Visiting Sunny Jim Cave and Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
I’ve been exploring Southern California since I was a teenager and one of my earliest resources was a guidebook suggesting fun day trips in LA, Orange and San Diego counties. I have no recollection of its title or author but it was a prized possession and I used it to discover a number of fascinating places. Except for one. As soon as I read about La Jolla’s Sunny Jim Cave I made a beeline to visit it but this was the era before GPS and smart phones and try as I might I could not find it. The years went by and the cave remained elusive to me…until this summer. One day I found myself in the area and decided, come hell or high water, I would finally go spelunking.
Ok, spelunking is a strong word as the cave is pretty small. It’s actually a sea cave carved from thousands of years worth of waves hitting the area cliffs. To gain access you enter the The Cave Store perched above La Jolla Cove and, after paying admission, descend 145 steps to the opening below.
The tunnel was carved by Chinese laborer’s in the early 20th century and has been operating as a tourist attraction since 1905. in those days there were no stairs, lights or handrails but things have improved in the century since. Today, there’s plenty of light and, although the passage is narrow, it’s an easy trip down. And once down…
it’s pretty incredible. From the darkness of the cave is a stunning view of the beautiful La Jolla Cove and as you stand and take in the scenery the waves crash against the rocks below and the sea spray mists over you. It’s a wonderful, unique experience that’s is well worth the price of admission.
It was an awesome feeling to finally cross Sunny Jim Cave off my must visit list but, as excursions are limited to 20 minutes, I still had much of my day left. Deciding the stick with a seaside theme I headed to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve for a leisurely hike.
The reserve joined the state park system in 1959 but the area had been used for leisurely pursuits for several years prior. In fact, the Torrey Pines Lodge was erected in 1923 and the area was a popular tourist attraction in the pre-war years. Today the building serves as the park’s visitor’s center but during my visit it was closed due to the pandemic.
I was a bit disappointed that it was closed but with such natural beauty surrounding me I soon got over it. There are several trails that meander through the park and I decided to embark on the Razor Point Trail which provides various views of coastal sage, sandstone formations, the namesake trees and, of course, the mighty Pacific.
I couldn’t have picked a better day to visit and through every twist and turn of the path I was rewarded with the most extraordinary views.
Between Sunny Jim Cave and Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve I had a wonderful day in La Jolla. Not only did I finally get to visit a place that had long eluded me but I also found myself surrounded by extraordinary natural beauty in a gem of a state park. Both places are exactly why I love to explore and while I’ll keep doing it for as long as possible.