La Jolla – SaDiego https://www.sadiego.com Honest, funny San Diego travel tips from a local Sun, 11 Oct 2026 12:28:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://www.sadiego.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/sadiego-site-icon-512-150x150.png La Jolla – SaDiego https://www.sadiego.com 32 32 Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial https://www.sadiego.com/spots/mount-soledad/ Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:21:57 +0000 https://www.sadiego.com/spots/mount-soledad/ The honest take

Want to see all of San Diego at once? Drive up Mount Soledad. From the top you get a full circle: La Jolla and the ocean on one side, downtown, Coronado and on clear days the mountains and Mexico on the other. You can drive right up to it, so no sweaty hiking is required.

The top is a memorial with thousands of plaques honoring veterans, so treat it like the special place it is. Read a few of the stories, then take in the view quietly.

Go on a clear day, as June Gloom can hide everything. Sunset is beautiful, but go just before, as the gates close at 10 p.m.

Worth it? Skip it?

Worth it if

You want the big picture of San Diego in one stop, or the best sunset view that’s free.

Skip it if

It’s foggy. Then you’ll get a lovely view of a cloud.

Quick facts

AreaLa Jolla, 6905 La Jolla Scenic Dr
CostFree
ParkingFree; a few spaces at the top and a bigger lot a short walk down
Best timeClear days, around sunset (open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.)
KidsYes
Open in Google Maps

Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

]]> Sunny Jim Sea Cave https://www.sadiego.com/spots/sunny-jim-sea-cave/ Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:21:38 +0000 https://www.sadiego.com/spots/sunny-jim-sea-cave/ The honest take

Most sea caves need a kayak. This one needs a gift shop. Inside The Cave Store on Coast Blvd, you pay a small fee and walk down 145 steps through a hand-dug tunnel to a wooden platform inside Sunny Jim Cave, with the ocean sloshing right below you.

It’s short, it’s damp and it’s honestly delightful. The cave got its name because the opening looks like a cartoon character’s profile from a 1900s cereal ad, which is the most San Diego origin story possible.

The steps are steep and can be slippery, so wear shoes with grip. Coming back up is the real workout, so count it as your exercise for the day and reward yourself with a snack in the village.

Worth it? Skip it?

Worth it if

You’re already at La Jolla Cove, you like odd history, or you want a sea cave without getting wet.

Skip it if

You have bad knees, hate tight spaces, or expected an hour-long adventure. It’s about 15 minutes.

Quick facts

AreaLa Jolla, 1325 Coast Blvd (inside The Cave Store)
Cost$13 adults, $7 ages 3 to 17; tickets at the door only
ParkingMetered and free street parking around La Jolla Cove; it’s tight
Best timeWeekday mornings, before the cove crowds
KidsYes, if they can manage 145 steps each way
Open in Google Maps

Photo: Dave Bunnell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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