scripps · 5 min drive

  Ocean-science aquarium on the hill above La Jolla Shores.

• Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve · 15 min drive

  Clifftop trails among rare Torrey pines, down to a long beach.

• Snorkel La Jolla Shores · At the launch

  Calm-day snorkeling in the reserve, where harmless leopard sharks gather off the beach.

Getting there

• San Diego International (SAN) · about 20 min drive
• Los Angeles · about 2 hr

Directions in Google Maps