La Jolla Cove, Protected cove and beach in La Jolla, US.

La Jolla Cove is a protected cove with a beach in La Jolla, California, set between sandstone cliffs that frame a narrow strip of sand. The water flows into a large underwater reserve that shelters a wide range of marine life, including colorful fish and kelp.

Point La Jolla forms the south side of the cove, and the surrounding waters lie within the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park, a marine refuge where fishing and collecting marine invertebrates are prohibited. California sea lions were first recorded hauling out here in significant numbers in 2013, after their populations rebounded under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. The City of San Diego now pursues a shared-use policy with educational signs, docents and ranger patrols.

The cove lies within the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park, an ecological reserve where fishing and collecting marine invertebrates, even seashells, are prohibited. California sea lions haul out on its beaches, cliffs and bluffs; the earliest references to them resting there in significant numbers date from 2013. The orange Garibaldi fish is unusually common in the cove.

Free on-street parking is very limited, with paid garages nearby. From the park above, steps lead to a gallery with benches and the lifeguard station, whose chalkboard is updated through the day; two steep concrete stairways continue to the sand, where rocks may block the last stretch. Outdoor showers and large restrooms with an indoor shower and changing benches stand at the top.

The orange Garibaldi fish is unusually common in the cove, and because the cove lies within the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park, all sea animals there are protected by law. Collecting marine invertebrates, even dead specimens or seashells, is prohibited.