The Cave Store
The Cave Store
4
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
The Cave Store offers a variety of merchandise including handmade jewelry, towels, snorkel gear, postcards, magnets, shells, and bottled drinks and ice cream. The most exciting part of the Cave Store, however, is the 145 step tunnel that leads to the Sunny Jim Sea Cave. Although there are rarely any sea lions or seals in the cave, the view is spectacular and it is a great adventure, particularly for kids.
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
125 reviews
Excellent
55
Very good
35
Average
22
Poor
5
Terrible
8
tinaNtravel
San Jose, CA1,810 contributions
Dec 2022
If there is no line, then I would say it is worth going down the approx. 200 steps onto a short boardwalk to look out the large hole in the cave facing the ocean. You can get some great pics of the ocean splashing in front of the hole. But in our case, we waited in line 50 minutes and that wasn’t worth it. Only 15-20 people fit down on the boardwalk at a time, and that is why the wait is as long as it is.
Written January 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jonathan P
Los Angeles, CA23 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
Considering what is going on with a Covid, this is a fine little family adventure for ourselves and our two boys (6 & 8). You must book in advance so you get you own private block of time (about 30 minutes). You descend from their store down into a tunnel like something out of an Indiana Jones film. Once you get to the observation deck below, you are peering from inside the cave out to the ocean. On the rocks if you look closely you'll see all kind of crabs walking around, and if you're lucky, as we were, you'll view some sea lions lounging around up close. We were within a foot.
Not a bad way to spend a half hour or so, and outside in the immediate area are cliffs and paths to walk and catch the amazing views.
Not a bad way to spend a half hour or so, and outside in the immediate area are cliffs and paths to walk and catch the amazing views.
Written August 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jordan
Montclair, CA12 contributions
Sep 2020
Really nice little spot. We spent about 15 minutes down there and saw little crabs all over the rocks. We were told by the staff that sometimes sea lions can be spotted on the rocks in there but unfortunately there were none down there during our time slot.
Weekend reservations seemed to book up quick so look into it before heading down there. Make sure to take hand sanitizer with you. It's very difficult to walk up and down the steps without holding onto the rails.
On your way back up be sure to check the rocks on the ground near the steps. The way the water has solidified on the rocks over the years looks really cool. When we were all done and about to leave, we asked the woman who checked us in if she could give us a little more information about the cave's history which she very kindly did. Really neat little spot to check out if in the area.
Weekend reservations seemed to book up quick so look into it before heading down there. Make sure to take hand sanitizer with you. It's very difficult to walk up and down the steps without holding onto the rails.
On your way back up be sure to check the rocks on the ground near the steps. The way the water has solidified on the rocks over the years looks really cool. When we were all done and about to leave, we asked the woman who checked us in if she could give us a little more information about the cave's history which she very kindly did. Really neat little spot to check out if in the area.
Written September 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bethany M
4 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
The cave was great. We were 5 ft away from a wild sea lion! The gift shop had great things for sale as well. It’s was $20 for two people to do the cave but it was worth it to see the wild sea lion so close!
Written September 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Justin P
Connecticut54 contributions
Mar 2020
A great little spot! Worth about 10-15 minutes and $5 of your time to go down the 100+ steps into the sea cave and enjoy the view. It's low ceilings and a lot of short steps (they are about half the size of a regular step). There's a handrail the entire way and it's well lit, but can be wet and just have to take your time. It's one way up and one way down so you have to pass people but it's wide enough to do so without trouble. There's a nice little shop with jewelry above the cave as well. Worth your time!
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephanie M
Maumelle, AR23 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
This was my first trip to La Jolla and I’d read that a fun way to see the caves was by going through the cave store for $5 (I think its $7 now, but no biggie). I agree- it was pretty neat! It’s a very long staircase, but was totally doable for everyone in my group (3 women 30-42 & my 7 year old son). The view at the bottom was beautiful, but difficult to get good pictures of due to lighting- this is obviously no fault of the stores, just an observation. It’s worth doing once for sure, but if I’m ever in La Jolla again, I want to do the kayak tour instead.
Written August 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RGR
Nampa, ID43 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
We waited in line for about 30 min on a Saturday afternoon, but the view is amazing! Great customer service. Cool piece of history. Great gift job as well. They have some pieces from local artists.
Written March 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WisconsinEco
Wisconsin152 contributions
Jun 2021
It costs around $7 to walk down 145 steps to a small cave that is exposed to the ocean. There really isn't much to see in the cave. At the bottom of the stairs is a small wooden platform where one can view the opening and see the ocean. We travel a lot to see nature's beauty, but this was not worth the money. We enjoyed the other sights of LaJolla (such as the sea lions) more and they were free. We were there with an 8 year old boy.
Written June 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
miamivice2011
Dallas, TX143 contributions
Jun 2021
The Cave Store has souvenirs, which seemed to be reasonably priced. The reason we went there was to walk down the tunnel to see the cave. It is $7 for an adult and $5 for a child up to 17. About 10-12 people go down at once and you have 15 minutes to view the cave. There are about 100 steps and the climb back up could be challenging for some people. I exercise all the time and by the time I got to the top I needed to take a second and breathe.
It was cool to be in the tunnel and imagine the construction of the tunnel. The cave itself was cool to see the waves come in. I'm glad we did this, but it is something I will only need to do once.
It was cool to be in the tunnel and imagine the construction of the tunnel. The cave itself was cool to see the waves come in. I'm glad we did this, but it is something I will only need to do once.
Written June 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeff S
San Diego, CA6 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
We’ve been wanting to visit the cave store for a long time and we’re so glad we finally went! We made a reservation and had the tunnel and cave all to ourselves during our time slot. It was really nice! The young woman who checked us in was really nice and friendly too! The walk down the stairs was really neat and it was well worth every step! The platform inside the cave at the end of the tunnel was was very secure and provided a great setting for taking photos and taking in the incredible setting. If you’re looking for a fun, inexpensive, and very unique experience in La Jolla, this is it!
Written September 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Do you need reservations normally? We got turned away today bc we didn’t have them. Is that a covid or busy weekend thing?
What are the best times to do the la jolla cove walk tour?
Sunny Jim C
La Jolla, CA
The cave tours are going on all day 10am to 4:30pm monday-friday or 10am-5pm saturday and sunday.
The Cave Store (La Jolla) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about The Cave Store
- The Cave Store is open:
- Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
- We recommend booking The Cave Store tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 1 The Cave Store tours on Tripadvisor
- Hotels near The Cave Store:
- (0.06 mi) Seashore VII by AvantStay | Modern La Jolla Flat 5mins from the Beach!
- (0.08 mi) Seashore I by AvantStay | In the heart of La Jolla! 5mins from the Beach!
- (0.20 mi) La Valencia Hotel
- (0.18 mi) La Jolla Cove Hotel
- (0.32 mi) Pantai Inn
- Restaurants near The Cave Store:
- (0.03 mi) Goldfish Point Cafe
- (0.04 mi) Eddie V's Prime Seafood
- (0.09 mi) George's at the Cove
- (0.08 mi) Brockton Villa Restaurant
- (0.09 mi) La Dolce Vita Ristorante