USA Car Travel

La Jolla California, is a seaside resort community of

around 25,000. Spanish for "the jewel", it's often

times referred to as "jewel by the sea". La Jolla

borders the Pacific Ocean to the south and extends

north to Torrey Pines State Reserve and Del Mar,

California.



Along the way, La Jolla encompasses neighborhoods

like Bird Rock, Windansea, La Jolla Shores, La Jolla

Farms, Torrey Pines, Mount Soledad, and even La Jolla

Village.



Residents of La Jolla and business owners refer to

the "village" or "town" of La Jolla. The official

postal address for the zip code 92037 is actually La

Jolla, and not San Diego as it is for most

communities within the City of San Diego. Sometimes,

tourists get confused and believe that La Jolla is

actually a seperate city, which it isn't.



La Jolla is a community of the City of San Diego.

La Jolla has several community groups that work to

unify the voice of the area, including several non

profit organizations.



With it's palm lined streets, large homes, and

tropical climate and atmosphere, La Jolla is like

a southern European village with it's own touch of

Beverly Hills along the retail shops on Prospect

Street. A lot of the natural charm from La Jolla

stems from the presence of the ocean and Mount

Soledad.



Several narrow curvy roads follow the contours of

Soledad with hundreds of nice homes overlooking the

ocean, nestled gently on the slopes. There are

several sandy beaches here as well, including the

Windansea Beach, La Jolla Cove, La Jolla Beach,

and La Jolla Shores.



La Jolla also has the Torrey Pines Golf Course,

which was made famous by the PGA Tour Buick

Invitational held there each February. Down the

steep cliffs frm the golf course is the famous

Black's Beach.



The downtown area of La Jolla is well known for

it's jewelry stores, upmarket restaurants, and

even hotels. Prospect Street and Girad Avenue

also offer several famous boutiques. Well known

for its architectural and historical presence is

the La Valencia Hotel, which used to welcome movie

stars on retreat from Hollywood.



Recently, harbor seals have taken over the Children's

Beach, which is a quiet man made cove near the

downtown area. The seals are protected under

federal law, so removing them is nearly impossible.

Now, the beach is open, as the rope is down.

Swimming here is allowed, although it's not

Your trip to La Jolla's historic Grande Colonial

begins with your choice of breathtaking ocean views

or views of the village in La Jolla. You have 55

rooms to choose from or 20 elegant suites. All

rooms in the Grande Colonial are non smoking.



Built in 1913, this historic hotel is seconds

away from the beach or the always happening village

with its shops, restaurants, and art galleries.

The Grande Colonial guestrooms are unique, with

many offering breezy ocean views from the windows.



The Grande Colonial in La Jolla is located in

the Village of La Jolla on 910 Prospect Street,

within walking distance from the ocean beaches.

The hotel is 15 minutes from Sea World, 20 minutes

from downtown San Diego, the convention center,

and even the airport.



Located on the Grande Colonial property is an

outdoor heated swimming pool, with a health club

located nearby. All rooms are decorated with

renaissance type furniture with village and ocean

views. The restaurant in the hotel is called the

Nine-Ten. The hotel is in a great location,

being within walking distance to fine dining,

boutique shopping, and unique art galleries.



For families on vacation, the Grande Colonial

offers baby sitting for younger children. There

is exquisite in house dining, and plenty of

hospitality. In each room, there is air conditioning,

heating, a hair dryer, view rooms, and even in

room movies.



No matter what brings you to La Jolla, the Grande

Colonial is worth a stay. The rates vary, depending

on what time of year you visit. This hotel is

one of the most well known in San Diego, pleasing

visitors since 1913. Once you stay a night in

the Grande Colonial, you'll have a new meaning to

La Jolla, located in California, is a 20 minute

drive from downtown San Diego by going Interstate

5 north. Take the exit at Ardath Road, eventually

Ardath Road will become Torrey Pines Road. Continue

west on this road, and you'll reach the village

when you see Prospect Place. Turn right on Prospect

Place and you'll enter the heart of La Jolla.



On average, around 7,000 people will visit La Jolla

every day. With so many people coming to such a

small place, you can almost bet that finding a

parking place is a chore. There isn't any parking

meters, although many of the streets closest to the

water do have one hour time limits. You can go

a little farther out for two hour parking, although

you'll have to observe the time limits. Even in

off season, parking enforcement is really enforced

here.



