La Jolla is the upscale coastal neighbourhood of San Diego, built along dramatic sea cliffs with tide pools, sea caves, and a resident colony of harbour seals at Children's Pool beach. The village centre has galleries, boutiques, and restaurants, but the real draw is the coastline.
The Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography is excellent, with an outdoor tide-pool exhibit and views over the Pacific. In winter, migrating California gray whales pass close enough to spot from shore. La Jolla Cove, a small sheltered beach between the cliffs, is one of the best snorkelling spots in Southern California.