By the end of this summer, some parts of La Jolla’s coastline could look noticeably different, especially Whale View Point.
Two coastal projects are underway, with completion expected by the end of May. A third is scheduled to be completed by fall.
Palm trees at Whale View Point in La Jolla are pictured before a trimming project May 18. (Brenda Fake)
Whale View Point stretches along Coast Boulevard between the 200 block and the northern end of the Wedding Bowl near Cuvier Street.
On May 18, crews were onsite to trim the tops of palm trees and help open up ocean views.
Palm trees at Whale View Point are seen after getting trimmed. (Brenda Fake)
The next day, work began on a project to install natural-looking wooden posts connected by metal chains between the sidewalk and the bluffs to encourage pedestrians to stay off the cliffs and use beach access stairs.
The plans are being shepherded by the La Jolla Coastal Conservancy, working with the city of San Diego and the La Jolla Parks & Beaches board.
More than a decade ago, stake-and-rope barriers were installed as what was intended to be a temporary measure. The new post-and-chain barriers are more consistent with others in the area and are intended to improve aesthetics.
The project to create and install the new posts was privately funded.
Another project in the area — to repair, clean and install precast concrete pavers on the approximately 100-year-old beach access stairs in the 400 block of Coast Boulevard — is on track for a July start.
The stairs are in the La Jolla Park Coastal Historic District, which also encompasses places such as La Jolla Cove, the Children’s Pool, the Casa de Mañana retirement community and the Red Roost and Red Rest cottages.
“The stairs are a contributing feature to the La Jolla Park Coastal Historic District and they’ve been part of how people experience this stretch of coastline for decades,” said project leader and Parks & Beaches member Seonaid McArthur. “They are particularly used because it is a safe way to get to the flat rocks and popular tide pools.”
Plans to repair the stairway have been in the works since 2024, but last year the city determined that a costly and time-consuming coastal development permit would be required to complete the work because the stairs are within 50 feet of a coastal bluff. Thus, the start of the project is not expected until this summer.
To protect the stairs but make them safer and more comfortable to use, sand will be cleared from the stairway and slurry will be applied to smooth the surface. The precast pavers will be made offsite and then adhered to the existing steps.
An additional project by the La Jolla Coastal Conservancy is expected to be completed by the end of this month, but in a different area.
At one end of Coast Walk Trail, near The Cave Store in the 1300 block of Coast Boulevard, a “Leave a Legacy” wall showcases plaques paid for by donors who have contributed to Friends of Coast Walk Trail. Friends President Brenda Fake said coastal winds, sprinklers and other factors have led to degeneration of the wall.
Thus, a project to fully renovate the wall will remove and later reinstall the plaques, demolish the current fence and install a new structure.
The La Jolla Coastal Conservancy formed in 2025, inspired by the public/private collaboration between the city and Friends of Coast Walk Trail. It aims to provide a mechanism for private entities to conduct repairs on city land by using a right-of-entry permit rather than starting from scratch for each project.
The conservancy has a three-year right-of-entry permit with an option for a two-year renewal. The group drafted a list of projects it said could be done immediately under the permit, including repairs to belvederes, or gazebos, in La Jolla parks and fixing various beach access stairs that have been closed because of safety concerns. ♦