You will hear La Jolla’s sea lions before you see them. And, honestly, you might smell them before you hear them. If you’re wondering where to see sea lions in La Jolla, the short answer is “follow the barking,” but the long answer saves you a lot of wandering.
Here are 6 spots on one short stretch of coast, plus how to tell a sea lion from a harbor seal, when to go, what’s closed and where to park.
TL;DR (for people already circling for parking)
- Best overall: the sidewalk above La Jolla Cove and Point La Jolla. Sea lions on the rocks, ocean behind them, zero tickets needed.
- Best for seals: Children’s Pool, where harbor seals nap on the sand. The beach itself closes December 15 to May 15 for pupping season.
- The skip: climbing over a barrier or walking up to an animal for a selfie. It’s illegal, and sea lions bite.
Quick facts
- Where The sidewalk above La Jolla Cove, by Ellen Browning Scripps Park
- Cost Free to watch
- Hours Scripps Park is open 4 a.m. to 8 p.m.; mornings are calmest
- Parking Street parking goes fast; paid lot across from The Cave Store
- Season Year-round; Children’s Pool beach closes Dec. 15 to May 15
- Best for A low-tide walk from the Cove to Children’s Pool
1. La Jolla Cove and the sidewalk above it
This is the main event. The City of San Diego says California sea lions use the beaches, rock shelves and rocks all around La Jolla Cove. The sidewalk and grassy edge of Ellen Browning Scripps Park sit right above them, so you get a front-row view from behind the railing.
Where: Coast Boulevard, next to Ellen Browning Scripps Park (1180 Coast Blvd.). More nearby in our La Jolla area guide.
Tip: bring binoculars for whiskers and side-eye without getting closer.
2. Point La Jolla (look, don’t enter)
Point La Jolla is the rocky point right next to the Cove beach, and it’s where many of the sea lions haul out. The City closed it to the public year-round in 2023. You can still see the animals clearly from the walkway above.
Stay behind the barriers and signs. Sea lion pupping season here runs from early May through October, and mothers with young pups are protective.
3. Boomer Beach, from above
Boomer Beach sits just west of Point La Jolla and is part of the same year-round closure. Sea lions use this boulder-and-sand stretch too. Enjoy it from the sidewalk.
4. The sea cave below The Cave Store
A City of San Diego coastal management plan notes that sea lions often haul out in the sea cave below The Cave Store, just east of the Cove. You can’t see that from the street, but you can go down into Sunny Jim Sea Cave through a tunnel with 145 stairs.
Where: The Cave Store, 1325 Coast Blvd. Tours run 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, $13 for adults and $7 for ages 3 to 17. Check before you go.
Tip: wear closed-toe shoes. The stairs can be slippery.
5. Children’s Pool (Casa Beach) for harbor seals
Walk less than half a mile south and the barking changes to quiet grunting. Children’s Pool was built in 1932 as a calm swimming spot behind a seawall. The sand piled up, and harbor seals moved in to rest and give birth.
The City says seals rest here year-round, with the occasional sea lion. The beach closes to the public during harbor seal pupping season, December 15 through May 15 every year. The next closure starts December 15, 2026.
Where: Coast Boulevard south of the Cove. The seawall has closed before for storm repairs, so check before you go.
6. Seal Rock and South Casa Beach
Just next to Children’s Pool, Seal Rock is a flat-topped rock where harbor seals and a few sea lions haul out at low tide. The City Council designated it a seal reserve in 1997. South Casa Beach, just to the south, is another spot where harbor seals rest and give birth.
Tip: check a tide chart. Low tide gives the seals more rock to lounge on, and gives you more seals to count.
Seals vs sea lions: how to tell them apart
La Jolla has both, and people mix them up constantly. Here’s the cheat sheet from NOAA Fisheries and The Marine Mammal Center:
- Ears: sea lions have small external ear flaps. Harbor seals have only ear holes.
