#1 La Jolla Cove

The best snorkeling in San Diego is at La Jolla Cove! Located about 15 miles north of downtown on the west end of the 6,000-acre protected marine sanctuary. La Jolla Cove is accessible from a small beach at the base of the sea cliffs. Head straight out from the steps, and you will find an underwater paradise. Clear waters filled with hundreds of bright orange Garibaldi, the California state ocean fish. Sea lions lounge on nearby rocks and will often join snorkelers to frolic in the waves.

#2 Snorkeling The Seven Sea Caves

Enormous sea caves line the majestic sandstone cliffs to the east of La Jolla Cove. Dotting the cliffs are hundreds of black cormorants, a fishing bird that can dive to over 40 meters. The shallow waters in front of the caves are a popular cleaning station site for local fish. It’s easy to find dozens of orange señoritas busy grooming the local kelp bass and mackerel. Snorkel north and the red kelp covered rocks will give way to a sandy ocean floor. These sand flats are a favorite spot for halibut and electric rays.

#3 Turtle Town

Turtle Town may be San Diego’s best-kept secret. This area, located in the center of the marine sanctuary, is quite challenging to find and access. But if you love sea turtles this is your spot! At ocean depths of less than 10 meters, the turtles glide through the green and red kelp plants. La Jolla is home to full-grown adult turtles as well as juveniles. Most of the year this area is also a fantastic location to see lots of colorful fish.

#4 Marine Room Beach

The Marine Room beach sits on the eastern edge of the La Jolla Ecological Reserve south of La Jolla Shores. Here, only feet from the shore, you can find hundreds of beautiful leopard sharks. It’s also common to see the flat guitarfish laying along this sandy bottom. When snorkeling south along the seawall, the sandy bottom becomes seagrass covered rock. Here, hiding below the rocky reef, are hundreds of red California spiny lobster. Careful, moray eels also love these rocky formations.

#5 Boomers Kelp Beds

Just southwest of the La Jolla Cove is the cliffs overlooking an area known as the Boomers kelp beds. About 100 meters offshore the thick kelp grows along jagged underwater walls. This is a great place to spot the baby harbor seals. Just below the surface look for hundreds of small, silver top smelt and sardines. Gray whales, migrating between Canada and Mexico, are often spotted to the west of Boomers.

#6 Devil’s Slide Reef

Devil’s Slide is in the far corner of La Jolla’s protected Marine area. This area, situated at the base of the sea cliffs, is difficult to access for the average snorkeler. These shallow waters are home to thousands of fish including zebra perch and anchovies. Spotted horn sharks both mate and birth along the underwater rock structures. Look into the cracks to find colorful octopus, anemones, and even nudibranchs.

#7 La Jolla Shores

Just south of Scripps Pier is Kellogg Park and La Jolla Shores Beach. The best snorkeling is about 30 meters out from this beach. The sandy ocean floor is a great place to see small stingrays as well as black bat rays. Be careful where you step. If you head to the west you will cross the sand dollar beds with thousands of sand dollars. It’s also common to see sand crabs, hermit crabs and sea snails hiding in this area.

Bonus Site: Seven Central

Located between La Jolla Shores and the Cove is Seven Central. The epicenter for sharks in San Diego! A large area with ocean depths ranging between 5 meters and 25 meters. This is where you can find the big sharks! Spring and early summer mean the arrival of sevengill sharks. The Summer and autumn months bring schooling tope sharks. If its a good day, blue sharks! Snorkeling and freediving are the easiest way to access Seven Central.