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La Jolla Overview

What makes La Jolla so special? Once you’ve learned to pronounce La Jolla and spell it (La Jolla = La Hoya), your next task is to understand why it is called “the Jewel by the Sea.” La Jolla is defined by its coastline of ocean bluffs and beautiful beaches and by the canyons and hillsides that rise from the shore to the top of Mount Soledad. Many have compared La Jolla’s rugged beauty to Capetown or the Amalfi Coast. In short, living in La Jolla is like being on vacation 365 days a year.

La Jolla has a population of 42,000 and covers 5700 acres hugging the shore of the Pacific Ocean. An astounding 67% of the adult population has at least one academic degree. The public and private schools are exceptional. With an average daily temperature ranging from 57 degrees to 72 degrees, year around, it is no surprise that La Jolla is home to permanent residents as well as second home owners and that tourists from both hot and cold climates love to come here.

Bound on the north by UCSD and the south by Pacific Beach, La Jolla is home to major educational and cultural institutions: the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), the Salk Institute, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and The Mary Birch Aquarium. You will find expeditions, theater, and music at the Athenaeum, UCSD, the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, the La Jolla Music Society, and the La Jolla Symphony. The four state-of-the-art theaters of the La Jolla Playhouse, present memorable, Broadway-bound stage productions, and you are 20 minutes north of the museums and theaters of San Diego’s Balboa Park, which also has the famous San Diego Zoo.
La Jollans have access to the finest medical care at hospitals like Scripps Memorial, Scripps Clinic, and the UCSD Medical Center. These institutions both provide the highest quality of care and engage in cutting-edge medical research. Indeed, La Jolla is one of the world’s great centers for medical research and biotechnology.

With its wonderful climate and beautiful terrain, La Jolla is a mecca for active people. The town has a population of dedicated athletes who can be seen playing golf walking, running, biking, hiking the Torrey Pines Preserve, swimming, surfing, kayaking, hang gliding, and playing tennis, soccer, baseball, and volley ball. You will find recreational and competitive athletics wherever you turn. The beaches at La Jolla Cove and the La Jolla Shores are treasures, as are the seals currently residing at The Children’s Pool. The La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club and The La Jolla Country Club both play a big role in the life of the community.

The upscale and beautifully maintained Village of La Jolla is the primary shopping area, with excellent grocery stores, boutiques, galleries, and a multitude of high-end restaurants and casual eateries. Other areas of town also have fine shopping and restaurants-Bird Rock, La Jolla Shores, and North La Jolla. A resident is never more than a few blocks from shops and entertainment
Our housing stock is quite varied, from small condominiums to the most lavish gated estates on several acres. Home buyers can choose between homes walking distance to the ocean, homes with spectacular ocean views, and homes with a variety of lot sizes and styles. We have homes with contemporary designs, traditional features, and simple beach cottages. Some opt to have easy access to the freeways and points north, while others choose to have easy access to Downtown San Diego and points south and east. Just east of La Jolla is a robust business center with high rise office buildings, hotels, apartment complexes, and a large Westfield shopping center

Buyers frequently ask, “Where is the best place to live in La Jolla?” The answer quite simply is “It depends.” A thumbnail sketch of 15 neighborhoods will shed some light on the attractions of the different neighborhoods and the types of housing each has to offer.