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Scripps Pier and The Free Public Tour

Part of Interesting Sights, our guide to interesting sights, viewpoints and landmarks in San Diego County.

Scripps Pier, a 1,090-foot research pier in La Jolla, is otherwise closed to the public. Scripps Oceanography offers a free one-hour outdoor walking tour from 10 to 11 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month. Registration is required and closes by noon the day before.Checked October 23, 2026.

Freetour
2nd Saturdayeach month
1,090 ftpier length
Registerby noon the day before
Long concrete pier extending over a sandy beach and surf under blue sky
Scripps Pier reaching out over the beach at La Jolla Shores. Tim Buss from North County, San Diego, California, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
AddressScripps Institution of Oceanography, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093
TourFree, one hour, outdoors, 10 to 11 a.m. on the second Saturday of every month (excluding UC San Diego holidays)
RegistrationRequired; closes by noon the day before
ParkingScripps lots are by permit Monday to Friday; weekend and holiday public parking in lots P002 and P003 with permits from the P003 pay station
Good forAdults and families; the standard tour has hills and steps, and you can ask for assistance on the form
Official pagescripps.ucsd.edu

The Pier Is Not Open to Walk Up

The pier is a working research pier and is closed to the public except on the tour. You can look at it from the Scripps pier page, which has a pier cam, but you cannot walk out on it on your own.

Booking

Register ahead for the monthly tour. Individual 2026-27 tour dates are on the registration page, which we did not read. Scripps office hours listed on the pier page are Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 4:30.

What We Could Not Verify

  • The registration form link and the individual 2026-27 tour dates were not read. Scripps Oceanography can confirm.
  • Whether Birch Aquarium offers ticketed pier walks right now is not confirmed (a search lead only).
  • No map point: coordinates were not confirmed.

More in Interesting Sights

FAQ

Can I walk on Scripps Pier?

Only on the free monthly tour. The pier is otherwise closed to the public.

When is the tour?

10 to 11 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month, excluding UC San Diego holidays. Register by noon the day before.

Sources

  1. Scripps Oceanography: Scripps Pier
  2. Scripps Oceanography: free public tours

Checked October 23, 2026 by It’s San Diego. Cite this page: It’s San Diego (itssandiego.com), checked October 23, 2026. Free to quote with a link to this page; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.