Excellence Luxury Villas · La Jolla
Luxury Villa Rentals in La Jolla
Sea-view villas, beach houses and apartments above the coves, caves and surf breaks of San Diego's northern shore
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Sea lions, sandstone cliffs and a very civilised village
On paper, La Jolla is a neighbourhood of San Diego. It rarely feels like one. Sea lions sleep on the rocks below the Cove, kayaks drift into sea caves cut into the sandstone, and the town above has galleries, good restaurants and a strong sense of being its own place. Science also has a home here: the Scripps Institution of Oceanography sits beside the beach, and Louis Kahn's Salk Institute looks out to the Pacific from the mesa to the north.
Our La Jolla collection runs to 39 homes. There are villas with hot tubs a short walk from the Cove, beachfront houses at La Jolla Shores, apartments and townhouses with ocean views, and larger family villas with pools in Windansea and the Muirlands, the biggest with 7 bedrooms.
Below you'll find where to stay along this short stretch of coast, what to do and when to go.
La Jolla at a glance
- Homes
- 39 villas, houses and apartments, sleeping up to 16 guests
- Guide prices
- Typically £6,100 to £13,000 a week, from around £3,600
- Best areas
- The Village and La Jolla Cove, La Jolla Shores, Windansea, Bird Rock and the slopes of Mount Soledad
- Best time
- September and October for the warmest sea; winter and early spring for grey whales offshore
- Getting there
- Direct flights from Heathrow to San Diego take around 11 hours, then it's around 25 minutes by road
Browse all 39 properties in La Jolla
Villa numbers and guide prices are updated daily from our live collection.
Villa Poente Scripps La Jolla: Luxury 6-Bedroom Beachfront Villa with Hot Tub – La Jolla6 bedrooms
House Windansea La Jolla: Luxury 5-Bedroom Villa with Seaview & Pool – La Jolla5 bedrooms
Villa Safran Cave La Jolla: Luxurious 6-Bedroom Villa with Pool & Sea View – La Jolla6 bedrooms
Villa Safran La Jolla Shores: Luxury 4-Bedroom Villa with Ocean Views & Rooftop Deck – La Jolla4 bedroomsWhere to stay in La Jolla
The Village and the Cove for restaurants and sea lions, La Jolla Shores for a gentle family beach and kayaking, Windansea for surf, and Bird Rock and the hills of Mount Soledad for quieter streets and wide views.
Galleries above, sea lions below
La Jolla's village centre runs along Prospect Street and Girard Avenue, a few blocks of galleries, boutiques and restaurants with tables looking over the water. Below it, La Jolla Cove is a small beach between cliffs where sea lions bask on the rocks, often noisily. A short stroll south, harbour seals have claimed the Children's Pool.
Sunny Jim Cave is one of the odder pleasures here. A tunnel dug by hand in the early 1900s leads down from a shop on the clifftop to a sea cave, and you take 145 steps to reach the water. The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego has its La Jolla building on the coast road, and it reopened in 2022 after a major expansion.
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A gentle beach, sea caves and a famous golf course
La Jolla Shores is the family beach: a long curve of sand with easy waves, good for a first surf lesson. Kayak tours set off from here to the sea caves under the cliffs. Snorkellers explore the protected underwater park, where harmless leopard sharks gather in the shallows in summer. Scripps Pier marks the northern end, and the Birch Aquarium sits on the hill above.
A little further north, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve protects the Torrey pine, one of the rarest pines in America, with clifftop trails above the sea. Next door is Torrey Pines Golf Course, which hosted the US Open in 2008 and again in 2021. Paragliders take off from the gliderport above Black's Beach.
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Surf breaks, tide pools and a view of everything
Windansea is La Jolla's surfing beach, with a palm-thatched shack on the sand and a reputation that Tom Wolfe made famous in The Pump House Gang. The waves are best left to experienced surfers, but the sunsets are for everyone. Bird Rock, to the south, is quieter and more residential, with coffee shops, a few good restaurants and tide pools at low water.
Behind it all rises Mount Soledad, around 250 metres high, with a veterans' memorial on the summit and views from Mexico up to Orange County on a clear day. Dr Seuss spent his last years on its slopes. The hillside streets and the Muirlands are where you'll find the larger villas with pools.
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Fish tacos, June Gloom and a golden autumn
Mexico is only a short drive south, and you can taste it everywhere, from fish tacos and ceviche at beach shacks to Baja-style seafood in the Village's smarter dining rooms. Sea urchin from local waters appears on menus, and the farmers' markets are full of avocados and citrus.
