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Chances are you've read or heard of Dr. Seuss and his books like The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, or The Lorax. We were researching for things to do in La Jolla, California and were surprised to learn that Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) lived in this beautiful coastal city for several decades.

We spent the day exploring La Jolla last year and had no idea that Dr. Seuss had a home here where he wrote these famous books. This year, we decided to make our own little Dr. Seuss tour during our weekend visit. 

1. The Lorax Tree

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." ~ Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss was known to be vocal about his disdain for the amount of construction that was happening in La Jolla and was environmentally conscious about the earth. If you've ever been to La Jolla, you'll definitely understand why he was so concerned about protecting this gorgeous town. 

The views here are incredibly breathtaking and the thought of it being destroyed from overdevelopment would be heartbreaking. The inspiration of the "Truffula Trees" in The Lorax is from the Monterey Cypress, which are unique trees to the California Coast. There is one at Ellen Browning Scripps Park and it definitely stands out. The park was named after Ellen Browning Scripps who invested a lot of her fortune to preserve La Jolla and we're so thankful that she did!

*Update: Sadly, the iconic tree fell in June 2019.

2. Geisel Library

We really wanted to take a look at Dr. Seuss' Collection at the Geisel Library as it holds the world's largest collection of his work, but it is only open to the public during the summer and in March.

We wish it were open to the public all year round, but it's understandable that they keep it reserved due to the fragility of the collection. We were also wondering," Why March?". Dr. Seuss was born on March 2, 1904. 

Geisel Library is located at the University of California San Diego and outside the library is a bronze statue of Dr. Seuss and The Cat in the Hat. We made a quick stop since we heard the architecture of the library was quite unique. We both went to the same college in Florida and our university library looked nothing like this one! Unfortunately, we weren't able to see his collection since we went during the off-season.  

3. Legends Gallery

You can walk over to Legends Gallery straight from The Lorax Tree. Sometimes we are a bit intimidated walking into art galleries, but we were warmly greeted by Tammy who was friendly and answered all the questions we had about Dr. Seuss.

Entrance is free and the current exhibit is, "The Secret Art of Dr. Seuess". We only know of Dr. Seuss as an author and artist for children's books, but this exhibit showcased another side of him that was all new to us.

We learned about his unorthodox taxidermy and got to see some paintings of the adult version of the "Cat in the Hat". The gallery is fairly small but packed with a good amount of pieces. We really haven't thought much about Dr. Seuss since we were kids, so it really brought back a lot of memories.

4. Hotel Del Coronado

We wish we had time to dine or even stay at the Hotel Del Coronado, but it's actually located on Coronado Island (near the San Diego Airport) and not in La Jolla.

This hotel is very well known in San Diego and was an inspiration for one of Seuss' paintings titled, "I Dreamed I Was a Doorman at the Hotel del Coronado." It's a gorgeous beachfront resort and has excellent reviews.

Dr. Seuss's wife, Audrey Geisel, is alive and well (96 years old) and lives at the Geisel estate in La Jolla, California which is an estimated net worth of $75 million. Dr. Seuss does not have any children (one step-daughter) and after his death, his wife assumed all licensing of his characters.

* Update: Audrey Geisel passed away on December 19, 2018.

WHERE TO STAY

Pantai Inn - In the heart of La Jolla and walking distance to all the famous spots. Only a 3-minute walk to Ellen Browning Scripps Park.

La Valencia Hotel - An iconic hotel in the heart of La Jolla that has panoramic views of the Pacific coastline and beautiful La Jolla Cove.

Did you know about La Jolla's connection to Dr. Seuss? Let us know in the comments below!