Tidepooling at Shell Beach La Jolla

 

For P's 4th birthday we told him we can do anything he wants and he chose tidepooling. My kid has a passion for the ocean and all the living critters that inhabit it. We drove to La Jolla on a very foggy day and spent a couple of hours exploring the tidepools at Shell Beach. Scroll down to see all the fun animals we spotted!

Mom tips:
1. The steps down to the beach are a little precarious. There are a lot slippery rocks to climb over in order to get to the tidepools. Watch your step!
2. Wear the right shoes. I recommend water shoes with good grip.
3. Be sure to check the tide chart for the best time to go.
4. Bring a bucket to collect and observe your finds. Make sure to put everything back before you leave the beach.

Here are some additional resources on where to go tidepooling in San Diego.

Tripadvisor
Hidden San Diego
La Jolla Mom

[See all that green stuff on the rocks? That's sea grass and it is everywhere. Watch where you step because it's very slippery.]

[If this looks familiar, it's because this is where we took those awesome octopus costume photos of Parker last October. We spotted a lot of little fish in some of the deeper pools.]

[You can find small crabs tucked in the nooks and crannies of the rocks. They're easy to spot if you sit still and let them come out of hiding.]

[Mussels!]

[P was one really happy birthday boy.]

[Snails were easiest for the kids to find and collect and they were everywhere.]

[Our most interesting find of the day were a pair of these crabs sitting in the sea grass. They look like something out of a science fiction movie. Can anyone identify the species?]

[Parker and Kaden with grandma.]

[After tidepooling, we had a feast at Noble Chef and then came back to our house to sing happy birthday to Parker. It took 4 years but he doesn't cry when we sing happy birthday anymore.]

[Congrats to us for killing it at parenting for the last 4 years. *fist bump*]