Wilburby the waves Book

Pacific Beach to La Jolla

Beaches near the house

Coast, north to south. One you can walk to, the rest are a short drive. They are genuinely different from each other, so it is worth knowing which is which.

The map

Markers run from Mission Beach in the south to La Jolla Shores in the north. The numbers match the cards below.

Map of the coast from Mission Beach north to La Jolla Shores, showing the house and the beaches The house is marked in dark teal. Numbered markers run north to south along the coast, from La Jolla Shores down to Mission Beach. Each marker matches a numbered card below the map. PACIFIC OCEAN 11. Tourmaline Surfing Park 22. Pacific Beach & Crystal Pier 33. Mission Beach 44. Bird Rock 55. Windansea Beach 66. La Jolla Shores The house THE HOUSE
The house Beaches
Streets, coastline and parks drawn from OpenStreetMap data. Every marker is a real coordinate, so the distances shown are the distances you actually travel.

The beaches

Ordered by how far you have to go, closest first.

  1. The beach and low cliffs at Tourmaline Surfing Park Surf and sand beside the pier in Pacific Beach

    Photo by Invertzoo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    Tourmaline Surfing Park

    • Closest beach
    • Surfers
    • Free parking

    The closest beach to the house, at the north end of Pacific Beach where Tourmaline Street meets the water. It is a designated surf beach, so no swimming zone and no lifeguard-flagged swim area, but there is a proper car park at the bottom of the hill, which is rare along this coast.

    Why we like itIt is the one you can get to without planning. The car park alone makes it worth knowing about on a busy weekend, and watching the surfers is half the point.

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  2. Crystal Pier at sunset with pink cloud reflected on the wet sand The paved boardwalk path running along the beach toward the pier An aerial view along the Pacific Beach coastline

    Pacific Beach and Crystal Pier

    • The main beach
    • Boardwalk
    • Busiest

    The wide, busy middle of Pacific Beach, with the boardwalk running the length of it and Crystal Pier out over the water. You can walk the pier itself during daylight hours. Kono’s and the rest of the Ocean Front Walk food is right here.

    Why we like itThis is the one to do on foot, combining the walk down, breakfast and the beach in one trip rather than driving anywhere.

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  3. The wooden roller coaster at Belmont Park on Mission Beach

    Photo by Bignoisybird, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    Mission Beach

    • Boardwalk
    • Belmont Park
    • Family

    South of Pacific Beach along the same strip of sand, with the boardwalk continuing all the way down. Belmont Park and its wooden roller coaster sit at the southern end, and the sand is wider here than it is in PB.

    Why we like itMore room to spread out than Pacific Beach, and Belmont Park gives you something to do when everyone has had enough of the water.

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  4. The rocky shoreline and tide pools at Bird Rock

    Photo by Sergei Gussev, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    Bird Rock

    • Tide pools
    • Rocky
    • Quiet

    The rocky shoreline between Pacific Beach and La Jolla, named for the outcrop offshore. Tide pools rather than swimming sand, and access is down stairways between the houses.

    Why we like itGo at low tide and it becomes the best rock pooling within walking distance. Check the tide table first or there is nothing to see.

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  5. The sandstone and surf at Windansea Beach in La Jolla

    Photo by RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    Windansea Beach

    • Scenic
    • Surf break
    • Sunset

    Sandstone reef, a famous surf break and the palm-thatched surf shack that has stood on the sand since 1946 and is a designated historic landmark. Rocky in places, strong shore break, and parking is on the street.

    Why we like itThe best looking beach on this list by some distance. Better for sitting and watching than for swimming with small children.

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  6. The wide flat sand at La Jolla Shores at sunset

    Photo by RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    La Jolla Shores

    • Calmest water
    • Lifeguards
    • Best for kids

    A long, flat, sheltered beach with the gentlest water of anything on this list, backed by Kellogg Park and a real car park. Lifeguards, showers and grass to sit on. It is also where the kayak and snorkel tours to the sea caves launch from.

    Why we like itWhen the surf at PB is too much, this is the answer. Get there early on a summer weekend, the car park fills by mid-morning.

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