Yes it is free. Yes it us free. It is called The Children’s Pool because the land was donated by Ellen Browning Scripps to have an ocean wall built to make a protective wall for children to have a place to learn to swim and play in the ocean. For decades it served this wonderful role in the community. For the past decade, though seals have taken it over as a pupping area and the fecal contamination makes it unsafe for humans to go in the water. The place is overrun with seals now. If you’d like to visit and see the seals, you’ll love it. As a local, we mourn the loss of a beautiful protected ocean access where families can go and children could swim safely. Now, the lawyers on both sides if the issues make plenty of money: environmentalists vs ocean access for humans as meant to be by the donor if the land

I don't know why. The pool was originally built for children but the sea lions and seals took it over. There was a sign there that said people should not approach mother seals because they might abandon their pups who will die. That is a reasonable rule that I am sure some break.

This is a public beach. It is protected by park rangers who monitor it at all times. People are not allowed to touch them or disturb them without repercussions. If you did your research BEFORE presenting this question, you would have seen that The Children's Pool is closed to the public September through May for the harbor seal's mating and birthing seasons. History lesson: Children's Pool was in fact built by humans for recreational purposes and to provide a safe place for children and families to swim and play. When the seals started using the beach for mating purposes, the area was declared protected during those months. It's a always a good idea to do your research before attacking people for visiting a public beach.

Yes , there is a lot to see and do . If you walk north you will go to Shell beach . Stay on the concrete patch along the shore . Lots of places to stop and view the shore and wild life. Keep walking north and you will see a lot more seals right before you get to La Jolla Cove . If you walk up the Big hill you can go to some Local Restaurants too. We usually go midday. And or before sundown and watch the Sunsets. Some also go to the local restaurants also to watch the sunsets . If you have your car , we usually can find parking spaces if you don’t mind walking a little, Most spots have 3 hour limits near Children’s pool and the Cove.

We did it. And did it with several whiny little kids, and big adults.

Yes, there are sea lions and seals on this coast year round. You'll find seals at the Children's pool and the sea lions typically hand a little north of this at the Cove. You can usually find the sea lions by the smell (it smells like a barnyard near them). And so you can tell the difference between the seals and the sea lions. 1) the sea lions have front 'flippers' that they can use to walk vs the seals don't have them and have to do a 'belly roll' to walk. 2) the sea lions have ears vs the seals don't. 3) I think the sea lions have pointier snouts than the seals.