With its dramatic coastline and spectacular views, it's no surprise that La Jolla was one of the first San Diego neighborhoods to be settled, and has since become some of the most prized real estate in the nation.

Surrounded on three sides by the sea and backed by the steep slopes of Mt. Soledad, La Jolla has a mediterranean feel and enjoys a unique microclimate which rarely drops below 50 degrees or exceeds 90 degrees.

La Jolla in Spanish means "The Jewel". It is the Jewel of America's finest city, San Diego. La Jolla is located 15 minutes from downtown San Diego. It has wonderful beaches, cultural activities and fine restaurants. La Jolla is an exquisite combination of a southern European resort atmosphere and Southern California fun. While La Jolla is known to be one of the most affluent communities in the United States, it has a down to earth feel due to the beautiful natural scenery and the helpfulness of its residents. Moreover, in addition to fine restaurants, beautiful beaches, hotels and art galleries, La Jolla is home to renowned institutions, such as the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Stephen Birch Aquarium & Museum. This is in addition to the University of California, San Diego. Furthermore, La Jolla is home to many Bio-Tech and software companies. In short, La Jolla is a great place to live in, visit, or do business.

Start with a scenic drive or stroll along Coast Blvd. At the north end, just off Prospect St., you'll find a dirt path leading to the top of Deadman's Bluff, or you can descend a tunnel in the basement of the old Curio Shop to visit Sunny Jim's Cave. Here you'll find a variety of native sea birds nesting on the cliffs and sea lions sunning on the rocks below. Next is La Jolla Cove, a protected marine sanctuary with an idyllic crescent of beach sheltered from all but the worst of winter storms. The Cove is the best place in town for a safe swim or snorkeling. Continuing south you'll pass through the grassy Scripps Park—staging area for family picnics, Fourth of July fireworks and free summer concerts. Around the corner is the Children's Pool, a man-made beach protected by a sea wall. Here, and on the rocks just offshore, you can observe the California gray seals that make the pool their home. From December to March, you'll also have a good chance of spotting California gray whales spouting just beyond the kelp beds during their annual migration from Alaska to Mexico. Finally, if you hit it on a good low tide, you can explore the tide pools at Hospital Reef, just south of the Children's Pool.

When you're finished with your tour of the coast, head one block inland and you'll find yourself back on Prospect Street. Returning north again, you'll pass the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art (858-454-3541), a popular public playground for children, and several of San Diego's most beautiful churches. Soon you'll arrive at the main business district, continuing for several blocks along Prospect and down the side streets of Fay, Girard, and Herschel. Here you'll find the romantic old-world hotels, gourmet restaurants and upscale shops for which La Jolla is famous.

But there's more to La Jolla than reefs and restaurants. Don't miss La Jolla Shores, with its family-friendly sand beaches and Stephen Birch Aquarium (858-534-3474). To the south are the world-renowned surfing beaches around Windansea and Bird Rock. To the north are Blacks Beach— where you can watch the hang gliders soar above the cliffs as nude sunbathers let it all hang out on the beach below—and Torrey Pines with its great hiking trails and world famous public golf course. Adjacent to these natural wonders are state-of-the-art high-tech businesses and research facilities centered around the burgeoning University of California, San Diego Campus. Continuing inland you'll enter the Golden Triangle region of La Jolla, an energetic and contemporary community of high-rise office buildings, high-density housing developments and high-end shopping malls.