Children’s Pool

What I hate about this place are the humans. And let me tell you my experience that led to this. The sand area was empty with the exception for 2 people just taking videos, however, we were within the area behind the ropes that are clearly meant to give distance for the seals (Tip, you can’t get to the rails from this way, or you can hop it like me if nobody is in your way).
I got to the railing edge and started just looking, took videos and pictures here and there. I enjoyed watching the seals, they would be in the water and a wave would hit them and they would scurry back like they were scared of it. Saw some stretch and saw some scratching themselves with their flippers. This was the part I enjoyed.
A lot of people were on their phones literally 24/​7, it;s sad to see what technology has done. Don’t get me wrong I was on my phone to take videos but you got to sometimes put it down and enjoy nature with your own two eyes.
Then hell started coming in the form of humans. As I said earlier the ropes are there to prevent you from getting close and disturbing the seals. But hey fuck it, who cares right? It was amazing, I was there for only 30 minutes, and even though nobody had entered when I arrived, within those 30 minutes, I saw people of all races and age just waltzing through and video recording the seals.
It was clear that when these people were approaching the seals (QUICKLY even), the seals seemed perturbed and moved closer to the waters, turning their heads back to check on them. Although many of them weren’t bothered at all, you still have to give space to the pups, who may be relatively new to human experience. Not to mention that the railing area is already super close to the seals and you have an aerial vision of them.
TLDR: humans = scum. Seals and ocean view = cool

This place is a must when coming to San Diego. I couldn’t believe how close we were to the seals. There are several awesome photo spots.

We were able to get so close to the seals!!! It was a really cool experience! However I do feel a bit bad for the seas because there was a crowd of people & some even went as far as to petting it! Be careful because some do try to bite if you get into their personal space, but who could blame them. This place is a must for visitors! My friend & I even discovered a cave! Amazing!

Beautiful scenery! The children loved being able to see the seals up close with remembering to give them their space. What a great experience!

What a treat this place is. Minutes away from center of town. We walked along the ocean and were feet away from seal pups. The ocean is littered with seals and the setting is something off of a postcard from hundreds of years ago. It’s great that places like this still exist without animals in captivity. A must see!!!

This is a must see for visitors to La Jolla. It’s been an ongoing battle between the citizens who want to use this beach and the ones who want to protect the seals who use it as a safe harbor. I tend to be in favor of the seals myself. Many seals lounging on the beach, swimming or playing and in pupping season lots of babies to coo over.
There are often ropes up to protect the seals but don’t be surprised to see at least one jump over so they can get closer, never mind that they are wild animals.
Parking can be a trick but if you don’t mind walking, drive a bit farther up the street away from the pool and most times there will be space available. Remember it’s one hour close by and while I don’t generally see law enforcement, you just never know.
The sea wall that goes around to protect the beach can be walked on but use good sense. If the waves are high, they can come right over the railing and people have been washed away.

From a tourist’s perspective I was so giddy when I discovered all the seals sun bathing. They were all so adorable and could not contain my squeeks and awwwww’s. Not busy (Friday 3pm). It is a little smelly so be ready for that, still 5 stars to me though!

There’s a whole story behind the Children’s Pool… I’ll spare you the boring details and all the time people have spent in court over it. I’ll just talk about the beauty of it.
This is the main area for seals to congregate. You’ll see them playing, swimming, but mostly lounging. I would do that too if I was a seal!
The ropes are up to keep people a certain amount of distance from the animals but there’s always that ONE person who needs to have a selfie with them. Ugh. Let them be. It’s nature… they were here way before us!
Parking is only one hour here, so watch your time… or watch the ticket on your windshield!

I had read about the wonderful Children’s pool. When we got there I was sadden to see it roped off. Claiming that there was high counts of bacterial matter. After having a bad reaction to another beach with high bacteria. I stayed far away. Many people still walked under the ropes and set up shop on the beach. Entire families with their little kids were swimming and snorkeling gin the water. It looked nice, but not worth the risk. They city appears to be building bathrooms and showers at the beach. It’s hard to tell as it’s all under construction. The wall is nice and really calms the waves, but it also doesn’t let bacteria to leave the manmade cove.
I read in Wikipedia the following: In September 1997 the city closed Children’s Pool to swimming because of «continuously high fecal coliform counts». The high bacterial count was later confirmed to be caused by «a seal excrement overload».
Soon as the fix their bacteria problem I’ll give them 5 stars. It’s a wonderful place. Just not safe to enter.

