La Jolla

THIS JEWEL IS HOME TO ART, THEATER, FINE DINING, SHOPPING AND OUTDOOR RECREATION

La Jolla’s stylish streets are lined with high-end boutiques, antique stores and art galleries. Prospect Street and Girard Avenue comprise the main retail district; while gems await on the side streets, such as stationery shop Sweet Paper (7660 Fay Ave.).

On Girard, La Plaza La Jolla (7863 Girard Ave.) is a fabulous luxury shopping center. We also love designer women’s apparel boutique, Laura Gambucci (7655 Girard Ave.), run by Laura herself. Farther down Girard is Adelaide’s (7766 Girard Ave.), a charming floral shop that also sells candles, skin care and home accents; as well as independent bookseller D.G. Wills Books (7461 Girard Ave.), stocking those rare first-editions and eclectic volumes.

Back on Prospect Street, a slew of femalefriendly stores welcome shoppers, including Robina (1275 Prospect St.), selling chic women’s apparel and accessories. There’s also Westime (1227 Prospect St.), offering highend men’s and women’s watches. Also stop by We Olive (1158 Prospect St.), a wine and olive oil bar offering tastings, gifts and an ocean-view back patio.

The village is also home to revered art galleries. Cosmopolitan Fine Arts (7932 Girard Ave.) showcases contemporary French impressionist paintings; and MANGELSEN: Images of Nature Gallery (7916 Girard Ave.) spotlights nature and wildlife photography by Thomas Mangelsen. Contemporary Fine Arts Gallery (7946 Ivanhoe Ave.) has paintings, sculptures and limited-edition works by international artists.

La Jolla Boulevard heads south toward Bird Rock, where stylish boutiques for women await, including Bobbi Rocco (5701 La Jolla Blvd.). While in the area, pick up a loaf of freshly baked bread at Wayfarer Bread & Pastry (5525 La Jolla Blvd.).

La Jolla Shores, just a short drive up Torrey Pines

Road, is also worth a visit. The wide, flat beach is perfect for swimming and sunning; while the main drag, Avenida de la Playa, is lined with eateries and rental shops with surfing and kayaking gear.

The University of California, San Diego (9500 Gilman Drive) is home to La Jolla Playhouse. The theater was founded in 1947 by actors Mel Ferrer, Dorothy McGuire and Gregory Peck. The Stuart Collection also adds to UC San Diego’s artistic setting—highlighted by a 24-foot, giant teddy bear made of boulders; and a 560-foot-long “Snake Path.” Just north of the 1,200-acre campus is the Salk Institute for Biological Studies (10010 N. Torrey Pines Road), an architectural masterpiece designed by Louis Kahn. The scientific research complex was named after Dr. Jonas Salk, who discovered the polio vaccine and later lived in La Jolla.

Southwest of campus sits the famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography (8622 Kennel Way) and Birch Aquarium (2300 Expedition Way); both are top-rated oceanlife learning centers. In La Jolla Village, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (closed for renovations) is housed in the former home of Ellen Browning Scripps. The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library (1008 Wall St.) features art exhibits; and The Conrad (7600 Fay Ave.), home of La Jolla

Music Society, is a stateof-the-art concert hall.

La Jolla is made for adventurous ocean lovers. The Cove (1100 Coast Blvd.) hosts swimmers, snorkelers and kayakers daily.

To explore, visit La Jolla Kayak (2199 Avenida de la Playa) and Hike Bike Kayak (2222 Avenida de la Playa) for rentals and guided tours. La Jolla Shores (8200 Camino del Oro) has easy access for scuba divers. Windansea (6800 Neptune Place) is an idyllic surfing break. The Children’s Pool cove near Ellen Browning Scripps Park is a place to observe wildlife—namely the harbor seals and sea lions that sunbathe there.

Just north of La Jolla Village sits the 2,000-acre Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, with 8 miles of hiking trails that wind through wind-sculpted pines and wildflowers. It was established to protect the nation’s rarest pine tree, the Pinus torreyan.

One of the reserve’s trails leads directly to Torrey Pines State Beach, which spans 4.5 miles from Del Mar to the cliffs at Torrey Pines Mesa. It’s a great place for swimming and fishing. You can also catch amazing ocean views via a hang glider or paraglider. The nearby Torrey Pines Gliderport (2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive) offers flights (including tandem) daily.

Adjacent Black’s Beach is a remote, 2-mile strip known for great surfing— and nude sunbathing (“not officially sanctioned”).

Nearby, Torrey Pines Golf Course gives golfers the ultimate indulgence: two public courses with stunning views of the cliffs and ocean. It’s also the site of the PGA Tour’s annual Farmers Insurance Open.

The area east of La Jolla Village is known as the Golden Triangle (or University Town Center, aka UTC). Find upscale hotels, dining and a shopping district flanked by Westfield UTC, an outdoor mall with a Tesla showroom; plus shops such as Hermès, Pandora and Gorjana