Wipeout Beach(Big Rock)

Located along the La Jolla coastline, Wipeout Beach is a long rock-and-sand beach. This beach is situated below steep oceanfront bluffs. During winter storms, a lot of the sand in Wipeout Beach is blown away, turning it into a mostly rocky beach with very few sandy parts.  Wipeout Beach allows dogs on a leash before 9 am and after 6 pm between April and October. Between November and March, dogs are allowed on a leash before 9 am and after 4 pm. 

Wipeout Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities. However, many amenities including a lifeguard tower, showers, and restrooms are present near this beach at 834 Coast Boulevard (which is a short walk away from the access point for Wipeout Beach).  

Wipeout Beach offers many fun activities including beachcombing, sunbathing, tide-pooling, wildlife watching, scuba diving, and boating. The water near this beach is unsafe for aquatic recreational activities including swimming and surfing as the water here has strong waves and dangerous currents. In addition, the rocky shoreline around this beach can inflict grave injuries.  However, despite the rough water conditions, many scuba divers often dive into the water near this beach in order to explore its vibrant underwater biodiversity. Scuba divers can see many kinds of fish here including bat rays, guitarfish, perch, and halibut. You can also see many marine mammals in the water near Wipeout Beach including seals, sea lions, and migrating grey whales (usually between December and April). There are some interesting sea caves along the Wipeout Beach shoreline which you can explore during low tide. However, we recommend being careful while exploring these caves as they are often filled with seaweed and junk. In addition, we strongly recommend exploring these sea caves strictly during low tide as the access to these caves can get flooded during high tides or by incoming waves, leaving you trapped here. The blufftop area above Wipeout Beach offers a magnificent Instagram-worthy view of the Pacific Ocean and the San Diego County shoreline, particularly during sunsets. 

Getting to Wipeout Beach is easy - the access point to the beach is located near 745 Coast Boulevard. Street parking is available near this beach, along with some paid parking lots. We recommend visiting this beach wearing appropriate footwear as you need to scramble along steep and rocky bluff sides in order to get to Wipeout Beach’s sandy parts. We also recommend visiting this beach early as the parking spaces near this beach often fill up quickly.

There are many attractions near Wipeout Beach. If you like theater, La Jolla Playhouse is situated on the campus of the University of California San Diego and frequently hosts interesting plays and musicals, some of which have also been awarded the prestigious Tony Award. Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial is a somber memorial dedicated to the lives of brave men and women who fought for the United States of America from the American Revolutionary War to the present day. This memorial has more than 5,000 granite plaques honoring these courageous veterans and also offers magnificent views of the San Diego County shoreline. If you are looking for another attraction near Wipeout Beach, The Stuart Collection is a collection of 20 public art displays on the campus of the University of California San Diego which features works by reputed artists including Terry Allen, Michael Asher, and Barbara Kruger.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Wipeout Beach. The Marine Room is an upscale restaurant that offers a memorable oceanfront dining experience and serves amazing seafood. This restaurant has been praised by many prestigious publications including the MICHELIN Guide and AFAR.  Richard Walker’s Pancake House is a family-friendly restaurant that offers excellent breakfast dishes including omelets, eggs benedict, pancakes, bacon, and sausages. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Wipeout Beach, the modestly priced Girard Gourmet serves outstanding sandwiches, salads, quiche, and pasta. In addition, this restaurant also offers delicious desserts including cookies, cakes, tarts, pies, and muffins.

If you are looking for a hotel near Wipeout Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 5-Star The Lodge at Torrey Pines offers many amenities including two restaurants, a pool, a hot tub, a spa, and a golf course. As another upscale option, the 4-Star Hyatt Regency La Jolla At Aventine offers many amenities including a pool, a gym, tennis and basketball courts, three restaurants, and access to a spa (for a fee). A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Sheraton La Jolla Hotel which offers many amenities including two restaurants, a pool, and an exercise room. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Wipeout Beach, the 2-Star Casa De La Playa is located conveniently close to some of the major landmarks in La Jolla. In addition, this hotel also has a spa and a barbecue.