Swimming at La Jolla Cove: A Local Guide

Last checked: 23 September 2026. Closures, advisories and event dates change, so follow the links to the official pages before you swim.

La Jolla has two very different swims a short walk apart. La Jolla Cove is a small pocket beach under sandstone cliffs that opens onto clear water. La Jolla Shores is about a mile of sand, and in summer it usually has the mildest surf in the city.

Both sit inside or next to the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve. You'll share the water with snorkelers, divers, kayaks, sea lions and bright orange garibaldi. Here's what to know before you get in.

La Jolla Cove

The City of San Diego calls the Cove "a very small beach, tucked between sandstone cliffs." It faces north. The city says the surf is small in summer, which makes the Cove ideal for swimmers, snorkelers and divers then. It also notes that water clarity can sometimes exceed 30 feet.

What you'll find there:

• Lifeguards: a permanent station staffed by San Diego Lifeguards.
• Facilities: restrooms, showers and picnic areas.
• Parking: the city lists street parking only for Ellen Browning Scripps Park, the grassy park above the Cove.
• Not allowed: alcohol, glass, smoking, littering, disturbing noise, camping and dogs.

Check current conditions for La Jolla Cove before you drive over.

The La Jolla Cove Swim Club and the buoys

The La Jolla Cove Swim Club is an informal open water community. It welcomes swimmers of every age and ability, from casual dippers to people training for channel swims. You can meet members on the deck, join social swims or sign up for club races.

The club describes regulars heading "to the buoys and back." It doesn't publish the distances to those buoys, and we won't guess them here. If you want a measured swim, ask the lifeguards or club members on the day.

The club does publish some fixed events:

• Pier to Cove (June): from the far side of Scripps Pier to the Cove, about 1.5 miles.
• La Jolla Cove 10 Mile Relay: a fundraiser swim. The 2026 edition is listed for 27 September at La Jolla Shores.
• The Big Chill: a members-only winter challenge. Miles only count in water of 65°F or less. This season runs from 14 November 2026 to 18 April 2027.

Membership options and prices are on the club's registration page. When we checked, it listed annual and lifetime memberships.

La Jolla Shores

The city describes La Jolla Shores as a sandy beach about a mile long. It says that in summer "waves at this beach are usually the most gentle of all San Diego beaches." That makes it a good first ocean swim in summer. See current conditions for La Jolla Shores.

A few practical points from the city's Kellogg Park page:

• The parking lot "fills up quickly during summer weekends." Its gates close at 10 p.m.
• There are several restrooms with showers.
• The Shores has the only beachfront boat launch within city limits. Watch for kayaks and small boats near the launch area.
• Many novice scuba classes are held here, so expect divers in the water.

The Shores also has a permanent lifeguard station.

The underwater park and reserve rules

The city says fishing and removing objects from the reserve is prohibited, and possession of game is unlawful. That covers everything in the water, not just fish. Leave shells, rocks and sea life where you find them.

Much of the same water is also a state marine protected area, Matlahuayl State Marine Reserve. The state's MPA listing prohibits fishing for all species there. Boats may launch and land only in designated areas and may anchor only in daylight.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says non-extractive uses such as swimming, diving and surfing are allowed in MPAs unless specifically prohibited. So swim, snorkel and look all you like. Just don't take anything home.

Sea lions, seals and closures

Point La Jolla is the rocky stretch between the Cove and Boomer Beach. California sea lions haul out there to rest and raise pups. The city says pupping season typically runs from early May through October.

As encounters between people and sea lions increased, the city acted. On 18 September 2023, the City Council approved changing the Point La Jolla and Boomer Beach closure from seasonal to year-round. The signs there say:

• Area closed, no entry. Violators can be cited.
• Ocean access for swimming only. A corridor on Boomer Beach stays open for swimmers. All other use is prohibited.
• No dogs in the closure area at any time.

The city's warning is blunt: seals and sea lions can bite, and agitated animals may attack. Harassing them is against the law, and close contact may break the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. NOAA Fisheries says it does not condone trying to swim with, touch or get a reaction from seals and sea lions in the wild.

In the water, give any sea lion space and swim away from it. Don't linger near the rocks where they haul out.

Nearby, the Children's Pool closes to public access every year from 15 December to 15 May for harbor seal pupping.

