Bird Rock is nice coastal neighborhood just North of Pacific Beach in La Jolla. It's very walkable and offers several different lookout points with benches and tables where you can enjoy the ocean, coastal bluffs, and often see surfers in the distance catching some waves.
Regardless of where you start or end a walk trough this neighborhood, there's ample street parking available, making it a convenient adventure.
Read on for a guide to the top lookout points in Bird Rock.
Bird Walk Waterfront: This is located off of Sea Ridge Drive, and provides a full look at Pacific Beach, Crystal Pier, Mission Beach, and the Point Loma hills in the distance. It provides a full view of the Southern San Diego coast. There are also a few benches, as well as stairs that lead down to the water. If you take the stairs down to the water, the beach is covered in rocks and at high tide there isn't much room to walk, so be weary of that. During low tide, you can take the stairs down and walk all the way to Pacific Beach. There is often a lot of people who will surf here if the conditions allow for it, and it can be a fun to sit and watch the surfers on the waves.
Calumet Park: This is a nice grass area that has several benches and rocks that people will often sit at and enjoy the scenery on a nice day. You'll often find people having picnics here, playing with their dogs, attending a yoga session, or even getting married! It's right on the bluffs, providing plenty of views of the ocean. There are rocks you can use as steps down to the water. It's also all rocks at the bottom of the bluffs, and sometimes you'll find people getting in the water to paddle out and surf there. Overall, this park is a nice, quiet area to take in more views of the water in Bird Rock.
Midway St. Lookout: There is another view of the ocean off of Midway St. just over from Calumet Park. There is a bench here as well for taking in the view. There is a fence, so there is no coastal access from this lookout point.
Forward St. Lookout: This is another street that runs directly into the ocean and offers a bench for taking in the view. There is also a fence here, and there is no coastal access from this point. Depending on the waves, you might be able to see some people surfing over near Bird Rock from this lookout point.
Bird Rock Vista Point: This viewpoint offers another view of the water and there are benches here as well. There are also stairs leading down directly to the rocks, offering a closer view of the water. This is a place where surfers will often enter the water to paddle out towards the breaks. From this viewpoint, you can see the "Bird Rock" formation in the distance, which is how the neighborhood got its name. It is very rocky here as well, and sometimes you'll find people sitting at the rocks at the bottom of the stairs.
Moss Lane Lookout: This is a more hidden viewpoint as it's tucked away from the main street slightly. Accessible by a sidewalk nestled in between two houses, it leads to a more North facing viewpoint of the La Jolla coast. There's also a bench here if you'd like to sit to take in the view.
La Jolla Hermosa Park: This park offers benches and multiple picnic tables to enjoy the view of the ocean and the bluffs along the coast. This could be a good starting or stopping point for a walk throughout Bird Rock, and it'd also make a good spot to enjoy a takeout meal from one of the nearby restaurants.
If you'd like to see more lookout points nearby, you can continue going and see Camino De La Costa Vista Point for another view of the coast from a different angle. There are stairs here that lead down to the rocks. If you continue on, you'll come across some openings/walkways along Camino De La Costa that offer more lookouts to the ocean nestled between houses. And if you continue down this road, eventually, you'll end up at Windansea Beach in just a short time.
Walking through Bird Rock, and the adjacent La Jolla neighborhood, offers a nice, peaceful stroll where you're able to take in the views of mansions, dramatic coastlines, and the beautiful Pacific off the San Diego coast. It's definitely a pleasant way to spend a morning or afternoon if you have time and are looking to get some casual steps in!
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