Scuba Diving and Snorkeling at La Jolla Cove
La Jolla Cove is one of the most well-known beaches in San Diego and a popular place for SCUBA diving, snorkeling, and swimming. La Jolla Cove located just north of San Diego, California, and it’s one of the coolest shore dives in North America. This is where we conduct most of our one tank and two tank day dives, while La Jolla Shores, a beautiful beach just 10 minutes’ drive north from La Jolla Cove, is a better location for a night dive.
SCUBA Diving at La Jolla Cove
Known for its population of sea lions, La Jolla Cove is also home to a wide variety of sea life that likes to live in kelp forests. The very first fish to greet you is an orange Garibaldi. Many people come to La Jolla Cove to see one of those in the wild. Along with the Garibaldi, the other common fish is a kelp bass. We see these just about everywhere we look.
If you search carefully under the rocks, you will find many amazing creatures that are resident to these waters. You will almost always see families of lobsters or might be able to spot a banded guitarfish. A banded guitarfish is a beautiful creature, and it’s super calm, making it easy to get close for a great shot.
Snorkeling at La Jolla Cove
After you are done scuba diving, go ahead and take a snorkel with your friends and family. That’s when this place becomes truly magical. It is so much fun watching the sea lions play in front of your eyes. WOW! It is so cool you won’t be able to wait to come back.
Tips for Visiting La Jolla Cove
Here’s some tips for those of you going to La Jolla Cove. First of all, you want to pay attention to parking. There are always cars driving down the road going down from left to right. They’re looking for a parking space, and they can’t find one, because they’ve gotten there too late. My recommendation is you get there early, maybe 7:00 – 7:30 am. That should cut it. Furthermore, street parking is free in the streets of La Jolla and there are no parking meters, but you have to watch a two of three hour parking limit, depending on where you park. The parking is enforced strictly and you might get a ticket if you are not careful. If you plan to stay in La Jolla for the whole day, it might be better to park in one of the many underground parking structures. Once you have parked walk to the grassy area in front of the restrooms. In the center you’ll find the steps leading down to the beach. Be cautious when you enter the water because there’s often a strong surge and don’t get to close to those ‘razor rocks’.
Enjoy the natural wonders that La Jolla Cove has to offer and book your SCUBA or Snorkel tour at sandiegoscubaguide.com