La Jolla Secret Swings
25 Reviews
Hello everyone! This is a friendly reminder that any of these fun places we may visit, we are a guest at. Please treat both businesses and trails with the utmost respect. We here at Hidden San Diego follow the 'Leave no Trace' mantra, meaning whatever you bring with you comes back with you. If you see trash on a trail, please do your part to help remove it. Remember, we are not picking up trash from another person but instead cleaning up for Mother Nature. Happy adventures!
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THE LA JOLLA SECRET SWINGS ARE PART OF OUR MEMBERS SECTION
Dog-Friendly: Yes Kid-Friendly: Yes
About La Jolla’s Secret Swings
The Secret Swings were originally put up by UCSD students. That does not surprise me as UCSD is filled with arty, hidden gems! We have also found unique “yeti huts” as I am calling them, which are built from the eucalyptus branches which have fallen all around.
Unfortunately the swings are at a constant battle with the city. The city tears them down, the people put them back up. For this reason, do not be surprised if the swings have been torn down if you visit. Give it another shot another day and they might already be back up!
While you’re in the area, make sure to check out the Mushroom House nearby!
We held a meet-up here in 2015 with the public. You can see photos of the event here. I also filmed with National Geographic here in 2018. You can watch my segment here.
embo
Used to be a makeout spot for me. The girl that first showed me this special place called it “The Galoon” drunkspeak for “Lagoon” Thanks Debbie C.
May 8, 2015
anon
There is a partly completed tree house near the water tank, across the road. two ladders built on a sturdy tree, a platform. and that’s it
July 27, 2015
anon
I was about to text you the Birch aquarium swing , but i see you found it already. Wow, that is a hike up the hill from the pier. I started at the top and went down, then across the street to the swings below the tennis courts,
July 27, 2015
Anonymous
Does anyone know how to get to the second bench swing?
September 22, 2015
Anonymous
Does anyone know who or what entity owns the place? Using the swings for a project!
September 29, 2015
Anonymous
Wow, I gotta try these! If you’re interested in hidden swings, I’d also recommend exploring the side trails of crest canyon in del mar (an area certainly deserving of its own page imo).
October 15, 2015
Anonymous
Hey, I just stopped by today but didn’t see the exact swings that these pics show. I did find a different one though that had drawings on it and had a “310 lb limit, not fatasses please” in the area. Also I couldn’t find the bench swing either
Anyone have any clearer directions to the bench swing or if its still around??
October 23, 2015
anonymous
We just found the swings yesterday. It looks like the trio has been dismantled, but there is a little hand swing there, which I found hard to swing from. There is a second swing near the tree ladders. If you follow the trail near the tree ladders and the one remaining swing near there, you will come across the bench swing. I wasn’t timing it, but I would say it’s about a 5-10 minute walk.
November 12, 2015
anon
The bench swing is above the Birch aquarium parking lot South east corner. It has a sign that says “Make it last” stenciled into it,. That entire area is scenic. i always bring an oe8 and watch the sunset.
January 25, 2016
Anonymous
all swings are now taken down 🙁 Including the second swing set. Sad when these spots are no longer hidden and people take advantage of them
May 4, 2016
Anonymous
Sad but like the previous comment noted, all swings are gone
May 6, 2016
Anonimo
Went by there on Memorial Day (2016) to visit this site and, sadly, found nothing. Still a beautiful place to visit.
May 31, 2016
Anon
Don’t stress. Someone will put up new swings soon. It happens. I have seen more than one set go up and come down over the years
July 4, 2016
RyFi
I’m building some new swings now. It seems like they often get destroyed pretty quickly though :/
January 4, 2017
Anonymous
Any update on the swings? I’m traveling out next month, and I’d love to stop here.
May 21, 2017
Anonymous
After my daughter read a/b swings on Pinterest she made it a point to find the swings while on vaca in San Diego. This is the best article which led us whete the swings were previously, but they were gone. Met 2 other people looking for them, a couple who walk there & have never seen them & a family who saw them previously & were disappointed they were gone. We were disappointed there were no swings, but the scenery is amazing and worth the adventure.
June 26, 2017
Lee
I see people who mention the swings as being vandalized, or wonder why they were taken down…The city or other UCSD officials are usually the ones who take the swings down, because they are put up by random anonymous people who have no liability if someone gets wasted and falls off the swing breaking their neck. Swings go up and down all the time, and they get cut down all the time. Sites like this contribute to more people getting to see them, but also to them getting cut down more quickly. The more careful we are, the more likely more people are to enjoy them. 🙂
July 19, 2017
Ashley
We followed these directions to find the swings today. Currently there are no real swings, but there are 3 boards hanging together from bungee cords to create a swing. We did not swing on it (totally unsafe), but this spot is really cool regardless. The views were awesome and it was a nice shaded area.
July 26, 2017
Pete
Hope someone puts it back up tbh. It was pretty special
September 2, 2017
Anonymous
Me and my five year old daughter are creating the Secret Society Of Swings (S.O.S) she is helping me paint them and I am helping her put them up. I’ll geocache them when it’s up, expect the first one to go up this week.
January 22, 2018
Anonymous
So sad to find out the swings were gone. That would have been cute, the San Diego swings.
October 26, 2018
Anonymous
There is one swing still there
October 26, 2019
Anonymous
@Anonymous,
How do you get to this location?
December 14, 2019
Anonymous
See a lot of people have been here and other people are asking and I’m wondering where is it
April 2, 2020
Anonymous
@Anonymous,
Where are the swings located?
May 14, 2020