“Do I need a car in La Jolla?”My answer to this frequent question is always the same.
“It depends.”
If you are going to stay in a hotel in the village and want to shop, dine, drink, hang out at The Cove, visit the seals at the Children’s Pool, enjoy the view, and maybe visit the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art – then “no” – these are all easily done on foot.
If you want to surf, kayak, walk, or swim at La Jolla Shores Beach and are willing to walk a mile – then you still don’t need a car.
However, Torrey Pines Golf Course, Torrey Pines State Park, the Gliderport, La Jolla Playhouse, UCSD, and Birch Aquarium are all beyond comfortable walking distance for the majority of people.
Having said that, the #30 MTS bus will take you from the corner of Herschel and Silverado streets in the village to La Jolla Shores and all of the places listed above except Torrey Pines Golf Course, Torrey Pines State Park, and the Gliderport. The fare is $4.50 round-trip (half price for seniors). A day pass costs $5.
To get to Torrey Pines Golf Course, Torrey Pines State Park, and the Gliderport, you start out on the #30 and change at the VA Hospital to the NCTD BREEZE route 101.
All the info is on the remarkably useful Metropolitan Transit System website. Click here for details of the #30 line.
Alternatively, you can take a guided bike tour or rent a bike from Hike Bike Kayak in La Jolla Shores
If biking and buses aren’t your thing, and you want to venture outside the village, then you’ll be glad to know that there’s an Enterprise Car Rental on Virginia Way at Torrey Pines Road and an AVIS rental office on Torrey Pines Road – in addition to lots of others located near the San Diego Airport.
If you decide to stay in another area of San Diego and visit La Jolla for a day, be sure to check with Tour Guide Tim. He'll be more than happy to show you the sights.
