La Jolla is the brightest
jewel among the many
precious coastal suburban sprawling beach towns along the Southern California coastline. Its recent decay has increased mainly
due to its huge popularity among
SUV-laden, upper-income surfing, hang-gliding, kite-surfing, scuba-diving, snorkeling, fishing, golfing, photographing, shopping,
soon-to-retire baby boomers who want more parking. La Jolla is at the center of marine research, US Open
Golf, a world-renowned research university and expensive student housing, chic boutiques, biotech startups, surf-dive shops, over-starred restaurants, beach-side retirement communities and more Taco Bells and McDonalds than you can shake a cane at. A marine wildlife haven, La Jollans give their beaches over to baby seals at the drop of a flipper.