Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Under $25Explore ocean science exhibits and more than 9,000 marine animals overlooking La Jolla Shores.
Transit: reachable by public transit

Photo: Nauticashades ., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Temporarily closed until March 2027 (per parks.ca.gov, checked 2026-11-02). When open, gates open at 7:15 a.m. and close at sunset.
Hike clifftop trails among the rare Torrey pines above the Pacific and take the Beach Trail down to the sand once the reserve reopens in March 2027.
12600 N. Torrey Pines Road, San Diego, CA 92037 · San Diego, CA
About 2,000 acres of coastal land in north San Diego protect the Torrey pine, the rarest pine in North America. Eight trails cross the reserve, from the 0.7-mile Guy Fleming Trail to the Beach Trail, about 3/4 mile down to Torrey Pines State Beach. The whole reserve, trails, Lodge and upper parking lots included, closed on September 22, 2026 for a utility project and is scheduled to reopen in March 2027. The state beach below stays open, with demand-based parking from $10 to $25 a car.
The closest stops to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.
Explore ocean science exhibits and more than 9,000 marine animals overlooking La Jolla Shores.
Transit: reachable by public transit
3.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions
Shop, dine and catch a movie at an open-air center beside UC San Diego and a trolley station.
4.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping
La Jolla surf school offering group, private and camp lessons for all ages at beginner-friendly La Jolla Shores.
Transit: reachable by public transit
4.6 mi awayMore like this
A small, cliff-ringed beach cove where sea lions haul out on the rocks just feet from swimmers.
Transit: reachable by public transit
5.0 mi awayMore like this
Ride the 1925 Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster and play the midway at a beachfront amusement park.
Transit: reachable by public transit
10 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions
A 1,200-acre urban park packed with Spanish Colonial architecture, gardens, and more than a dozen museums.
Transit: reachable by public transit
14 mi awayMore like this