San Diego is a top California destination for both business and holidays, but if you want to escape the urban buzz, staying in the upscale community of La Jolla is a great alternative. It lies just 12 miles (19 km) north of downtown, and you can be at SeaWorld, Old Town San Diego or Balboa Park in around 15 minutes.
La Jolla means "the jewel" in Spanish, and the village, as the commercial center is called, has a sparkling setting along coastal cliffs overlooking the ocean on three sides. The pretty, Mediterranean-style homes spreading along the coast and up into the hillsides may be some of the most expensive in the country, but the village has a good mix of fine restaurants and low-key cafes, restaurants and bars, chic boutiques and cheerful shops to suit all budgets.
The Grande Colonial Inn in the Heart of La Jolla
On a recent visit, my husband and I stayed at the Grande Colonial Inn, which has a perfect location on Prospect Street, La Jolla's main drag. It's a block from the beach, and I could see the ocean from our window.
Although it's La Jolla's oldest hotel, built in 1913, and is on the registry of Historic Hotels of America, it has been beautifully restored to AAA Four-Diamond standards. From its handsome cream-and-white facade with striped awnings, to its elegant interior with leaded glass chandeliers, French doors, mahogany trimming, and marble hearth, the Grande Colonial has a graceful, European-style charm.
We loved our room, with its soothing walls of duck-egg blue, its pretty striped curtains and soft furnishings, and its cozy bathrobes. It was spacious, with a desk, easy chair and plenty of room for our bags. The only "problem" was that the bed was almost too comfortable – making it hard to get up in the morning. This is a place to indulge yourself with a lie-in and a late breakfast.
Among the hotel's amenities are a heated pool, private gardens, complimentary internet access in public areas, a lovely fireplace lounge and the award-winning NINE-TEN restaurant serving seasonal California cuisine.
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
A five-minute stroll from the hotel brought us to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. The La Jolla branch is housed in the former home of Ellen Browning Scripps, the newspaper heiress who put the community on the map when she moved here in the late 19th-century. It was redesigned into a stunning exhibition space by postmodern architect Robert Venturi.
The museum stages several visiting exhibitions each year featuring international artists. Don't miss the sculpture garden, which overlooks the ocean at the back of the museum – the fascinating plants are as delightful as the artworks.
The Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
The next day we decided to walk from the hotel to the Birch Aquarium, part of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), one of the largest marine research centers in the world. It took us just over an hour, including a good 15 minutes' worth of photo stops.
The route took us to the end of Prospect Avenue and, after a short stretch on busy Torrey Pines Road, through a pretty residential district along La Jolla Shores Drive. When we reached the SIO, an elevator took us up to a pedestrian walkway across the road, leading to the clifftop aquarium.
From the moment we entered we were mesmerized, listening to the underwater calls of whales and watching hundreds of fascinating and colorful species in the Hall of Fishes, from tiny seahorses to magical moon jellies to evil-looking moray eels and sharks in the huge kelp forest. On the outdoor terrace there are feedings and demonstrations in the tidepool exhibit, and sweeping views of the coastline and research pier below. Another room dedicated to a variety of species nurtured in the seahorse breeding program demonstrates the importance of the SIO's research work.
La Jolla Cove, Beaches and Sea Caves
On our way back, we walked along La Jolla Shores Beach, popular for kayaking and surfing as well as swimming. With rental facilities, fire rings and backed by a long promenade and grassy park, it gets very busy at weekends.
Back below the village is La Jolla Cove. Its small, sandy beach has clear, calm waters, attracting snorkelers and divers as well as families with young children. Steps lead down to the beach from the walkway that runs along the bluffs, affording glorious coastal views.
Pelicans fly in formation overhead, taking off from their noisy roost on the rocks beside the cove, which they share with hundreds of seals. At the northern end of the walkway are the Sea Caves, one of which can be entered through the Cave Store via a long tunnel.
To the south, past grassy Scripps Parks, where there are summer concerts, is another sheltered cove originally designated as the Children's Pool. But a colony of harbor seals gradually took over the beach here, which is now roped off for safety. The seals are now an attraction in themselves, and you can walk along a wooden jetty for a close-up view of the young pups frolicking in the waves while the adults bask in the sun.
From here, it was a five-minute walk back to the Grande Colonial. For us, these were the highlights of La Jolla, but it also has a great selection of fine dining, casual restaurants and bars with live music to round out the evening's entertainment.
For more information on where to stay, local attractions and activities, visit the La Jolla website.
Donna Dailey - Donna Dailey is an award-winning travel writer & photographer. Her work appears in newspapers, magazines, websites and guidebooks ...
