Activities

ACTIVITIES IN BIRD ROCK

Bird Rock is a distinct neighborhood within the community of La Jolla in the City of San Diego. Comprising the southwesterly corner of La Jolla, it has retained its unique identity separate from the rest of La Jolla to the north and Pacific Beach to the south while capturing the best of the La Jolla and southern California lifestyles.

Bird Rock is defined by its single-family neighborhoods arranged in a rectangular street grid and bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the foothills of Soledad Mountain to the east. Its southern boundary is most easily described as Turquoise Street while newcomers and longtime residents debate its northern boundary. All agree that it is at least as far north as Camino de la Costa while some argue that the "Bird Rock" state of mind extends as far north as Via del Norte (La Jolla Methodist Church).

Bird Rock is blessed with one of the best elementary schools in the San Diego Unified School District. Bird Rock Elementary School students continue their public education at Muirlands Middle School and La Jolla High School, a short drive or bike ride to the north.

Bird Rock boasts three public parks. The eponymous Bird Rock Park is shared with Bird Rock Elementary and serves as an athletic field. It also has a very nice play structure for young children. Calumet Park is the size of 3 residential lots and enjoys a spectacular location on the coastal bluff. Calumet is an open grassy area with several benches. The third park goes by many names - officially it is known as La Jolla Hermosa Park but locals know it as Rock Park or Helene Henkel Park. It is a pocket park outfitted with a gravel surface, a table, and a couple of benches, and this park affords one a spectacular view of the rocky coast to the north. There are also 5 coastal viewpoint overlooks, and stairway access to Tourmaline Beach to the south. Bird Rock is the only coastal neighborhood in La Jolla that does not enjoy a sandy swimming beach, although that doesn't bother the surfers who enjoy several breaks off the Bird Rock coastline.

The heart of Bird Rock is the merchant district which covers 3-1/2 blocks of La Jolla Boulevard from Midway Avenue to Camino de la Costa. The district is home to nearly 100 businesses, offering a wide variety of products and professional and personal services as well as restaurants. Bird Rock has a reputation as a restaurant row with offerings to satisfy every palate and budget, from casual snacks to elegant old-world dining. The merchant district underwent a major transformation in 2008 as the four-lane boulevard was converted to a landscaped two-lane road with diagonal parking. The transformation made the district pedestrian-friendly and an inviting place to stroll, enjoy a cup of coffee, and dine al fresco.

Bird Rock has a strong tradition of active residents and merchants and friendly neighbors who support community events throughout the year - among these are the Tour of Bird Rock Homes in January, the Beaumont Avenue Fourth of July Parade, the Community Picnic in August, Halloween Window Painting in October, and much more.