Visiting our Jewel of a Village has long-been on savvy tourist’s must-have lists. But, actually getting a peek at what makes this Jewel sparkle in a special way is a whole other deal. There are so many special spots, famous streets and infamous beaches that make our Village stand out from thousands of other coastal towns. Often trying to navigate it with all its twisty and curvy streets bordered by narrow sidewalks makes it next to impossible to fully explore. Enter La Jolla Golf Carts by owners Robert Mackey and Kai Koehnke to promote their sister company La Jolla Social and help get folks around town. A friend had suggested the team purchase a cart to seamlessly travel the Village and get the word out about La Jolla Social. However, Mackey said the carts quickly became a hit on their own as calls came pouring in from both locals and tourists alike. The La Jolla Golf Carts had made their debut pairing well with La Jolla Social which is a social community for those that visit, live, work or play in La Jolla. “A trip to Von’s became enjoyable rather than a chore, a trip to the beach more fun and parking much easier,” Mackey noted. “Local residents became interested as well and people started asking to rent our golf carts. So we kept adding carts to fill the need and here we are today. We noticed the calls were coming in from tourists as well. What better way for a tourist to get around in the Village and to the beautiful beaches of La Jolla than in an electric golf cart. It is fun to feel the fresh ocean breeze in your face when you drive in one of our golf carts,” Mackey explained. “We quickly identified that we were also solving a transportation problem for what we call “mobility challenged” customers those clients needing extra assistance to traverse the hills and cover the miles to take in the views and enjoy the Village of La Jolla,” he added. “We have recently helped clients (with ailments) that range from a broken leg, bad back and cancer to MS patients that can only see La Jolla’s beauty with assistance. We meet them at their car or hotel and truly offer a “Park and Go” solution.” Then there are the benefits for tourists. Over Labor Day weekend, Karen and Bill Brumleve from South Central Illinois, noticed Robert touring in his golf carts. Without hesitation they signed on for their own golf cart get-away. “I would recommend the tour in a minute,” Karen Brumleve shared. “Robert (Mackey) has been an absolute treat. It’s a nice way to see the whole city and so different from a trolley tour. It was personal and a blast! (We were) able to stop at little beaches and we found the people here to be so friendly. We liked it because it was far more personable (than a traditional tour).” Indeed, as long-time players in the transportation and hospitality industries, owners Robert Mackey and Kai Koehnke didn’t waste any time when it came to “exploring options to serve the evolving transportation needs of the community.” Clearly no trolley can transport locals (much less tourists) up and down the narrow streets native to La Jolla. But, the La Jolla Golf Carts make it easy to take guests or locals to-and-fro congested shopping areas or special event venues. “You definitely get a great feeling and a lot of attention riding in our carts. It is simply the smartest way to get around,” Mackey shared. Let’s be real. La Jolla traffic can be extremely challenging. Trying to park in the Village is a headache. And taking a look at some of our Village’s enviable spots? Almost impossible. Yes, there are tour buses, but most just don’t offer the intimate tours that local guides can provide. But, getting around traffic in an easy-peasy cart has many folks saying “sign me up!” The price for a cart? Mackey said the rates for a four-passenger cart start at $59 an hour. A six passenger cart starts at $79 an hour and the second hour for each is $20. Plus, they offer weekly rates and special discounts for locals. For more information, visit LaJollaGolfCarts.com, or call 858-401-6307.