La Jolla Tourist Attractions
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La Jolla (pronounced "la hoya") extends along a 7mi/11km curved strip of coastline, 14mi/22km north of Downtown San Diego (take the U.S. 5 and then the Ardath Road exit). It has rich vegetation and enjoys mild weather all the year round, but, like all places on the coast, it is plagued with mists in summer.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
The Scripps Aquarium belongs to the Institute of Oceanography founded in 1903 and an integral part of the University of California since 1912. This oldest and biggest American marine institute employs a staff of 1,000 scientists and other personnel. Its library is one of the most important of its kind. The aquarium, which has 300,000 visitors every year, portrays marine life in the coastal waters. Progress made in oceanography is displayed in 22 tanks.
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
The Salk Institute lies north of the university campus, on a canyon overlooking the Pacific. It was founded in 1960 by Dr Jonas Salk, the discoverer of the polio vaccine, and is devoted exclusively to bio-medical research. The 500 people who work there include four Nobel Prize winners who are aiming at a better understanding of cancer illnesses, birth defects, alcoholism and brain functions. The building, designed by the well-known architect Louis Kahn, must be one of the most unconventional in La Jolla.
San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art
Originally built as a villa for Ellen Browning Scripps, who contributed much to La Jolla's development, the Museum of Contemporary Art was first changed into a center for local artists in 1941, and then converted into a museum. Its extensive collections include southern Californian works of art, minimalist, pop-art, installations and other forms of modern art; there is also a department dedicated to the development of the modern chair. Temporary exhibitions are also arranged.
University of California at San Diego (UCSD)
The University of California at San Diego came into being in the year 1912. This branch of the central Californian university, with some 16,000 students, has made a name for itself in a number of spheres, especially in that of medicine. The campus is well worth a visit, mainly because of the interesting architecture of some of the newer buildings, such as the library. There are many modern sculptures to be seen on the campus.
La Jolla Playhouse
Performances at the La Jolla Playhouse take place in the Mandell Weiss Forum and Theater at the Mandell Weiss Center for the Performing Arts, located at the University of California San Diego.La Jolla Playhouse is a professional non-profit theatre. La Jolla Playhouse advances theatre as an art form and as a vital social, moral and political platform by providing creative opportunities for the leading artists of today and tomorrow.
La Valencia Hotel
The La Valencia in downtown La Jolla is an historic hotel which opened in 1926. It features views of the Pacific Ocean, and a gold and blue dome used as a lookout during World War Two.
La Jolla Village Center
La Jolla Village Center is a shopping center with 30 stores. It is located on Villa La Jolla Drive.
La Jolla Village Square
La Jolla Village Square shopping center has clothing stores, bookshops and theaters in a 400,000 square foot space.
