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La Jolla Homes and Neighborhood Guide
La Jolla is a community within the City of San Diego with about seven miles of Pacific coastline, in ZIP code 92037, between Pacific Beach to the south and Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve to the north.
Location: La Jolla, CA · ZIP 92037 · Region: Coastal & Beach
Where La Jolla is
La Jolla is part of the City of San Diego, about 12 miles north of downtown. Its mailing addresses use La Jolla, CA and ZIP 92037 (plus campus codes 92092 and 92093 for UC San Diego). The City's community-plan boundary runs roughly from Pacific Beach on the south to UC San Diego on the north and Interstate 5 / Gilman Drive on the east; the U.S. Postal Service definition of 92037 is somewhat larger. La Jolla includes well-known areas such as Bird Rock, Windansea, the Village, Muirlands, La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Farms, Mount Soledad and others. Boundaries between those areas are informal and sometimes overlap.
Bird Rock
Bird Rock is the seaside neighborhood at the southern end of La Jolla, just north of Pacific Beach, on the lowest slopes of Mount Soledad. Its commercial district runs along La Jolla Boulevard, which was narrowed to two lanes with roundabouts in 2005. The shoreline is rocky with no sandy beach; offshore reefs are used for surfing. The neighborhood is named for an offshore rock once described as bird-shaped (its arch collapsed in December 2010). Pioneer developer Michael Francis Hall subdivided the area in 1906 as Bird Rock City by the Sea. Bird Rock Elementary School opened in 1951. The Bird Rock Community Council and Bird Rock Maintenance Assessment District serve the area; Calumet Park is on the coast.
La Jolla Farms
La Jolla Farms is a small residential neighborhood in northern La Jolla, west of Torrey Pines Road and UC San Diego, on the bluffs above Black's Beach (Torrey Pines State Beach and Torrey Pines City Beach). It is centered on La Jolla Farms Road and Black Gold Road, near the Salk Institute and the Torrey Pines Gliderport. In 1947 William and Ruth Black bought blufftop land and developed a thoroughbred horse ranch they named La Jolla Farms; the land was later subdivided into large residential lots. The Blacks' 1950s Pueblo Revival home at 9630 La Jolla Farms Road was sold to the UC Regents in 1967 and is now the Audrey Geisel University House, the UC San Diego chancellor's residence. Housing today is large single-family homes on large lots.
The Village
The Village of La Jolla (also called the Village) is the main commercial center, with shops, restaurants and hotels concentrated along Prospect Street and Girard Avenue, next to the ocean cliffs and La Jolla Cove. Ellen Browning Scripps Park, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (in the former Scripps residence designed by Irving Gill), Children's Pool Beach and Shell Beach are along the shoreline here. Housing around the Village includes higher-density condominiums and apartments as well as single-family homes. The La Jolla Village Merchants Association manages the Village Business Improvement District.
Windansea
Windansea is the coastal neighborhood centered on Windansea Beach, south of the Village along Neptune Place. The beachfront is generally described as extending north of Palomar Avenue and south of Westbourne Street; the City parking lot sits along Neptune Place between Nautilus and Bonair Streets. The main peak is a reef break, with other nearby breaks including Middles, Turtles, Simmons and Big Rock. The palm-frond Surf Shack at Windansea, first built in 1947, is San Diego Historical Landmark 358. Housing is mostly residential, with a few shops and eateries near La Jolla Boulevard. Streets such as Nautilus Street are useful landmarks when searching for homes near this stretch of coast.
La Jolla Shores
La Jolla Shores is the residential area and Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus along La Jolla Shores Beach, north of the Village and east up the hillside. Avenida de la Playa is a small district of shops and restaurants. Kellogg Park backs the sandy beach. Scripps Pier and Birch Aquarium at Scripps are nearby landmarks. Housing includes single-family homes, condominiums and apartments from the beachfront up the slopes.
Muirlands
Muirlands is a largely residential area on the western middle slope of Mount Soledad, inland from the Village and Windansea. It has no commercial district of its own. Housing is primarily single-family homes on winding hillside streets, many with ocean views. Muirlands Middle School, in the San Diego Unified School District, is named for the area.
Mount Soledad and La Jolla Heights
Mount Soledad is an approximately 822-foot hill on the eastern edge of La Jolla and one of the higher points in San Diego, with Pacific Beach on the southern slope and Interstate 5 to the east. The Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial sits at the summit. Soledad South covers southeastern slopes of the mountain. La Jolla Heights refers to the homes on the hills overlooking La Jolla Shores; Hidden Valley is on the lower northern slopes of Mount Soledad. Housing in these areas is primarily single-family on hillside lots.
Upper Hermosa and Beach-Barber Tract
Upper Hermosa is in southwestern La Jolla, north of Bird Rock and east of La Jolla Boulevard. Lower Hermosa is the coastal strip south of the Beach-Barber Tract. The Beach-Barber Tract is the coastal section from Windansea Beach to the Village, with a few shops and restaurants along La Jolla Boulevard. These areas are mostly residential, with a mix of older and newer single-family homes close to the coast and to La Jolla Boulevard.
Schools
La Jolla is served by the San Diego Unified School District, including Bird Rock Elementary, La Jolla Elementary, Torrey Pines Elementary, Muirlands Middle School and La Jolla High School. Private schools in the area include The Bishop's School. School assignment depends on the exact address; confirm with the district.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is La Jolla a separate city?
No. La Jolla is a community within the City of San Diego. Its mailing addresses can read La Jolla, CA, ZIP 92037, which sometimes leads people to think it is a separate city.
What neighborhoods are in La Jolla?
Commonly named areas include Bird Rock, Windansea, the Village of La Jolla, Muirlands, La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Farms, Mount Soledad / Soledad South, La Jolla Heights, Upper Hermosa and the Beach-Barber Tract. Boundaries are informal.
What ZIP code is La Jolla?
The main residential ZIP code is 92037. UC San Diego also uses 92092 and 92093.
What school district serves La Jolla?
The San Diego Unified School District, including La Jolla High School and Muirlands Middle School. Confirm assignment for a specific address with the district.
Where can I search La Jolla homes for sale?
The live MLS gallery on this page shows homes for sale in ZIP 92037, which covers La Jolla. For help with a specific street or home, call or text 805-953-6800.
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Sources:
- Wikipedia: La Jolla
- Wikipedia: Bird Rock, San Diego
- Wikipedia: Windansea Beach
- lajolla.ca: Black's Beach history
- lajolla.ca: Audrey Geisel University House
- Bird Rock Community Council FAQ
Information reviewed November 9, 2026. Boundaries, HOA details and school assignments change; verify with the HOA, the city or county and the school district before relying on them. Listings shown above are provided by Web4Realty from the MLS feed and change frequently; confirm availability and details before relying on them.