Children’s Pool is pretty much another small beach located in La Jolla/​San Diego County except for the fact that it is basically a small playground for kids. There really isn’t too much room to play around in, and so if you are with a big party, be prepared to share some wiggle room.
When we got here, we noticed that there were some parts of the Pool that were blocked off. Just follow the pathways and you can definitely find stairs to go down. The main Pool really isn’t that big, but there is sand and rocks a plenty if you just want a quick beach trip. There’s this walkway that you can climb onto to get a great view of the water, but it isn’t that spectacular.
When we were about to leave, my friend suggested that we continue exploring. We listened to him, and out of nowhere we saw this really cute seal just relaxing next to a rock. We knew that seals loved to hang around this beach, but we didn’t spot one until the end. We climbed through bars and tape and eventually stood right above the seal. Though this is probably a rarity, it made the trip to Children’s Pool worth it.
In the end, there are definitely better places to go if you want water and sand. However, just the thought of seeing a cute seal is probably enough.
Have fun and prosper,

We went too late to catch the seals, but the beach was beautiful! I think it may be a new favorite.

You see tons of seals 12 feet away and the plus is the splashing of waves in you in the walkway! A must in la jolla!!!

I’ve got mixed feelings about this one. People were here first, then the seals came, then the people came back and kicked them out, and now the people try to fix the mess in saying we’re «sharing» the beach. Seal controversy aside, the children’s pool is part of a beautiful beachside walk of cliffside views, waves crashing into rocks, grassy parks, events, snorkeling, kayaking, and more. They are even building a new life guard tower here to ensure safety of anyone who enters the water. However, with the seals coming here during the winter seasons, and a wall barrier preventing waves from crashing, I wouldn’t swim here at all. Bacteria and fecal matter must be everywhere! During the summer, I never really saw any seals laying on the beach tho, so your children will be alright.
Anyways, of the 10 000 000+ beaches we’ve claimed along the coast, I think we can avoid taking this small patch of sand and swim elsewhere.

So cool — a must see when in the area!
Get up close to seals. We saw probably over 50 seals including babies! This beach was originally constructed with a wall to close it off for children to swim but it is now roped off for the seals to enjoy. There was some construction while we were there but with a little hop you can walk up on the wall and look at the spectacular view of the ocean or in towards the seals! The drive along the coast is so beautiful as well. Take your time!

What fun!
You can get very close to the harbor seals and sea lions here. Like, close enough to touch them. But, warning — do not bother these darling creatures! Their claws are the size of kitchen knives.
So, you have a couple of options. You can remain upstairs and get a panoramic view of the area. You’re sure to see lots of seals, pelicans and squirrels on the cliffs near the beach, where the seal congregate to rest.
For a closer look, take the stairs down to the opposite side of the beach and walk around to the tide pools, which are home to tons of shellfish. Note: I did not see wheelchair or stroller access there.
History lesson: The name Children’s Pools dates back decades ago when the barrier wall was build to break up the waves, providing a safe place for children to swim in the ocean.
Also, while there is street parking, there is no structure for parking in the vicinity. Expect to drive around for a bit, or park blocks away.

Great place to see the sea lions and their babies and relax with the fresh ocean breeze and breathtaking views. Knocked off one star for the beach being closed off so kids can’t actually go down to the sand and water.

One of the reasons I love visiting La Jolla Cove to see all the seals laying on this beach. There’s not as many of them when I visited a couple years ago over summer. But there’s a lot of cute baby seals with their mothers.
The sea wall is currently under construction right now. Before you could walk along the railing of this wall and get a more up close view of them. The wall was first built to protect the shore from strong waves making it a safe spot for children to swim around in.
But now with the seals taking over the beach there’s been a lot of controversy on the news on whether to make this a sanctuary for them. And not to mention stupid people messing with the seals and harassing them has caused stricter rules. I don’t think you’re even allowed to go down to the beach at all anymore but just observe from above.
Still a great tourist attraction to visit here in SD.

I came her as a child so many times and finally returned today. It was so pretty! The seals are just relaxing in their natural state, that is so much nicer than seeing them in an aquarium. Plenty of viewing area far enough away so we don’t disturb them. To be a seal living in la jolla is a pretty awesome life I think. :)

This is a great place to visit if you’re in the San Diego area.
I’ve seen videos of kids playing in the water but I do not think this is allowed anymore. It is completely fenced off and it probably isn’t wise to get near the seals anyway.
It has turned into a seal watching place and not much more. For some, this may not be an exciting place. For me, I can watch the seals all day long and not get bored. I loved this place and so did the kids.

The Children’s Pool in stunningly gorgeous La Jolla is a small beach enclosed by a partial sea wall. The sea wall was originally built for children to have a small, shallow and protected area of the ocean to swim in. This was a great idea and apparently seals and sea lions could see the appeal and eventually took over the Children’s Pool. What this means for you is that you can go here and spend some time observing these cute animals in a natural habitat. So cool!
My daughter squealed with delight while watching them (who am I kidding… so did I) and laughed and laughed at them when they moved because they have no legs and have to basically just flop around to get where they want to go. It was a real treat to be able to do that and something we will never forget. It’s a definite must do if you’re in San Diego!
While we were there we did see some people get way too close to the seals. One mommy seal was barking at them because she had some babies that she was protecting and you could see that she was afraid the tourists who were getting too close would harm her babies. PLEASE don’t be an asshole and respect these animals by keeping a safe distance. There are plenty of great viewing spots without having to get too close.