The city's page also links to California Coastal Commission presentations from 2025. Check the Point La Jolla page for the latest before you go.

Lifeguard coverage

San Diego Lifeguards staff their permanent stations year-round, and both the Cove and the Shores are on that list. The city says lifeguards are "generally on duty from 9 a.m. to dusk." Outside those hours, you're swimming unguarded.

The city's advice is simple: never swim alone, and always swim near a lifeguard. Surf beaches are split into swimming and surfing zones. A black and yellow checkered flag normally marks the line between them.

For surf information, call the lifeguard beach line on 619-221-8824.

Water temperature by season

The best long-term record comes from Scripps Pier, at the north end of La Jolla Shores. Scripps Institution of Oceanography has measured surface temperature there daily since 1916.

Reading the long-term average from the Shore Stations Program chart, you can expect roughly:

NOAA's La Jolla tide gauge at the pier shows a similar pattern. Averaging its hourly readings for 2016–2025, we got about 59°F in winter and about 68°F in late summer.

These are averages, and single days vary a lot. The 2026 Scripps record shows a warm year, with 42 record daily highs by 22 September. That day's reading was 74.1°F. The same record also shows a sudden drop in early June to a record low for the date.

For today's number, check the Scripps Pier chart or NOAA's La Jolla station.

Rip currents and surf

The city describes a rip current as a seaward current at surf beaches and near fixed structures such as piers and jetties. Rips aren't directly tied to the tides, and they don't pull you under. They can still be strong and stretch hundreds of yards offshore.

If you're caught in one, the city's advice is:

• Stay calm.
• Swim parallel to the shore. Don't fight the current head-on.
• Float or tread water if you need to rest.
• Signal the lifeguards for help.

If you see someone in trouble, alert a lifeguard or call 911. Throw them something that floats, but don't go in after them.

At the Cove, the city only promises small surf in summer. At other times of year, call the beach line or ask the tower before you swim.

Water quality after rain

The County of San Diego tests beach water and posts advisories and closures on sdbeachinfo.com. The county says the site is updated as soon as a beach's status changes. Its current test method returns results the same day.

Heal the Bay's 2025–2026 Beach Report Card advises avoiding swimming for at least 72 hours after rainfall. Sampling sites along La Jolla Shores earned A and A+ grades in that report. Grades describe the past year, though, not today's water.

Before you go

• Check the county's beach status page for advisories or closures.
• Call 619-221-8824 or ask the lifeguard tower about surf and currents.
• Swim during lifeguard hours and stay near a staffed tower.
• Wear a bright cap so boats and kayaks can see you.
• Keep well away from sea lions, in the water and on the rocks.
• Take nothing from the reserve.

SwimPass combines live wind, waves, tide and weather into one SwimScore for each spot. Check the live score for the Cove or the Shores before you head out. A "Your call" or "Stay dry" verdict is worth taking seriously. For more places to swim across the state, see our California hub.

Sources

• City of San Diego Lifeguards: La Jolla Cove
• City of San Diego Lifeguards: La Jolla Shores
• City of San Diego Lifeguards: Children's Pool
• City of San Diego Lifeguards: Beach regulations
• City of San Diego Lifeguards: Rip currents
• City of San Diego Lifeguard Services
• City of San Diego: Point La Jolla and the California sea lion
• City of San Diego: Ellen Browning Scripps Park
• City of San Diego: Kellogg Park
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Marine Protected Areas
• California MPAs: Matlahuayl State Marine Reserve
• NOAA Fisheries: Marine Life Viewing Guidelines
• La Jolla Cove Swim Club
• La Jolla Cove Swim Club: About
• La Jolla Cove Swim Club: Events
• La Jolla Cove Swim Club: The Big Chill
• La Jolla Cove Swim Club: Membership
• Scripps Institution of Oceanography Shore Stations Program: Scripps Pier
• Shore Stations Program: Scripps Pier SST in 2026 chart
• NOAA Tides & Currents: La Jolla station 9410230
• County of San Diego: Beach and Bay Water Quality Program
• County of San Diego: Beach and Bay FAQs
• County of San Diego: sdbeachinfo.com
• Heal the Bay: Annual Beach and River Report Cards 2025–2026
• Heal the Bay: 2025–2026 Beach Report Card (PDF)