Windansea Beach

Windansea Beach is below Neptune Place in La Jolla between Westbourne Street and Palomar Avenue. It’s mostly the site of a famous surf spot, but when the tide isn’t high this can be a decent sunbathing beach.

Like a lot of La Jolla’s beaches this one is just large enough to spread out for sunbathing. Winter storms can remove a lot of the sand here so it can be quite different between summer and winter. Windansea is an expert surfing spot, and due to rocks and strong currents, it’s not a great swimming area. However, it is still a picturesque beach with sandstone points sticking out into the surf that create little sandy pockets in several places.

A unique surf shack with a palm frond roof has graced the shore of Windansea Beach since 1947. It was originally built to provide shade for surfboards and friends watching the surfers. In 1998 it was designated as a historical landmark and it has been rebuilt several times over the years.

The name Windansea is a shortened version of “Wind-and-Sea” and comes from a hotel at this spot named Windansea that burned down in the 1940’s.

Access to Windansea Beach is via two sets of stairs that descend the steep bluff where you’ll have to scramble down off sandstone ledges if the sand is low. There are a about fifteen free parking spots above the beach by Nautilus Street and street parking spaces nearby if those are taken. A portable toilet is provided at the end of Gravilla Street and benches can be found all along the bluff above the beach.

Address

Neptune Pl & Nautilus St
La Jolla, CA 92037

Phone

619-221-8899

Other Names

Windandsea Beach, La Jolla Strand Beach, Neptune Park

Owner

City Beach

Pet Details

Leashed dogs allowed on beach before 9am and after 6pm from April-Oct. (changes to 4pm Nov.-March).

Fees

Free parking and street parking

Activities

Surfing, Sunbathing, Scuba Diving

Amenities

Lifeguards, Benches, Tide Pools, Historical Landmark, Toilet

Links

Water Temps
Tide Chart
Water Quality
Surf Report
Windansea Web Cam