When vacationing in San Diego, you may not think of touring a cave. But the La Jolla Sea Caves are worth visiting or at least learning about while you’re visiting this popular destination in California. 

San Diego Caves

The La Jolla Caves are a group of seven unique caves carved into sandstone cliffs along the La Jolla coastline in San Diego, California. Each cave has distinct features, history, and lore.  These caves can be entered during low tide and are a popular spot in the summer months for locals. 

Find these caves between La Jolla Cove Beach and La Jolla Shores Beach, bordering the La Jolla Ecological Reserve. Use our map to get familiar with the area when planning your visit. All but Sunny Jim’s Cave are accessible only by kayaking or snorkeling, and tours are recommended for safety.

The Seven Caves of La Jolla

1. White Lady Cave – This cave is named for a local legend involving a bride swept away by the sea, whose ghost is said to haunt the cave. The cave’s entrance is said to resemble a woman in a wedding dress.

2. Little Sister Cave – Similar in resemblance to the White Lady Cave, Little Sister Cave is the smallest of the seven caves and neighbors White Lady Cave.

3. Shopping Cart Cave- Inspiration for naming this cave came from its history as a trapping site for spiny lobsters which were highly valued by local restaurants.

4. Sea Surprize Cave- Not to spoil the surprise, but the name comes from the visual appeal and sheer size, which can only be appreciated by kayaking deep into the cave.

5. Arch Cave – The award for being the largest and deepest of the seven caves goes to Arch Cave. This “two for one” cave stretches over 600 feet and contains six distinct corridors. Connected by a natural arch, this cave is best viewed from the water.

6. Clam’s Cave- This unique cave has a double-sided entrance and is named for its clam-like shape, with water flowing through both ends.

7. Sunny Jim Cave – Visit this cave if you have younger kids who are not confident swimmers or kayakers. It’s the only cave accessible by land, via a staircase from the Cave Store.

Sunny Jim Cave 

Since we like to make a point of visiting places that sport our names, we wanted to take a deeper dive into “Sunny Jim” Cave. (My husband, Jim, is always Sunny!) It’s also the easiest to explore for younger families since it doesn’t require a kayak or snorkeling. 

The author of The Wizard of Oz, Frank Baum, once remarked that the cave’s silhouette looked like Sunny Jim, the mascot of a wheat cereal called British Force which was popular in the early 1900s. During the Prohibition era, this secret sea cave  was used by bootleggers to smuggle whiskey to San Diego. Smuggling in opium and immigrants into the United States was also done through Sunny Jim’s Sea Cave. However, today it is a fun place to visit and tour. 

Interestingly enough, Sunny Jim’s Cave is La Jolla’s oldest tourist attraction. Tours began in 1905 when early visitors had to descend by rope before the staircase was installed. The cave itself is about 320 feet deep, making it the second largest of the seven La Jolla sea caves.

The cave is the only sea cave in California accessible by land through a man-made cave tunnel. Visitors start at the Cave Store, a historic souvenir shop built above the cave entrance and then descend a staircase of approximately 144–145 steps. It is the 2nd deepest sea cave and is known for its unique acoustic properties. Visitors can often hear California sea lions inside the cave. Occasionally there will also be music performances inside the sea cave. Once you reach the bottom of the cave, a view of the Pacific Ocean is seen. Sometimes sea lions and kayakers are also hanging out here.  

Road Scholar 

If you’re like us, you enjoy learning on the road! We’ve explored all 50 states and have tried to infuse lessons for our kids at every destination. As teachers, we inherently want to teach, but as parents we inherently want our kids to learn! We pick destinations where learning happens organically and doesn’t feel like a chore. San Diego Caves is the perfect spot for that!

Caving, also known as spelunking, is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems. You have to admit, there is something about exploring caves that reaches the roots of our ancestral genetic code! In fact, there are several cave systems you can explore all over America. Read about some of our favorites in Pennsylvania, Arizona and Wisconsin. The San Diego caves offer you that wild adventure that your DNA craves!

Toss a little Earth Science into your conversation as you kayak into the caves. These caves formed differently than the inland caves in Arizona. The caves in Arizona formed through chemical erosion as limestone dissolves away leaving the cavern. The La Jolla sea caves are created by mechanical weathering and erosion. Powerful ocean waves hammer away at fractures and weak zones in the sandstone, gradually enlarging these openings into caves as sediment is carried away and deposited elsewhere. 

Add in a little Space Science and talk about how the moon controls our ocean’s tides. Access to the La Jolla sea caves is highly dependent on tidal conditions. At low tide, more of the caves’ entrances are exposed, allowing for easier exploration by kayak or swimming.  See how easy it is to make little road scholars! 

Beach and Bay 

Once you’ve had your fill of cave exploration, head over to the famous La Jolla Cove Beach. This premier sandy beach in San Diego is known for its calm waters and soft sand. As a result, it’s perfect for families and paddle boarders. 

Just offshore in La Jolla Bay, lies the La Jolla Underwater Park, a marine protected area teeming with sea life. Snorkelers and scuba divers are drawn here for the chance to see various marine life including sea turtles, leopard sharks, rays, and more in the clear waters. Visitors to the La Jolla Ecological Reserve can enjoy a variety of engaging and educational activities. Snorkeling, kayaking and wildlife viewing make this an outdoor classroom centered on marine biology.

Snorkeling Tours

 Families with children aged 5 and up who can swim are welcome on guided snorkeling tours. Snorkel gear and wetsuits are provided, and after the tour, families can continue exploring on their own with the equipment until return time. 

Kayaking Tours

Even beginners can enjoy paddling through the reserve and into the La Jolla Sea Caves. Guided kayaking tours offer families the chance to see both the reserve and the caves without getting too wet. Take a guided kayaking tour with experienced tour guides for the best science field trip you can imagine with your family!

Caves can be dangerous areas! Visitors should always check tide charts before planning a trip to the caves, as strong currents and rising tides can quickly make cave entrances hazardous or inaccessible. This is why taking a La Jolla kayak tour is the best way to ensure safety and enhance the adventure with interesting facts! 

Wildlife Viewing

Want to stay dry but still enjoy all the biological diversity that San Diego offers? Walk along the shorelines near the reserve to observe sea lions, shore birds, and seals. The nearby Children’s Pool Beach is a popular spot for watching seals, especially during pupping season, though swimming is restricted there for safety and conservation reasons.

Trip Request Services

If you’re looking for a curated and unique experience, we highly recommend including the San Diego Caves and the La Jolla Ecological Park part of your itinerary to Southern California. As teachers and travel agents, we love helping people plan educational adventures that are both enriching for the mind and renewing for the soul!

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