Even during the off season, finding a parking place

is very hard to do. The streets are almost always

crowded, although for good reason. La Jolla is an

excellent tourist attraction, with plenty of water

and fun for the entire family.



If you pay close attention when you visit, you can

find a few paid lots that are scattered around the

town. If you get closer to the downtown area, the

lots will be a little bit cheaper.



Your best bet when visiting La Jolla might be a

parking lot that's well hidden - so few people will

notice it. If you turn downhill on Coast Blvd

from Prospect, you'll find it on the left, right

across from the Cave Store. Keep in mind though,

vehicles over 6'5" won't fit through.

Located in the heart of the charming La Jolla village,

the Empress Hotel is an enchanted palace located

just four miles north of Mission Bay. Adding a

little bit more beauty to the already amazing San

Diego, this hotel is very popular for tourists.



Known for its warm hospitality, the Empress Hotel

has superior accommodations and very attentive

service. This superior hotel is a great place to

relax and enjoy everything that San Diego has to

offer you and your family.



La Jolla is an upscale coastal resort that sets

amist beautiful cliffs and coves. La Jolla offers

plenty of shops, fine dining, distinctive galleries,

and amazing beaches. By staying at the Empress

Hotel you'll be captivated with the area and

amazed time and time again.



Luxury

If your looking for luxurious accommodations, the

Empress Hotel has them. Accommodations here

include either one king or two queen beds, available

in several room types, including traditional,

deluxe, empress, and even the empress spa suite.



All rooms at the Empress Hotel feature:

- Cable television

- A refrigerator

- Coffee maker and bottled water

- Free local calls and faxing

- Voicemail and data ports

- Private bath with hairdryer and bathrobes

- Iron and ironing board



Services and amenities

The Empress Hotel offers superior service, such as

valet parking, courteous room service, and other

amentities.



The complimentary deluxe continental breakfast here

includes fresh Starbucks coffee, served on the sun

deck every morning. The Manhattan restaurant is

right around the corner as well, offering some

excellent fine dining.



The hotel also offers an exercise center, spa, and

sauna so that guests can pamper themselves. They

can also refer you to local spas and other things

nearby that you may be interested in.



For those on a working vacation, the Empress Hotel

offers complimentary Internet access on two

floors. Private meetings and conferences can be

held in one of the two meeting rooms, available

for groups of up to 50 people. Both meeting

rooms are equipped with high speed internet

access.



If your going to be staying in the La Jolla area,

the Empress Hotel is one the best hotels in the

area. The hotel is in a great location, minutes

away from some of the biggest attractions that

San Diego has to offer.



You can visit Sea World, the Birch Aquarium, and

many other popular tourist attractions. Best of

all, you can come back to your relaxing hotel

after a day of checking out La Jolla and San

Diego and just relax - the way things were always

meant to be on vacation.

Also known as the Casa, the Children's Pool is a

small beach partially protected by a sea wall.

The original intention here was to create a fully

protected swimming area, although sand has now

filled in much of the area that exists to the

inside of the wall.



This is a very beautiful beach, offering several

panoramic views. Almost all year long, seals and

sea lions are present on or near the beach, with

a reserve for these marine mammals, known as Seal

Rock being just a bit offshore.



The Children's Pool is within a short walking

distance of the commercial area of the community

of La Jolla. You can find grassy park areas a

short distance to the north and south. Several

small beaches are nearby as well, including

Wipeout Beach to the south and Shell Beach to the

north.



Children's Pool is also a popular beach for

scuba divers because of the reefs just offshore.

These very same reefs can help create very strong

currents and other hazards, especially in high

surf conditions.



Lifeguard protection

Lifeguards are staffed daily throughout the year.

In the summer, lifeguard hours are normally 9 AM

until dark. During other times of the year,

lifeguards may not begin duty until 10 AM.



Directions

From the north, take I-5 to La Jolla Village

Drive, westbound. At the signalized intersection,

turn left onto Torrey Pines Road. Follow this

road to Prospect Street and turn right. Be on

the lookout for signs and bear right onto Coast

Boulevard.



From the south, take I-5 north to La Jolla

Parkway. Continue following it as it will become

Torrey Pines Road. Follow this road to Prospect

Street and take a right. Watch for the signs then

take a right on Coast Boulevard.



