If close encounters with seals appeal to you, you have to check out La Jolla Cove in California. Technically you will be seeing hundreds of seals and sea lions if you decide to stop by. They visit the shore in droves and you can get as close as you dare, although you should keep your distance both out of respect for the animals and for your own safety.
Sea lions sunbathing at La Jolla Cove
We started our morning having breakfast at Brockton Villa Restaurant, which is located across the street from the cove. The food was fabulous, the view of the ocean was amazing, the sounds of the sea lions were delightful, the smell of the sea lions was horrid. Oh, how it smelled! We thought we were prepared for the stink and had hoped that we would desensitize to the smell before our food came, we were wrong. (We did choose to eat outdoors because we wanted the view. I’m sure if you ate in the restaurant the smell would not be so troublesome.)
The food was so good, that we were distracted from the smell…until the wind blew. Have you ever tried to eat while holding your breath? Not an easy feat. Finding parking is also not an easy feat. There is a small amount of public parking across the street from the restaurant, but it fills up very quickly. It also has a few hours time limit and you will see police issuing tickets. The earlier you go the more likely you are to find a space. We arrived a little before 8 AM and found a spot. The lot was filled before we finished our breakfast. If you are not fortunate enough to find a space, there are some paid parking garages a few blocks away.
Sea Lion Getting Some Sun
Directly across from the restaurant you can look over a cement half wall and view the seals and sea lions from above, along with a large number of sea gulls and cormorants (which are actually responsible for most of the smell). If you walk to your left you will come to a large viewing platform. Here you are allowed to climb down the rocks to get closer. I am not nearly as close as I seem, I was using a telephoto lens. The seals and sea lions have been known to charge and bite if you encroach on their territory, so keep a healthy distance. It is also against the law to feed, harass, or disturb them.
I have never seen so many seals and sea lions in one location. We had so much fun watching them play in the water and on the land and laughing at their ‘yoga poses’.
Momma and Pup Sea Lion
The sea lions are studied by local marine biologists. We noticed quite a few of them had either tags on their ears or numbers shaved into their fur.
Waves Crashing in La Jolla Cove
We spent over an hour and a half watching the animals, watching the waves crash into the rocky outcroppings, and walking along the beach. I could have stayed much longer, I found the sea lions to be so entertaining.
Sandy Shores in La Jolla
If you are in the area, I highly recommend visiting. It is only a 30 minute drive from San Diego. The only drawback is the seriously, horrible smell. It is such a unique experience that we thought it was well worth it. Pier 39 in San Francisco doesn’t even come close to this experience. So grab some nose plugs and head on over!
Our next day’s adventure took us to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, where we learned firsthand what the Santa Ana Winds are. As always, wishing you happy travels and fantastic adventures in this thing called life.
(All pictures are available for purchase as Fine Art Prints and Digital Downloads at full resolution through Alamy. If you see something you like, click on the link. If you are unable to find it, use the Contact Me page and I will make sure the image is available.)
Interested in other beach adventures? Check out the links below!
Pin for later!
Where to Find Sea Lions Along the Shores of California
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.