Visitors can reach Sunny Jim Cave by descending a stairway and passing through a tunnel. The entrance to the tunnel is located inside La Jolla’s Cave Store on Coast Blvd. The cave store charges a small fee to access the Cave’s bottom, which requires descending 145 steps.
The Cave was dug into the sandstone cliff in 1902 by Chinese laborers. The tunnel was used to smuggle alcohol during prohibition. The name “Sunny Jim” was given to the Cave because the cave entrance looks like the cartoon character Sunny Jim, a promotional character for the British Forces cereal products in the 1920s.
At the bottom, you will find a platform offering a stunning ocean view and the “Sunny Jim” cave. This is the only accessible Cave in La Jolla that doesn’t require getting wet. You will need to use a kayak or boat to explore the other caves.
For a quick peek at the inside of one of the La Jolla Sea Caves, check out Sunny Jim. To check out the rest of the La Jolla Caves, consider La Jolla Kayak Tours.
La Jolla Seven Sea Caves
Did you know that La Jolla has seven fascinating sea caves? These caves have intriguing names, such as Clam’s Cave, Sunny Jim’s Cave, Arch Cave, Sea Surprise, Shopping Cart, Little Sister, and White Lady. Interestingly, these caves have been utilized for smuggling various items like alcohol and immigrants over the years.
Clam’s Cave is the only sea cave that is visible from land. You can see it from Goldfish Point while hiking along the La Jolla Bluff trail, unlike the other La Jolla caves, which can only be seen from the ocean.
Where is Sunny Jim Cave
The Cave store is located at 1325 Coast Blvd La Jolla, CA 92037, and is one of the oldest businesses in town. Parking can be hard to find near the store entrance.
“Tours are approximately 15-20 minutes long. Come prepared to descend and climb the original 144 stairs (roughly a five-minute ascent at a gentle pace). Experience a real piece of San Diego history at the Cave Store.”
How long does it take to climb back up the stairs? Especially for a person who had a bit of a disability
Just a few minutes to climb the stairs for most people