The La Jolla Secret Swings. They are kind of like Big Foot.  Some people have never heard of them.  But those who have heard of them whisper about their existence, their location, and even if they exist anymore.  The swings are there.  They aren’t there.  They were there, but they’ve been cut off the tree.  Over the years the state of the secret swings has varied, so we decided it was finally time to check this out and determine for ourselves.

Sure enough, they are there. At least when we went, and we know this can change.  The swing itself looks different than photos I’ve seen, as vandals have torn them down and/or they broke, and some unknown person or people (Big Foot?) who are truly amazing people, create new swings and set them up…keeping the dream alive for all those in search of this hidden gem.

So what are the Secret Swings?  2 painted swings, hung from a tree, hidden off a trail, with panoramic views of La Jolla and the ocean waters.  There’s a certain delight you get from sitting on that swing.  Maybe it’s because of the amazing view.  And definitely because you feel like you are now a member of a secret club.

Here is all the information you need to get there.  It’s super easy!

Getting there: If you do a search, you’ll find there are 2 ways to get there.  We chose the easiest and quickest way.  It’s very simple.  Head over to Birch Aquarium (this is a nice quick activity to pair with a visit there!) and park in their parking lot.  You then just head to the back of the parking lot (the opposite way from walking towards the aquarium) and you’ll see a subtle marker of the trail.  Cross over that little troll bridge, and you’ll just follow the short path up.

It’s a very short walk up, and then you’ll see it as you curve to the left.

Enjoy the view!

*Update: We went back here a couple of weeks later and to our dismay, the swings were gone. You could see a little rope hanging from the top of the tree. You’ll know by googling the secret swings that sometimes they are there, and sometimes they are not.  So now we wait until some awesome person makes new swings.  So, when you head that way, understand it’s an adventure and you may or may not have the opportunity to see them.  But….keep trying!

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