La Jolla Shores, Black's Beach & the Seal Cove

Drop your bags at your hotel and change straight into your swim gear — the beach is calling and you don't want to waste a morning.

La Jolla Shores is where San Diego's Pacific coast is at its most generous — a long, gently curving arc of sand that eases into calm water ideal for swimming and snorkelling over the kelp beds just offshore. Spread out a towel, wade in, and let the morning pass slowly. The broad beach gives you plenty of room to find your own corner of it.

Fresh off the sand, Shoreside Bakery is a low-key, feel-good stop for a midday refuel — the kind of place that makes a simple lunch feel exactly right after a long swim.

A short drive north of La Jolla, Black's Beach sits beneath dramatic sandstone cliffs that cut it off from the crowds above. The descent to the sand is part of the experience — once down, you have a wild, wide stretch of Pacific shoreline largely to yourself. Walk the waterline, find a rock to perch on, or simply watch the hang-gliders drift overhead from the Torrey Pines cliffs.

Head downtown to the Waterfront and pull up a stool at Kansas City Barbeque, a San Diego institution with the kind of worn-in charm that only comes from decades of good times. Cold drinks, smoky aromas, and a crowd that's clearly in no hurry — a perfect way to transition from beach to evening.

Set on Harbor Island with unobstructed views back across the bay, Tom Ham's Lighthouse turns dinner into a proper occasion. The water glitters, the city skyline glows, and the seafood-forward menu makes the most of its coastal address — a fittingly oceanic end to a day defined by the Pacific.

Start day two properly: Richard Walker's Pancake House on Front Street is a San Diego breakfast landmark, turning out oven-baked pancakes and egg dishes that will set you up for a full day on the sand. Arrive ready to wait — it's worth it.

The seawall at Children's Pool was built to calm the water for swimmers, but the cove has since become the favourite haul-out spot for La Jolla's resident harbour seals. Walk the low wall, peer into the clear shallows, and follow the coastal path along the headland for sweeping views of the Pacific breaking against the rocks below.

A short walk from the cove, Marine Street Beach opens up into a broad, south-facing strip beloved by bodysurfers and those who simply want to bake on warm sand. The waves here have enough energy to make a swim exciting without being punishing — get in, or find a spot on the soft upper sand and watch others do it.

On West Harbor Drive with the bay at arm's length, Marion's Fish Market is the straightforward, no-nonsense seafood lunch you've been craving all morning — fresh catch, harbour views, and the kind of easygoing service that fits the city's rhythm perfectly.

Cross over to Coronado Island and walk the grounds of the Hotel del Coronado, the great Victorian beach resort that has stood on this shore since 1888. The red-turreted silhouette is as striking as ever, and the wide beach stretching out in front of it is one of the finest in Southern California — take your shoes off and walk the shoreline as the afternoon softens.

End the trip at Brigantine Seafood and Oyster Bar, a San Diego classic where the oysters are shucked fresh and the fish is treated with the respect it deserves. Order a dozen on the half shell, raise a glass to two days well spent, and watch the last of the Pacific light fade from the sky.