Sunny Side Down

Exploring Sunny Jim Cave in La Jolla

Sunny Jim Cave is anything but sunny. It’s what you want in a cave—cool and dark—and it has a literary connection. It’s also the only sea cave in La Jolla that can be accessed by land. The entrance is the back door of The Cave Store, a California Historical Landmark. Behind the wood shingles of the old storefront are 145 dimly lit steps that lead down to the mouth of the cave at the shoreline.

Sunny Jim Cave got its name from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum, who thought the mouth of the cave resembled the profile of a 1920s British breakfast cereal mascot known as Sunny Jim. (Baum wrote several of his Oz novels in Coronado.) Naturally, then, the store sells Wizard of Oz memorabilia along with quirky trinkets, jewelry, and souvenirs.

Woman walking down the stairs in Sunny Jim Cave La Jolla

Sunny Jim Cave La Jolla

Sunny Jim Cave La Jolla

A group of people looking out of Sunny Jim Cave in La Jolla

A Low Ceiling sign in Sunny Jim Cave La Jolla

Sunny Jim Cave was the retirement vision of German mining engineer and painter Gustav Shultz. He wanted to access one of the La Jolla sea caves by land, and, of course, lure people to the site. So in 1902 he started digging a tunnel down to the natural sea cave. Upon finishing the tunnel a year later, Shultz set up the Sunny Jim Cave Store and charged a few pennies for the privilege of being lowered by rope into the cave. The rope has been replaced by a steep staircase. When you get down to the cave, you’ll see that this wonderful spot is highly endorsed by a colony of sea lions, who always appreciate cool spots on the coast.

Sunny Jim Cave is located at The Cave Store, 1325 Coast Blvd., La Jolla. From the I-5, exit on La Jolla Village Dr. and turn toward the ocean. Turn left on Torrey Pines Rd. for 1 mile. Turn right on Prospect Pl. for 0.2 mile; The Cave Store is on the right. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults; $7 for seniors, students, and military; $6 for kids. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

    View
  2. Hike the Oursan Trail alongside Briones Reservoir in the East Bay

    Opt for Oursan

    Hike the trail less traveled in the East Bay's Briones Regional Park. The Oursan Trail is pure serenity on a wide hiking path skirting the northern shores of Briones Reservoir.

    View
  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

    View
  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

    View
  2. Lace Up for Lacy

    Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.

    View
  3. Hiker amid trees at Oak Glen Preserve in Yucaipa Southern California

    Apple of Your Eye

    That fall feeling is definitely in the air and on display at the Oak Glen Preserve. Apple orchards and colorful leaves are a bonus, as are the apple cider donuts and slushies you can enjoy post-hike.

    View
  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

    View