- Flippers: sea lions have big front flippers they use like oars. Seals have small, clawed front flippers.
- Walking: sea lions tuck their back flippers under and actually walk, even climb. Seals scoot along on their bellies like a caterpillar.
- Noise: sea lions bark loudly. Seals are quiet, with soft grunts, growls and hisses.
- Looks: harbor seals have spotted coats. California sea lions are mostly smooth brown, tan or blonde, and adult males are darker with a bump on the forehead.
Short version: loud and walking means sea lion. Spotted and belly-flopping means seal.
Best time of day and season
Harbor seals use these beaches all year, and sea lions are a regular sight at the Cove, so there’s no bad month. Harbor seals give birth on La Jolla beaches from January through May, and their numbers peak during pupping and molting. Sea lion pupping season at Point La Jolla runs early May through October.
Wondering where to see sea lions in La Jolla at a calm hour? Our pick is morning, when parking and railing space are easier to find. Go at low tide for the seals on Seal Rock.
The rules (please read these)
These are not suggestions.
- Stay out of closed areas. Point La Jolla and Boomer Beach are closed year-round. Violators can be cited.
- Keep your distance. NOAA Fisheries recommends staying at least 100 yards from seals and sea lions on the West Coast. If an animal stares, fidgets or moves away, you’re too close.
- Never touch or feed them. Feeding and harassing marine mammals is illegal under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, with heavy fines possible.
- Sea lions bite. City signs warn that agitated seals and sea lions may attack.
- Leave pups alone. A pup on its own isn’t abandoned. Mom is usually feeding nearby and may not come back if people crowd it.
- Report animals in trouble. Call NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 866-767-6114. In an emergency, call 911.
Yes, it smells
Sea lions and seabirds go wherever they happen to be, and the City’s own management plan says the smell on the bluffs offends some visitors. On a warm, still day, the Cove can smell like a fish market’s back alley.
A breeze helps. Just don’t plan a fancy picnic directly downwind.
Parking near the Cove
Parking at the Cove is a blood sport with an ocean view. Ellen Browning Scripps Park has street parking only, and the free spots on Coast Boulevard go fast. The Cave Store suggests Ivanhoe, Silverado and Cave streets, plus a paid lot across from the shop.
Read every sign, since time limits apply, and allow 15 extra minutes on weekends. Or skip the car: see do you need a car in San Diego?
Free things to do in La Jolla nearby
The sea lions are free, and so is a lot around them.
- Scripps Park: spread out on the grass above the Cove. It’s open 4 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- The coastline walk: stroll Coast Boulevard from the Cove to Children’s Pool and see both species in one go.
- Leopard sharks: in summer, wade or snorkel at La Jolla Shores. Our leopard sharks La Jolla guide has the details.
- Mount Soledad: drive up for the free view over the coast. See our Mount Soledad page.
More ideas: free things to do in San Diego.
FAQ: where to see sea lions in La Jolla
Where is the best place to see sea lions in La Jolla?
The sidewalk above La Jolla Cove and Point La Jolla. The sea lions rest on the rocks below, and you can watch from behind the railing for free.
Are there seals or sea lions at La Jolla Cove?
Mostly California sea lions at the Cove. Harbor seals mainly use Children’s Pool, Seal Rock and South Casa Beach, a short walk south.
When is Children’s Pool closed?
The beach closes for harbor seal pupping season from December 15 through May 15 every year. You can still view the seals from above.
Can you touch the sea lions in La Jolla?
No. Touching, feeding or harassing them is illegal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and sea lions can bite. Stay well back.
The verdict
This is one of the easiest 5-taco wildlife days in California: free, close to the road and very likely to deliver. Our pick is a morning walk from La Jolla Cove to Children’s Pool at low tide, so you see barking sea lions and spotted seals in one go. Keep your distance, breathe through your mouth when needed and spend the parking money you saved on tacos.
Plan the rest of your day
Photo: ryanwschwark, Public Domain Mark 1.0, via Flickr
