Located just 15 minutes from downtown San Diego and occupying 7 miles of undulating coastline along the Pacific Ocean, La Jolla is home to some of the most beloved beaches in Southern California. Alternating between rugged cliffs that are home to wild seal congregations and tranquil sheltered sandy beaches, they have names like Windansea Beach, Wipeout Beach, Children's Pool Beach, Black's Beach and La Jolla Shores. The city enjoys a very mild climate, the average temperature being 70.5 °F.

In addition to many fine restaurants, historic hotels and lively shopping venues, La Jolla is home to renowned cultural institutions, including Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Stephen Birch Aquarium & Museum. The La Jolla branch of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, which was founded in 1941, sits near the waterfront in the original 1915 residence of philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps. La Jolla is home to Torrey Pines Golf Course, site each year of a spring PGA Tour.