The weather is mild all year, with one local quirk: in May and June a sea mist known as June Gloom often hangs over the coast until lunchtime. September and October bring the warmest sea and the clearest days. Between December and April, grey whales pass offshore on their migration. Our concierge can book tee times at Torrey Pines, kayak tours, surf lessons and restaurant tables.
Ask our conciergeFeatured properties in La Jolla
House Torrey La Jolla: Luxury 4-Bedroom Apartment with Stunning Seaviews – La Jolla4 bedrooms · sleeps 8From £11,571 a week
Villa Safran Seal Cove La Jolla: Luxury 5-Bedroom Villa with Oceanfront Views – La Jolla5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £10,864 a week
House Torrey LaJolla: Luxury 4-Bedroom Apartment with Seaviews & Hot Tub – La Jolla4 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £10,836 a week
Villa Safran Birdrock La Jolla: Luxury 2-Bedroom Villa with Sea Views & Family-Friendly Features – La Jolla2 bedrooms · sleeps 6From £10,290 a week
Villa Poente La Jolla Shores La Jolla: Luxury 5-Bedroom Apartment with Ocean Views – La Jolla5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £9,359 a week
Villa Boreas Scripps La Jolla: 3-Bedroom Apartment with Beachfront Views – La Jolla3 bedrooms · sleeps 7From £9,219 a week
Villa Celeste La Jolla Cove La Jolla: Luxury 3-Bedroom Villa with Pool – Hot Tub & Sea Views – La Jolla3 bedrooms · sleeps 8From £9,121 a week
Villa Safran La Jolla Cove San Diego: Luxury 4-Bedroom Villa with Hot Tub & Sea Views – La Jolla4 bedrooms · sleeps 11From £9,009 a weekWhy book your home in La Jolla with Excellence Luxury Villas
The right house, not the nearest one
La Jolla's homes run from clifftop houses above the Cove to beach houses at the Shores and hillside villas on Mount Soledad, and we know which let you walk to the sand and which are better with a car. With 39 properties in La Jolla, we can usually find the house that suits you rather than the one that happens to be free. Search by size, pool, location and price, or tell us what you have in mind and we will put together a shortlist.
Book direct
You book with us directly, with no booking fees. Questions about access, parking, pool heating or how far it really is to the nearest beach go to people who can find out the answer.
A concierge who knows the territory
Tee times at Torrey Pines, guided kayak trips to the sea caves, surf lessons at La Jolla Shores, whale-watching trips, restaurant tables in the Village, car hire and transfers from San Diego airport. Our concierge team arranges all of it, leaving you free to decide which terrace to sit on.
A house for every kind of party
Couples, families with small children, three generations together or a crowd of friends celebrating a birthday: we match the house to the group, down to the number of bathrooms and whether the pool is fenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to stay in La Jolla?
Stay in the Village or near the Cove if you want to walk to restaurants and the sea lions. La Jolla Shores is easiest for families thanks to its gentle beach. Windansea suits surfers, while Bird Rock and the slopes of Mount Soledad are quieter and have wider views.
When is the best time to visit La Jolla?
La Jolla is mild all year. September and October bring the warmest sea and the clearest skies. In May and June, morning sea mist is common, and grey whales pass offshore between December and April.
Can you see the seals at the Children's Pool all year?
Yes, harbour seals stay at the Children's Pool all year. In pupping season, from mid-December to mid-May, the beach is closed to people, but you can still watch the seals and their pups from the sea wall above.
Can you arrange a private chef at a home in La Jolla?
Yes. Our concierge can arrange a private chef for a single dinner or your whole stay, along with cookery lessons, guided visits, transfers and restaurant reservations.
How much does a luxury propertie in La Jolla cost?
Across our 39 properties in La Jolla, weekly rates typically range from £6,100 to £13,000, with the most affordable from around £3,600 a week and the largest estates well above. Prices depend on the size of the property, its location and the season, with July and August the most expensive. These are guide prices based on current listings; each property page shows its own rates for your dates.
How do I get to La Jolla from the UK?
British Airways flies direct from London Heathrow to San Diego International Airport, and the flight takes around 11 hours. La Jolla is around 25 minutes north of the airport by road, and our concierge can arrange car hire or a private transfer.
Are there homes in La Jolla for large groups?
Yes. Our La Jolla collection includes properties with up to 7 bedrooms. Tell us the size of your party and the occasion, and we will send a shortlist that suits it.
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Find your home in La Jolla
39 sea-view homes in La Jolla, from the Cove to Bird Rock, with our concierge a call away