Yes, at a lifeguarded beach in the right conditions. La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Cove and the Children’s Pool have lifeguards year-round, generally from 9 a.m. to dusk. La Jolla Shores is the easy choice: a mile of sand where summer waves are usually the gentlest of any San Diego beach. The Cove has small surf in summer and is a favorite of snorkelers. Rip currents are the biggest hazard, so swim near a lifeguard, shuffle your feet against stingrays on sandy bottoms, and check sdbeachinfo.com for water quality before you go in.
Where to swim
La Jolla Shores Beach: about a mile of sand with a year-round lifeguard station; in summer its waves are usually the gentlest in San Diego.
La Jolla Cove: a small, north-facing beach with small summer surf and year-round lifeguards; visibility sometimes tops 30 feet.
Windansea Beach: not a swimming beach for most visitors: hard shore break, and no permanent lifeguard station.
Rip currents and lifeguards
San Diego Lifeguards call rip currents the most threatening hazard on the city’s coast. Ask a lifeguard where to swim and stay where you can touch bottom. If a current pulls you out, swim parallel to shore rather than against it, and float or tread water if you need to. If you see someone in trouble, alert a lifeguard or call 911 and ask for lifeguards rather than swimming out yourself.
At the major beaches the water is split into swimming and surfing zones, usually marked by a black and yellow checkered flag. For surf conditions before a dive or swim, the lifeguard beach information line is 619-221-8824.
Stingrays
Round stingrays come into the shallows when the water is warm and the swell is down, and more than 900 stings were recorded on San Diego beaches in the first half of 2026. Lifeguards ask swimmers to shuffle their feet as they walk in, which usually moves rays out of the way. If you are stung, the remedy is a hot-water soak; go to the lifeguard station.
Seals, sea lions and closures
The Children’s Pool is closed to the public during harbor seal pupping season, December 15 to May 15 each year. Its offshore reefs can also create strong currents, especially in high surf.
Point La Jolla, the rocky stretch between the Cove and Boomer Beach where sea lions haul out, is closed year-round along with Boomer Beach, except for a marked ocean-access corridor for swimming only. Never approach seals or sea lions; they can bite.
Reserve rules and water quality
La Jolla Cove sits inside the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve, and La Jolla Shores is next to it. Fishing and taking anything from the reserve is prohibited.
The County of San Diego tests beach water and posts advisories, warnings and closures at sdbeachinfo.com, updated as soon as a beach’s status changes. Water can look and smell clean and still fail state bacteria standards, so check before you swim.
Related La Jolla guides
FAQ
Which La Jolla beaches have lifeguards year-round?
La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Cove and the Children’s Pool. Lifeguards are generally on duty from 9 a.m. to dusk, with extra seasonal towers in summer.
What is the calmest beach in La Jolla for swimming?
La Jolla Shores. The City of San Diego says its summer waves are usually the gentlest of all San Diego beaches.
Can you swim at the Children’s Pool?
Not from December 15 to May 15, when it is closed for harbor seal pupping. The rest of the year, mind the reef currents in high surf.
How do I avoid stingrays in La Jolla?
Shuffle your feet as you wade in. If you are stung, soak it in hot water and see a lifeguard.
How do I check water quality before swimming in La Jolla?
Check sdbeachinfo.com, the County of San Diego’s beach status site, for advisories, warnings and closures.