Moving to La Jolla, California

Moving to La Jolla, California? Lucky you! With its gorgeous ocean vistas and endless entertainment, La Jolla attracts golfers, beach bums, and everyone in between to its shores. No matter where you come from, there is something for you in this spectacular resort community of just under 43,000 people. 

Location and boundaries

La Jolla sits on the Southern California coast about 13 miles northwest of downtown San Diego. Tijuana, Mexico is a half-hour drive from La Jolla. Getting to Los Angeles from La Jolla takes around two hours--three hours with heavy traffic. Since it is part of the city of San Diego, La Jolla has no official boundaries. According to the City of San Diego web site, La Jolla's northern border is the University of California at San Diego. Its eastern and southern boundaries are Gilman Drive and Pacific Beach, respectively. Its western boundary is, of course, the Pacific Ocean.

Local government

Since it is technically part of San Diego, La Jolla does not have a city council. The La Jolla Community Planning Association represents the community's interests before a number of governing bodies, including the San Diego City Council and the city's Planning Commission.  The La Jolla Town Council is a volunteer organization that represents La Jolla's business community.

Geography

A golfer's dream, La Jolla sits on the Pacific just northwest of San Diego. Rocky and sandy beaches skirt this resort town. Sloping hills define much of the area's landscape, as do tall ocean bluffs, cave-spotted hills, and steep canyons. Mount Soledad, which offers breathtaking views of the Pacific and downtown San Diego, sits within La Jolla's boundaries.

Climate

Temperate and dry, La Jolla enjoys average daytime temperatures that linger between 60 and 80 degrees  year round. The average temperature in January here is 61 degrees in the day and 50 degrees at night. July averages 75 degrees in the day and 64 degrees at night. The brisk Pacific ocean temperature ranges between 56 and 68 degrees. 

Demographics

It started out as a cluster of seaside cottages, but is now a major resort community. Those who live here are typically well educated. 67% of the residents have a bachelor's degree or higher. The median household annual income is $80,901. 74% of owner-occupied houses have a price tag of more than $500,000.

Education

La Jolla abounds with educational institutions. UCSD (University of California, San Diego) sits at its doorstep and houses the Scripps Institute of Oceanography as well as the San Diego Supercomputer Center. A major research center,  La Jolla is also home to the Burnham Institute, the Salk Institute, and the Scripps Research Institute. The community has a few prep schools, including The Preuss School of UCSD and La Jolla Country Day School. La Jolla High School is the community's sole public high school. Delphi Academy, Integral Elementary School of La Jolla, and Bird Rock Elementary are among La Jolla's private and public elementary schools.

Things to do

A drive up the narrow roads leads you up Mount Soledad, atop which sits a Korean War Memorial consisting of the Mount Soledad Easter Cross. La Jolla is home to endless ocean and city vistas,  especially from Mount Soledad. The community also boasts of a number of popular swimming beaches, including Windandsea Beach, La Jolla Cove, and Children's Pool Beach. With its beaches, bike paths and hiking trails, outdoor lovers will find much to do here. La Jolla is a must-see for golfers. It is home to the Torrey Pines golf Course, which hosts the PGA Tour's annual Buick Invitational and the 2008 US open. The streets of neighborhoods like La Jolla Village and La Jolla Shores are lined with shops and restaurants.

A gem of a destination

There is a bit of confusion over how La Jolla got its name. Some say it comes from “La Joya,” which is Spanish for “jewel.” Others say it comes from “Woholle,” a Native American word for “cave.” Either way, La Jolla is a unique, visually stunning community that has something for everybody.