Snorkel Spots Between LA & San Diego

I'm doing a little mini SCUBA trip to San Diego to dive the Yukon and Ruby. Then I'm heading to Long Beach to dive Santa Barbara Island on The Great Escape.

I thought it might be fun to hit a snorkel somewhere on my way from San Diego to Long Beach. I was thinking about checking out La Jolla. Is it a nature preserve? Is it appropriate for some quick free diving?

I'd do a shore dive; but I'll be without a buddy, and I just want to check out the spot for future reference and to see if it would be worth it to teach my son to free dive there.

Hi Eric,

I've snorkeled with my son at La Jolla Cove. That's about the nicest mainland snorkeling spot I know of anywhere between L.A. and San Diego. My next pick after that would probably be the Laguna/Crystal Cove/Little Corona area.

Re SBI ... it can also be fun to freedive with the sea lions there. You can be more maneuverable than if you have a scuba kit on. But I wouldn't freedive while offgassing from a prior scuba dive on a given day. Have fun, and be safe if you're snorkeling by yourself!

The Cove at La Jolla has been a calm flat aquarium lately. On a nice day, you can't beat the snorkeling there. We are also starting to see lepard sharks over at the marine room although not nearly as many as we see later in June in and July.