There isn’t a day that we don’t wake up knowing how lucky we are to live in this part of the world. The San Diego area is as close to perfection as a place can be, and just when you think it can’t get any better, you find yourself discovering other smaller towns that are equally appealing close by and offering even more ways to play, explore, and fall in love.
Today, we at Penny Realty, Inc are offering up this Southern California travel guide to some of our favorite southern California cities, painting a picture of a vacation that surely is going to make all others pale in comparison, especially when you come home every night to explore the comforts of the sanctuaries we offer in each city.
La Jolla, The Jewel of San Diego
La Jolla, although not an island, is surrounded on three sides by the sea and offers the craggy backdrop of Mt. Soledad, the former home of Dr. Seuss. Offering mild temperatures year round and on average between 250 to 260 days of sunshine, it is impossible not to feel as if you are living in paradise when visiting this wonderful part of California.
Incorporated in 1850, La Jolla has played an important part in the state’s history, serving as a pueblo land during its Mexican years, and has been designated a special community due to its popularity with tourists from all over the world. When you visit, the beaches will charm, the golf courses will become your obsession, and our Penny Realty, Inc retreats will make you feel at home, even as you are many miles from your own home.
The Beaches of La Jolla
The Beaches of La Jolla will bring you some of your most memorable moments, providing stunning views, soft sands, and in some cases, a front row seat to the creatures that live under the sea. There are more than 10 beaches in town, all beautiful, inviting, and fun, and we have listed some of our favorites below.
La Jolla Cove
La Jolla Cove is one of our smaller beaches, tucked away between sandstone cliffs and offering brilliant white sands. Truly one of the most beautiful beaches in the area, it is also one of the most photographed and is popular with swimmers, snorkelers, and scuba divers as the water is so clear and visibility can be as deep as 30 feet. A permanent lifeguard station perched high above the water ensures the safety of swimmers, and because it is a part of the La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve, fishing and removal of objects from the beach area is prohibited.
Black’s Beach and La Jolla Shores
Surfing is a popular California activity, and the experienced surfers find that Black’s Beach provides the best waves to ride, while those just beginning to take up the sport will prefer the gentler waters of La Jolla Shores. Black’s Beach is located at the northern end of La Jolla and renowned for offering the best waves in San Diego as well as being the area’s last remaining nudist beach, even as nudism is illegal.
The nudists hang out north of the Glider Port Trail while surfers hang 10 on the south side, where the waves are the highest. For those who aren’t into nudism or for those who aren’t expert surfers, La Jolla Shores, located just south of Black’s, is where the waters are calmer and many scuba classes are offered.
A Taste of La Jolla
The best vacations are often remembered by the meals we eat during those travels and La Jolly is home to some of the state’s most delicious restaurants, including the ones listed below.
The Marine Room, 1950 Spindrift Drive, Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
The waters that surround La Jolla are a big draw, and the Marine Room, a local seafood restaurant open for dinner only Wednesdays through Sundays, offers ringside seats to sea views. Sitting so close to the water that the waves splash against the wall of windows that take up the back end of the dining area, the only thing better than those views is the food they serve.
Brockton Villa Restaurant, 1235 Coast Boulevard, Open for Breakfast Every Day
Great food is served within the confines of a cottage built in 1894 at Brockton Villa Restaurant. Having been through many transformations over the years, our favorite (and probably yours as well) took place in 1991 when it became a restaurant. Today, its menu offers brunch, lunch, and dinner weekends, but its brunch is what makes us happiest. Try the churros coast toast when you seek a sweet start to your day.
Time to Play
La Jolla is famous for its beauty, its beaches, and its restaurants, but Torrey Pines Golf Course, located at 11480 N Torrey Pine Road, may be the jewel that shines brightest within the Jewel of San Diego. Offering a South and a North Course, this spectacular golf course provides stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and a challenging game that may affect your handicap, but you more than likely won’t mind, so beautiful is the course.
The South Course is the more challenging one, having hosted two US Open Championships over the years, and was renovated and redesigned by Rees Jones in 2019. Players may witness a large variety of wildlife on the courses, including hawks and mule deer, and may also witness hang gliders and paragliders soaring over the cliffs that surround the course.
Ocean Beach, Also Known as OB
Ocean Beach is a small beach community known for its unique shops, hippie vibe, and a dog friendly beach that will be your favorite place, even if you aren’t staying in one of our dog friendly escapes. Located just north of Point Loma, the spot where Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo first stepped foot on San Diego shores, OB’s humble beginnings date back to 1897 and a mussel roast on the beach, where lots were sold by two gentlemen who later went to federal prison for land fraud.
The Beaches of Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach, as its name suggests, is famous for having the best beaches in the San Diego area, and that is saying a lot considering the quality of all the beaches in the area. Holding the reputation of having some of the area’s softest and most inviting sands, your day at the beach promises to be one you won’t soon forget.
