Guest Nomad: Torrey Pines…Hikes, Picnics & Swimming…Oh My!

This week’s “Guest Nomad” is Colleen Lanin. Colleen is the creator and editor of TravelMamas.com, a site for parents who want to travel with children…and stay sane! She is a freelance writer and author of the upcoming book, The Travel Mamas’ Guide.

She has written articles for such magazines as Babytalk, San Diego Family, and 101 Things To Do San Diego. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two children. You can follow her on Twitter at @TravelMamas.

Colleen Lanin, a.k.a. the Travel Mama, with her daughter on the Beach Trail in 2007.

With the high cost of housing, gasoline, and even groceries, San Diego County residents like me pay what we call “the sunshine tax.” That’s the price we pay to live in a beautiful city where the weather is mild and sunny year-round.

Luckily, there are many affordable activities visitors and locals can enjoy here, such as hiking or spending a day at the beach. A perfect place for both is Torrey Pines State Beach and Reserve in La Jolla. Go here to picnic on the expansive beach and splash about in the ocean’s waves or to hike one of the reserve’s several trails.

Torrey Pines State Beach

This is my family’s favorite San Diego beach. We love its long stretch of sandy shoreline set against the beautiful backdrop of the reserve’s cliffs…and it doesn’t hurt that it’s a ten-minute drive from our house! Torrey Pines State Beach is popular with locals because of its lack of tourists.

There are no kitschy gift shops, no beachfront bars selling beer on tap, and no boardwalk bustling with tattooed college students on beach cruisers. If that’s your cup of suds, then head to Pacific Beach or Ocean Beach instead. Come here for a laid-back, family-friendly beach scene.

Be sure to bring along some drinks and snacks since there are no restaurants either. Bathrooms and outdoor showers are available.

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

The reserve is named for the rare, twisty Torrey Pine Trees, which only grow here and on a coastal island near Santa Barbara. You can also spot Yucca, Prickly Pear Cactus, and many varieties of Spring wildflowers along the trails. If you’re lucky, you may even see California Gray Whales on their migration between the Bering Sea and Mexico.

I have explored many of the reserve’s eight trails. None are overly strenuous. My favorite is Beach Trail, which descends over three-quarters of a mile from the cliff’s top to the beach. It affords gorgeous, sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.

The easiest path, Guy Fleming Trail, is a two-third mile loop. This is probably the best pick for older seniors and families with young children. Everyone, including those in wheelchairs or pushing strollers, can enjoy Discovery Trail, a short half-mile loop featuring information markers near the Torrey Pines Lodge.

Ample free parking is available along the beach but those spaces fill up quickly, especially during summer. Paid parking is $10 per vehicle, your money supports California State Parks, and it’s tax deductible. If you don’t want to hike all the way up the mountain on a paved road to reach the trails, drive and park half-way up for Guy Fleming Trail or park at the top to access the others.

No food or drink (besides water) is allowed on the trails, so plan your picnic for the beach below.

Torrey Pines Lodge

The lodge atop the hill opened originally in 1923 as a restaurant. Today, the lodge acts as a museum, visitor center and ranger station. It houses displays about the Kumeyaay Native American Indians who once lived on the land, the Torrey Pines and other local plants, and a history of the lodge itself. Stop by to pick up a free brochure about common trail plants for a natural scavenger hunt of sorts .

More Information

For additional information about hiking in San Diego County, pick up a copy of Afoot & Afield: San Diego County, a wonderful resource for those wanting to explore San Diego’s natural beauty. For more on San Diego’s beaches, check out this listing on the City of San Diego’s website.