La Jolla

 

La Jolla, CA is a world renowned resort community nestled into an outcropping of coastline in San Diego's northern city limit. Bordered by Pacific Beach on the south, La Jolla stretches along the shore of the Pacific Ocean to the north, including Torrey Pines State Reserve, ending in Del Mar. The coastline exhibits a mixture of sandy beaches and rocky cliffs. The later is said to lend its name to La Jolla. A Native American word "Woholle," literally meaning "hole in the mountain," was given in reference to the many caves in the cliffs along the shoreline. The more glamorous thought on the origin of the name comes from the Spanish word "la joya" meaning "The Jewel." The downtown "Village" area is renowned for its restaurants, jewelry shops and architecturally preserved hotels.

 

Bird Rock

 

Bird Rock is at the southern end of La Jolla and bridges La Jolla to the community known as Pacific Beach. Named after the large rock which sits in the surf-break, and is perch to many species of birds, Bird Rock is currently at the tail-end of a three year redevelopment project on the main strip of La Jolla Blvd. This is considered the business district and is home to many shops and restaurants. Bird Rock's development began to take shape in the 50's with cottage style homes being built. Some of those cottages still remain; though the trend toward bigger and better arose in the late 80's. The living areas are split, east and west of La Jolla Blvd., with the pricier west side home to more single and or older couples, and east of the Blvd. being comprised of mostly young families with children.

 

Lower Hermosa

 

Lower Hermosa is widely considered Southern California's "Gold Coast," and one of the most coveted communities in La Jolla. This is an exclusively residential area with wide palm lined streets and large lots. Of the approximately 500 homes in this area there are a few situated on Camino de la Costa "The Street of Dreams," which runs parallel with the coast.

 

Beach-barber Tract

 

In the early 20's, heir to a steamship fortune, Phillip Barber fell in love with the area, and bought a large piece of land just south of The Village. He then sold off parcels of land with architecturally significant homes already built on them. To this day the individual style of the community has remained. On the south end of the Beach-Barber Tract is Windansea Beach, named after the hotel destroyed by fire in the 40's. Windansea Beach was later made popular by the line "All over La Jolla." in the famous song 'Surfin' USA,' by The Beach Boys.

 

La Jolla Shores

 

La Jolla Shores is easily the longest flattest stretch of beach in La Jolla, and therefore the most popular. The entire beach is lined with mature palm trees. The "Shores" area was subdivided in the early 1900's with no large subdivisions and the majority of the homes are custom. There are 22 homes on the sand here. The business area consists of small shops, restaurants and businesses along Avenida del la Playa. The Scripps Institute of Oceanography and Scripps Pier sit at the north end of the beach.

 

La Jolla Farms

 

The northernmost residential area in La Jolla is the "Farms," bordered to the north by the Torrey Pines Golf Course and State Reserve and to the east by UCSD. The golf course hosts the annual Buick Invitational and is one of just a few public courses on the PGA Tour. La Jolla Farms originally had an equestrian feel to it with most of the homes built in the ranch style on the sandstone bluffs overlooking Blacks Beach. This area is home to some of the most exclusive homes in the world. The beach is well known because of the great surf, seclusion and clothing optional attitude.