Newport Avenue Beach
Popular with surfers, the waters are often dotted with surfers waiting for the next big wave to ride, but it is also popular with swimmers. Offering a lifeguard station for your safety and a close proximity to a large selection of shops, restaurants, and bars, the south side of the lifeguard station is surfing only while the north side is for swimmers only. There are no volleyball courts on Newport Avenue Beach, but there is a grassy area where you may want to consider holding a picnic with your favorite traveling companion.
Dog Beach
Most of the beaches of San Diego don’t permit dogs, but OB is famous for its dog beach, giving your fur babies the chance to frolic leash-free. Also a popular surfing spot, thanks to the Dog Beach Break, this is one area where humans and pet coexist peacefully, and if you are staying in one of our Penny Realty, Inc pet friendly escapes, it is a must visit. Puppies and dogs that aren’t fully vaccinated are prohibited on the sandy shores to ensure that the dogs who do frolic here will stay safe and healthy.
A Taste of Ocean Beach
The vibe in Ocean Beach is more laid back than in other San Diego area communities, and the restaurant scene reflects that casual ambience. Ocean Beach may be where you satisfy your craving for grilled cheese sandwiches over one that has you seeking out fancy caviar, and frankly, we enjoy the entire environment of friendly and casual.
Mad Munch Grilled Cheezer Co, 4871-B Newport Avenue, Closed Sundays
If you thought we were kidding when we started talking about grilled cheese sandwiches, one visit to Mad Munch Grilled Cheezer Co will change your tune. This inexpensive and casual spot located just a short distance away from the Newport Avenue Beach just makes us happy.
Offering monthly specials (Hungarian Mushroom Soup was the special of the month at the time of this writing), Breakfast Cheezers that are served all day (Cock-a-Doodle Dude is our fave!), and a Hearty Cheezers section that promises you won’t leave Mad Munch feeling hungry, this is one restaurant that your entire family will agree to dine at.
La Doña, 1852 Bacon Street, Open Daily and Serving Brunch on Weekends
You can’t come to California without trying its authentic Mexican food, and La Doña is where we go when we want to test our willpower skills with bowls of chips and salsa. Reasonably priced and serving delicious dishes made from fresh and local ingredients, we can’t recommend just one dish because everything on the menu is worth trying. We really like the fact that their online menu offers pictures of every dish, ensuring that even if you are new to Mexican cuisine, you can get a peek at what you ordered without freaking out the people at the tables that surround you by scrutinizing their food.
That One Thing
We’ve spent a lot of time trying to come up with just one thing that best represents the vibe of Ocean Beach, and aside from its tranquil beaches, history walks, and the Ocean Beach Farmers Market, we landed on the murals of OB. From 1999 through 2007, local artist Rich James created a series of masterpieces painted on the sides of buildings and businesses, with each one reflecting not just his talent but the vibe of our oceanfront town. A map of all his murals can be downloaded at the link attached here, and as you explore each and every colorful one, the selfies you take in front of them will shine bright.
Mission Beach
Mission Beach faced a lot of challenges in its early days as developers discovered it is difficult to build on sand, and as such, it wasn’t incorporated until 1914. Today, it is a vibrant and bustling community known for its thriving nightlife as well as Belmont Park, an amusement park that is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Like its counterpart, Ocean Beach, the vibe of Mission Beach is a casual and laidback one, and the boardwalk that crosses through it is popular for its shops and restaurants.
Just One Beach
Unlike the other towns and communities we have been exploring today, Mission Beach offers just the one beach, Mission Beach, but we promise you it is more than enough. There are eight different swimming areas along its 19 miles of white sand beaches, and it is one of the nine San Diego area beaches that offers a permanent lifeguard station.
If you don’t visit Belmont Park, you can spend your day at the beach playing volleyball, swimming, or fishing at the south end of Mission Beach Park, and if scuba is your thing, a series of shipwrecks located just about a half mile off the coast have created a wonderful artificial reef.
A Taste of Mission Beach
We gave a lot of thought to the restaurants of Mission Beach, and although all have their merits, the one we think best represents the community is The Mission. Located at 3795 Mission Boulevard, it is open every day of the week, serving breakfast and lunch. Their Baked Banana Caramel French Toast may not be listed on the National Dietary Guidelines, but life is short and eating something sweet for breakfast is always a good idea while on vacation.
A Day at the Park
If we had to recommend just one thing to explore during your Mission Beach getaway, it would be, of course, Belmont Park. Offering a nearly 100-year-old wooden roller coaster and a variety of other rides, carnival games, restaurants, and shops, a visit to this park will take you back in time, adding a golden glow to your vacation experiences.
Penny Realty Inc Is Where You Want to Be
The best part about vacationing in La Jolla, Ocean Beach, and Mission Beach is the knowledge that you won’t have far to go to come home to Penny Realty, Inc at the end of every day. Our comfortable, luxurious, and relaxing properties can also be found in those wonderful communities, ensuring that this will be a vacation you will never forget. Reserve your favorite property today!