Sea lion pupping season in La Jolla: when it is, what's closed, and how close you can get
Sea lions pup from about May through October. Point La Jolla's bluffs are closed year-round to protect them, but La Jolla Cove is open. NOAA says stay at least 50 yards back. Children's Pool closes Dec 15 to May 15 for harbor seals.
- Pupping
- May–Oct
- Point La Jolla
- Closed
- Distance
- 50 yards
- Report harassment
- 1-800-853-1964
California sea lions
Year-round since late 2023
NOAA guideline, 150 feet
NOAA, 24 hours
The short version
- California sea lions give birth and nurse pups at La Jolla roughly May through October; pups stay with their mothers for close to a year.
- The Coastal Commission and City Council voted in September 2023 to close the Point La Jolla bluffs year-round; the bluff-top walkway stays open for viewing.
- La Jolla Cove remains open, but a partial or seasonal closure was debated in August and September 2026 after harassment incidents.
- NOAA asks people to stay at least 50 yards (150 feet) from seals and sea lions; harassing them violates the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
- Children's Pool beach closes December 15 to May 15 each year for harbor seal pupping, a different species on a different schedule.
Every summer, the rocks around La Jolla Cove turn into a sea lion nursery. Mothers give birth, leave pups on the rocks while they hunt, and return to nurse them. It's one of the best wildlife shows in Southern California, and it plays out a few feet from a busy sidewalk, which is exactly why the rules keep tightening.
Closed
Open
Seasonal
Cove and Children's Pool pins from OpenStreetMap; Point La Jolla approximate. Status checked October 6, 2026.
See these on the full San Diego mapSea lions vs. harbor seals at La Jolla
| California sea lions | Harbor seals | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | La Jolla Cove and Point La Jolla | Children's Pool |
| Pupping | About May–October | Winter into spring |
| Closure | Point La Jolla bluffs, year-round | Children's Pool beach, Dec 15–May 15 |
| Tell them apart | Visible ear flaps, walk on flippers, loud barking | No ear flaps, wriggle on their bellies, quiet |
What's closed, and what's open
Point La Jolla's bluffs and rocky outcrop beyond the retaining wall have been closed year-round since late 2023, replacing an earlier May–October seasonal closure. The bluff-top walkway stays open, rangers patrol, and a marked water-access corridor lets swimmers and bodysurfers reach Boomer Beach. The Coastal Commission permit runs through April 2029. La Jolla Cove itself is open, but after a man was filmed kicking a sea lion in July 2026, commissioners discussed a partial or seasonal Cove closure in August, and a September town council meeting drew more than 145 people. Check for new signs before you go.
How to watch without harming them
- 01
Stay 50 yards back
That's NOAA's guideline on land or in the water, roughly half a football field.
- 02
Never touch or approach a pup
A pup alone on the rocks is usually waiting for its mother. Human scent or crowding can lead her to abandon it.
- 03
No selfies, food or drones
If an animal changes its behavior because of you, you're too close.
- 04
Report harassment
Call NOAA's 24-hour enforcement hotline at 1-800-853-1964. Violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act carry federal fines.
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
California Coastal Commission · September 2023
Year-round closure terms, pupping season
City of San Diego · 2023
City action
NOAA Fisheries · Checked October 6, 2026
50-yard distance, hotline
California Coastal Commission · June 2019
Dec 15–May 15 closure
NBC 7 San Diego · August 15, 2026
Cove closure debate
Times of San Diego · September 10, 2026
Town council meeting
Times of San Diego · July 29, 2026
Odor spray