La Jolla

BOUTIQUES AND GALLERIES

La Jolla’s spectacular streets are lined with high-end boutiques, antique stores and art galleries. Prospect Street and Girard Avenue form the spines of the village shopping district, but don’t be afraid to venture off onto side streets, where hidden gems await, including Brooks Brothers (1055 Wall St.); the boutique stationery shop Sweet Paper, run by design-savvy sisters (7660-A Fay Ave.), and Las Manos del Artesano (7940 Herschel Ave.), a gallery showcasing Latin American folk art, jewelry, pottery and more.

On Girard, amid national brands like Banana Republic (7841 Girard Ave.), we love women’s apparel boutique Kerut (7944 Girard Ave.), a well-appointed spot run by a stylist. It’s not uncommon to find cupcakes and bubbly awaiting your arrival. Farther down Girard is La Maisonette (7631 Girard Ave.), an oasis of Parisian and French country gifts and textiles, as well as independent bookseller D.G. Wills (7461 Girard Ave.), for that rare first-edition.

Back on Prospect Street, a slew of female-friendly stores welcome shoppers, including Victoria’s Secret (1111 Prospect St.), locally designed swimwear shop Sauvage (1025 Prospect St.) and Robina (1261 Prospect St.), with chic women’s apparel and accessories.

The village is also home to many well-respected art galleries, whose collections range from landscape photography to Picasso canvases. A handful are clustered close together on Girard Avenue, making it easy to hop between them on nights when they all have coordinated opening receptions. Quint Gallery (7547 Girard Ave.) showcases edgy work by national artists like Ryan McGinness, while Scott White Contemporary Art (7655 Girard St.)represents emerging and mid-career artists as well as collections that include work by the likes of Willem deKooning and Alexander Calder. Joseph Bellows Gallery (7661 Girard Ave.) mounts regular exhibitions of stunning black-and-white photography.

La Jolla Boulevard heads south out of the village toward the charming neighborhood of Bird Rock, where worthwhile shops include Capricorn (5544-B La Jolla Blvd.), with clothing from cutting-edge designers. Break for coffee at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters (5627 La Jolla Blvd.), whose sought-after beans are served at cafés throughout the city, or pick up a loaf of low-carb, gluten-free bread at Julian Bakery (5621 La Jolla Blvd.).

The neighborhood of La Jolla Shores, just a short drive up Torrey Pines Road, is also worth a visit. The wide, flat beach is perfect for swimming and sunning, while the tiny main drag, Avenida de la Playa, is lined with eateries and rental shops with all the surf and kayak gear you need.

ARTS & SCIENCE

The University of California, San Diego (9500 Gilman Drive) is home to one of the best theaters in the country: La Jolla Playhouse. The theater was founded in 1947 by actors Mel Ferrer, Dorothy McGuire and La Jolla native Gregory Peck. Each season is a mix of classic and daring productions; many have gone straight to Broadway.

The Stuart Collection, a group of site-specific outdoor sculptures, adds to the artistic setting at UCSD. A 24-foot giant teddy bear made of boulders and a 560-foot-long Snake Path are among the artworks placed throughout the 1,200-acre campus.

Just north of campus is the Salk Institute for Biological Studies (10010 N. Torrey Pines Road), an architectural masterpiece designed by Louis Kahn. The scientific research complex was named in honor of Dr. Jonas Salk, who discovered a vaccine for polio and later lived in La Jolla. Tours of campus architecture are available to the public (858.453.4100 x1262).

Southwest of campus sits Scripps Institution of Oceanography (8622 Kennel Way) and neighboring Birch Aquarium, both among the best ocean life learning centers in the world.

In La Jolla village, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego examines the boundaries of art created since 1950. Housed in the former home of Ellen Browning Scripps, the museum’s galleries boast an unparalleled ocean view, while Nancy Rubins’ stunning large-scale, nautical-inspired artwork adorns the museum’s west side. Definitely schedule a stop at the gift shop.

The Athenaeum Music and Arts Library (1008 Wall St.) features year-round art exhibitions, plus jazz and chamber music concerts, and a treasure trove of books and records.

Many well-known names have called La Jolla home, including Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel, actress Raquel Welch, motivational speaker Tony Robbins and author Anne Rice.

RECREATION

La Jolla is paradise for outdoorsy types. The Cove (1100 Coast Blvd.) is a haven for swimmers and snorkelers; La Jolla Shores (8200 Camino del Oro)has easy access for scuba divers; and Windansea (6800 Neptune Place), immortalized in Tom Wolfe’s The Pump House Gang, is the ultimate surfing break.

Children’s Pool, a small cove next to Ellen Browning Scripps Park, is a place to observe wildlife, particularly the harbor seals that have taken over the area. The seals’ encampment has caused an ongoing community debate: Some residents want to reclaim the cove for a children’s pool; others advocate for the seals.

For a quick bite, try one of the many oceanview restaurants along Prospect Street or Coast Boulevard.

TORREY PINES

Torrey Pines is just north of La Jolla village. There, you’ll find the 2,000-acre Torrey Pines State Reserve, which offers eight miles of hiking trails winding through wind-sculpted pines and wildflowers. Located off Coast Highway 101 between La Jolla and Del Mar, the reserve was established to protect the nation’s rarest pine tree, the Pinus torreyana. The visitors center, a pueblo-style structure at the top of Park Road, is available to help with guided tours.

One of the reserve’s trails leads directly to Torrey Pines State Beach, located on North Torrey Pines Road. The beach, which spans
4.5 miles from Del Mar to the cliffs at Torrey Pines Mesa, is a great place for swimming, boating and fishing. You can also catch these amazing ocean views from up high, via a hang glider or paraglider. The Torrey Pines Glider Port and Flight Park (2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive) offers flights (tandem, too) for novices and extreme adventure seekers.

Adjacent Blacks Beach is a two-mile sandy strip known for great surfing—and nude sunbathing (“not officially sanctioned”). Getting to Blacks isn’t easy. If you can, park near the Glider Port and hike to the bottom of the bluffs, paying close attention to warning signs about unstable cliffs. You can walk a mile from Torrey Pines State Beach, but access may be blocked by high tides.

The Torrey Pines Golf Course gives golfers the ultimate indulgence: two courses with stunning ocean views. In 2008, the landmark became one of the only public courses to host a U.S. Open; it’s also the site of the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open.

GOLDEN TRIANGLE

The area east of La Jolla village is known as the Golden Triangle, bordered by Interstate 5 on the west, Interstate 805 on the east and State Route 52 on the south. This triangular area includes upscale hotels, fine dining and great shopping. The shopping district revolves around Westfield University Towne Centre, which locals shorten to “UTC.” This outdoor mall, anchored by Macy’s and Nordstrom, features dozens of eateries and retail storefronts, including Anthropologie, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Apple, Tumi and Williams-Sonoma. From the village, go north on Torrey Pines Road and turn right on La Jolla Village Drive.