Paying a visit to Children’s Pool Beach (also known as Casa Beach) is one of the top things to do in La Jolla, and there are several reasons for this.
The main draw for tourists and many locals is to catch a glimpse of the La Jolla seals who hang out on this prized beach, especially during pupping season.
You can walk on the seawall for an even better view of the water and the seals. Do you know why we have a seawall? Do you know how to visit Children’s Pool Beach? I’ll tell you because I love coming here year-round. I took all of these photos.
I believe that knowing its interesting history and what you can do nearby will add value to your visit.
What to Do at the Children’s Pool La Jolla
The main reason why people visit is to see the seals. I’m guilty of this! They are usually there unless it has been raining or very windy or it’s the time of year when humans can use the beach. You can very easily make a half-day or full-day out of your visit in any scenario.
Watch the Seals

Some people sit on the benches or lean on the wall above the Children’s Pool along Coast Boulevard and watch our seals (some for hours) as they flop around the sand, swim, and talk to each other. There is something rather zen about the entire scene, with birds flying above and the movement of the ocean in the background.
The key word, though, is “watch,” as you should keep a respectful distance. They are just as cute from afar. I typically bring a zoom lens for my camera.
Walk on the Seawall
If you walk toward the ocean, just past the lifeguard station, you’ll find the entrance to the seawall. Unless the surf is really big, you can walk on it for a better view of the seals and ocean.

I recommend a walk on the seawall because the views are lovely, but I have some tips.
- The seawall is nearly 100 years old, and it’s an uneven path. Unsteady walkers should take heed.
- While you gaze at the seals, be mindful of the ocean behind you, as it’s not uncommon for the surf to pound the seawall and startle you with a splash. Be mindful of what you are hand-carrying because it would be easy to drop your phone if this happened.
- Don’t wear a backpack or carry a bulky bag, as it will be hard to pass by others on the seawall. The walkway is narrow.
- Keep a close eye on young children. The fence slats are wide, and as I’ve mentioned already, the tread on the wall is uneven and can be slippery if wet. I really don’t recommend this activity for toddlers or small children who could slip easily.

What to Know About Swimming and Beachgoing
Construction on the lifeguard station at Children’s Pool Beach started in 2013 and was completed in 2016 after a $3 million spend and some delays. Now fully operational, this permanent lifeguard station (one of three in La Jolla) watches over nine blocks of our coastline. This includes beaches that still can have some hazardous currents along the San Diego coastline — the very same problem that Ellen Browning Scripps sought to ameliorate 100 years ago with the Children’s Pool (more on this below).
Now, while you technically can swim at the Children’s Pool, it’s discouraged due to high bacteria counts because of the harbor seals that live here.
A rope barrier prevents people from walking on the beach closer to the shoreline during seal pupping season, roughly December 15–May 15. During this time, it would be hard to access the water anyway.
In the summer, there is a roped-off area to protect the seals, but most of the beach is open for recreational use. People do set up towels and umbrellas, but again, they don’t typically swim here. Lifeguards help make sure that the seals are not disturbed by people.
South Casa Beach
Behind the Children’s Pool lifeguard tower, there is access to a small beach called South Casa Beach. Due to currents and rocks out in the ocean, it’s not a great place for swimming, but you can certainly lay a towel out to soak up some sun. During low tides, this is a great place for La Jolla tide pools.

Walk Along Coast Boulevard
If you are at the Children’s Pool, plan to walk a few minutes along Coast Boulevard from there to La Jolla Cove where our sea lions live. It’s a very pretty, easy, and paved walk.
Along the way, you can take a walk down to Shell Beach, where there also may be tide pools and occasionally shells. Or, take a seat in one of our green huts.

You can even walk up to the Cave Store and walk into Sunny Jim, the only California sea cave that is accessible by land.
Grab a Bite
This part of La Jolla is just steps from some of the best La Jolla restaurants. Be sure that you’re parked in a place that will allow for enough time to also have a late breakfast or lunch during your visit. A few suggestions:
- George’s Ocean Terrace: We like the fish tacos and view of the Cove (make a reservation) from the upstairs terrace.
- Cove House: A good breakfast and lunch spot in between La Jolla Cove and Children’s Pool Beach (up Girard a little bit toward Prospect)
- Bobboi Natural Gelato: A few steps up from Cove House awaits the best Italian gelato, which is made in small batches using 90% organic ingredients with exotic flavors like charcoal vanilla and banana kiwi.
A Quick History of the Children’s Pool

Now that you know where the Children’s Pool Beach is and what you can do, here’s why it’s historically significant.
Few today may be aware that while La Jolla beaches and coastline near the Children’s Pool Beach have attracted visitors since the 1870s, for several decades afterward, its coast and surf developed a reputation for danger. By the early 1900s, visitors were being warned not to go into the ocean at La Jolla’s many beaches here because of the hazardous cross currents.
Enter Ellen Browning Scripps
In 1921, Ellen Browning Scripps, a wealthy local resident since 1897 who had focused much of her life and philanthropy on the welfare of children in La Jolla, sought to ameliorate this ongoing problem.
You may recognize her name from some of the many prominent local institutions that still bear her name, including the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Scripps Hospital. She also bought the land that became Torrey Pines State Reserve with the intent of making it a public park. And that is just three of many of her works in La Jolla.
The Sea Wall Idea
She hired a hydraulic engineer named Hiram Savage to conduct a survey for the construction of a proposed breakwater somewhere in La Jolla to create an area where it would be safe for children to go in the ocean. In 1923, Savage submitted his results, proposing that a crescent-shaped breakwater be constructed where the Children’s Pool Beach in La Jolla is today.
For a variety of reasons, including public controversies, permitting, budgeting, and the availability of key personnel, the project then languished in a kind of limbo for seven years until construction finally began in late 1930.
In May 1931, a public celebration was held to commemorate the completion of the new breakwater and the safe ocean bathing area for children it created, all of which had been gifted by Ms. Scripps to La Jolla. Unfortunately, Ms. Scripps was too ill to attend, and she died in 1932. But the Children’s Pool remains another lasting legacy of her local philanthropy.
Fast Forward to the Harbor Seals
It remained that way for over 60 years. In the mid-1990s, harbor seals increasingly began to use the Children’s Pool beach area to give birth to their pups. La Jolla residents to this day have strong opinions about whether the seals should stay or go (I will not argue one way or the other here). A visit to the La Jolla seals is one of the most popular free things to do in La Jolla.
Much of the above is summarized from a much longer, more detailed, and scholarly article written about the Children’s Pool titled ‘Until Kingdom Come,’ The Design and Construction of La Jolla’s Children’s Pool, by Jeremy Hollins, published in the Journal of San Diego History, volume 51, which you can read online.
Children’s Pool La Jolla Address, Directions, and Parking
Address: 850 Coast Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037
Pop the address above into your GPS to find the Children’s Pool. However, you can’t miss it if you drive along Coast Boulevard.
Parking: It is difficult to find Children’s Pool parking on Coast Boulevard during peak season and weekends unless you arrive before 9 a.m. (the earlier, the better). Street parking is marked as two or three hours, depending on what part of the street you’re on. There are a few residential streets that run parallel to Coast Blvd that you can try.
Alternatively, look out for some of the paid parking lots that are located on Prospect (there is one at the La Jolla Financial Building) and adjacent streets. Walking down to Coast Blvd from the Village is easy.
See also: Top San Diego Family Activities and What to Do in La Jolla With Kids
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