La Jolla Shores Travel Review
Yes, I traveled again! Even though I have had to cancel my overseas trips this past year, I have made a point of continuing to travel within the continental 48 states. As much as I can. This time I went to La Jolla Shores in California. My son lives in Oceanside, CA. So this was easier for him than driving to Coronado! My hubby and I had a wonderful time and I cannot wait to share with you all the fabulous things we did! This travel review of La Jolla Shores will provide you with everything you need to know!
Accommodations
We stayed at the Hotel La Jolla which is a Hilton property. I have a lot to say about this hotel. Some good, some bad. Lets start with my reasons for choosing this hotel first.
- Late cancelation, I could cancel up to to 48 hours in advance with no penalty fee.
- I could pay upon arriving at the hotel or through Hotels.com
- The hotel faced west, and we had a view of the ocean from the 10th floor
- There was an outdoor heated pool
- On property parking, with an additional fee
- Walking distance to the beach, restaurants, shops
The reason for my wanting a late cancellation policy is because part of my hubby’s biz is snow removal. So if a storm was forecasted for the weekend we wanted to go to La Jolla, we would have had to cancel at the last minute. There is lots of snow in March and April, so it is always a possibility!
We love to walk, so that is always important for us when we go on vacation. Renting cars is not a priority for us, so we make sure we are within walking distance of most or all of the attractions we want see!
In La Jolla Village, which is about 1.5 miles south of La Jolla Shores there are lots of cute boutique hotels. But many had street parking or we would lose our one night deposit if we canceled within two weeks of the trip. And as much as I love La Jolla Village, it is busy! ALL THE TIME! The shore area is more family oriented and a little slower paced!
Cleanliness and Location
Overall, the hotel was kept clean and had great standards keeping everyone safe with their Covid protocol. However, the furniture in the hotel was definitely dated and could have used some love. But the beds were comfy and we had a lovely little balcony.
The location was perfect for what we wanted. Unfortunately, we faced a busy intersection. So it was a little noisy with the sliding door open. After about 10 p.m. it calmed down significantly, but it was louder than I had anticipated. Lesson learned. We will be staying at the La Jolla Shores Hotel which is right on the beach the next time we come out to visit! And it is about the same price per night!
Things to Do
There are lots of things to do in La Jolla. There is the Cove where you can watch the sea lions and harbor seals. You can hike or walk the beach. There are bike tours, kayak/snorkeling tours and paddle boards for rent too. There are also the Bird scooters that you can rent to get around town too!
Honestly, we walked the beaches. I spent my youth at the Jersey shore most summers. I have wonderful memories of walking the beach and riding bikes around town to the arcades, miniature golf course and shops. So walking the beaches with my hubby and son was not only therapeutic but reminded me of the wonderful childhood I had! We averaged 20,000 steps per day! So lots of exercise to combat all the eating we did! LOL
Restaurants
Oh my! We had so much good food! I will start with our favorite breakfast places!
- Brick & Bell Cafe was a cute local coffee shop located at 2216 Avenida de La Playa. They served, scones, bagels and some breakfast and lunch options. The Arnold Palmers were great and the avocado toast was amazing!
- Shorehouse Kitchen had FABULOUS breakfast burritos! Located at 2236 Avenida de La Playa, the food lived up to the reviews! I wish we had time to try lunch!
- Monello was a restaurant in downtown San Diego near Little Italy. It was unbelievably good. Their pasta is made fresh daily and it has a “northern” Italian flair. Each dish was more amazing than the last. Located at 750 Fir Street Suite 103B it was worth the drive. If you go, the calamari was delicious and the lasagna had spinach pasta noodles and was better than any lasagna I have ever had! And be sure to top it off with a cannoli! OMG, too good not to have!
- Puesto is located in La Jolla Village at 1026 Wall St. We had lunch there and the guacamole was different, yet yummy to the core! The bowls were divine! I had the Carnitas bowl and I didn’t want to share it was so good! And the tacos looked amazing too, per my son and hubby, they were award winning in their taste!
We probably gained 5 lbs this weekend, but it was worth it! And as my son pointed out, calories don’t count while on vacation! LOL
Conclusion
Overall, we had a fabulous time visiting with our son. Who wouldn’t? But I will be the first to admit I has a little disappointed in the hotel. But it worked for what I needed at the time. And we did have a lovely view and balcony to enjoy. I hope my La Jolla Shore Travel Review is helpful in making your trip more enjoyable!
If you think you would like Coronado Island in southern California more, check out my review HERE!
More importantly, thank you for spending your time here at Colorado Kelly! I love having you here and appreciate everyone that comes to visit and look forward to having you come back soon!
Looking just for a hotel?
Lisa
We got engaged on La Jolla Beach, so this area is so special to us! Great review! The food and scenery are spectacular.
Kelly
How lovely! It must have been beautiful!!!!
Amy
I love that you included eateries and a full review of accommodations. Walking the beach is a must do at any beach. It looks like you had a lovely time!!!
Kelly
We did! I can’t wait to go back!
Nikki Wayne
Seems so fun to be at these places. Thanks for sharing!
Kelly
We did have a lot of fun!
Ambuj Saxena
Wow these are really beautiful views. I would love to explore this part of the world!
Kelly
Definitely something to put on the bucket list!
Sabina Green
Oh wow, it looks gorgeous, great photos. We live in the UK and have not been able to travel, everyone is planning staycations this year.
Kelly
I had a trip to London scheduled that I delayed and finally cancelled about a month ago. Maybe next year!
Kalyon Subbarao M
Nice review giving a lot of details of the location and the pictures are amazing, which give us an overview of the location, thanks !
Kelly
Thank you!!!
Krysten Quiles
So pretty. I can’t wait to travel again.
Kelly
No time like the present! Life is already too short, take the time to travel and enjoy it! =)
Tweenselmom
The first picture really is stunning! The food also looks delicious, I’m now craving calamari.
Kelly
Calamari is a favorite of ours! And thank you! It isn’t often that my hubby participates in a post, but when he does, it is amazing!
lashunta
What a beautiful place. You gave a great detail to help anyone planning a visit. Glad you had a wonderful visit with your son.
Kelly
Thank you!
Emily Fata
This is totally somewhere I can picture myself visiting post-pandemic! Thank you so much for sharing your insights on it. 🙂
Kelly
I hope you do visit!
Jim
Would love to go there. Looks awesome! Thanks for sharing.
Kelly
You’re welcome!!!
Mae
La Jolla Beach looks like a perfect place to relax and unwind. Accommodations that are walking distance to the beach sounds fantastic!
Kelly
Walking distance to the beach made it perfect!
Genesis
I’m impressed by all of the active outdoor things you can do in La Jolla! I always love a good snorkeling tour. Great review!
Kelly
Thank you!!!
Jessica
My family stayed in La Jolla several years ago for spring break. It was beautiful! Would love to return one day!
Kelly
So glad you had the opportunity to experience it!
Fabulous Perks
So good that you guys had a great time visiting your son. The food looks amazing!
Kelly
We did! The visit definitely wasn’t long enough!
Nayomi
Sounds like a beautiful peaceful vacation.I can’t wait to get out the country once things get back to normal in the UK.
Kelly
You and me both! I had to cancel my London trip!!
Stephanie
This sounds like it was a really nice trip! I’m glad you got a chance to visit your son and do some sight-seeing while you were at it. I hope your next trip is even more wonderful.
Kelly
Thank you!!!
Sarah Althouse
Ive never been to La Holla but it looks gorgeous!!
Kelly
Definitely a bucket list destination!