Parking

At La Jolla Cove, there is a very limited amount

of on street parking. Onstreet parking can be

very hard to find, especially in the summer. It's

limited to three hours at a time on weekdays,

although there is no limit on weekends.



You should always check the signs for any types

of parking restrictions. Paid parking is also

available in downtown La Jolla at several locations

and it's also a short walk from the beach.



For a great day of fun, scuba diving, or just

enjoying the water, the Children's Pool in La

Jolla is a great place to go. You should always

try to get here early, as it can get very crowded

in the summer. Once you get here, you'll find

yourself completely amazed with what the Pool will

offer you and your family.

Black's Beach is a two mile long, sandy strip of

beach located at the base of the majestic cliffs

that can be up to 300 foot high. Formally known

as Torrey Pines City Beach, it's jointly owned by

the City of San Diego and the State of California.

There is also a glider port atop the cliff that

overlooks the beach where hang gliders and even

remote control gliders can be seen soaring.



Gaining access to Black's Beach isn't easy due

to the high cliffs and lack of stairways. The

safest access is from the adjacent beaches to the

north and south, although this way may be obstructed

by high tides or surf.



The cliffs here are unstable as well, and slides

can occur anytime, so it's always best to stay

away from them. There's no permanent lifeguard

station at this beach either. There are some on

duty mid day from Spring Break through the end

of the October.



Keep in mind, most California beaches experience

very strong rip currents. Black's Beach is no

exception, as the rip currents can get very strong

here. To be on the safe side, always swim near

shore or near a lifeguard.



The water activity at Black's Beach is virtually

unregulated. Surfers and swimmers may mix, but

they are all required to employ care and avoiding

hurting each other.



Black's Beach is also an excellent beach for

surfing, especially at the south end. Scuba

diving isn't recommended here, due to access

problems and surf conditions.



Even though access can be hard, Black's Beach is

still an excellent beach. It offers plenty of

seclusion, views, and sand for the kids. If you've

never been here, this beach can easily prove to

be one of your favorites in the entire area of

If you've ever been to La Jolla, you are probably

aware of the fact that finding a hotel can be a

pretty tough task indeed. To help you with your

quest, you'll find some of the best hotels in La

Jolla. This way, you'll be well prepared when you

visit again.



1. Travelodge La Jolla Beach

Located close to the Windandsea Beach, this hotel

is in a quiet area. There are 44 rooms here, with

a fitness center less than a block away. Travelodge

also offers free wireless and internet service,

which is great for those who like computers.



2. Radisson Hotel La Jolla

This hotel offers landscaped grounds with waterfalls,

gardens, and it's convenient to UCSD and the La

Jolla Village Square. The hotel has 252 rooms, with

a complimentary airport shuttle. Located at 3299

Holiday Court, this hotel is an excellent choice

to stay.



3. La Jolla Village Lodge

The La Jolla Village Lodge is a three stories, and

offers quite a bargain in price. With 30 rooms,

free parking and a free continental breakfast, the

La Jolla Village Lodge is a great addition to the

La Jolla area.



4. Redwood Hollow

The Redwood Hollow is more of a studio or one and

two bedroom cottages, offering full kitchens on

1/2 acre of gardens. Close to the beach, this

lodge offers 11 rooms and plenty of views. Located

at 256 Prospect Street, you'll be close to what

you want to do in La Jolla.



5. Empress Hotel

Located in the heart of the town, the Empress

Hotel is a well known local favorite. Manhattan's

restaurant is located off from the lobby, with a

fitness center and sauna onsite as well. The hotel

also offers 73 rooms, free local calls, breakfast,

and high speed internet. Located at 7766 Fay

Avenue, the Empress Hotel is the place to be for

those who want to be in the middle of La Jolla.



6. Grande Colonial

Located on La Jolla's main street, the Grande

Colonial is one of the oldest hotels in the city.

With 75 rooms and a European style, Grande Colonial

also offers you free ADSL internet and valet

parking.



7. Hyatt Regency

The Hyatt Regency in La Jolla offers modern design

with all the comforts, although it's better for

travelers than family vacationers. The Regency

is located at 3777 La Jolla Village Drive, offers

394 rooms, and plenty of other perks to keep you

entertained and interested.