Oceanside, California San Diego Beach Vacations

 

San Diego County's Oceanside is the home of Camp Pendleton, the world's largest U.S. Marine Corps Amphibious Training Base.  Located 35 miles north of San Diego, 83 miles south of Los Angeles and 16 miles south of Orange County (the OC), Interstate 5 (San Diego Freeway) intersects the city 1 mile east of the Pacific Ocean. Claiming the 2nd best weather in the nation, Oceanside beachfront has two attractions.  There's a beautiful, 1,942-foot wooden pier and 3.5 miles of beaches where sunbathing, swimming and surfing are very popular. Then there's a 1,000-slip public marina and harbor with fishing boats leaving daily for the local seas to take sports fishing groups and individuals out for the day to catch a bounty.

Three and a half miles east of the beach stands the beautiful Mission San Luis Rey, the place where Oceanside began and grew into the city that currently boasts a population of under 200,000. Going to the "ocean side" was a popular weekend retreat for rancho families living in the warmer inland areas near the mission. 

Harbor Beach is Oceanside's largest beach, offering everything from surfing to volleyball. The Oceanside Harbor, adjacent to Harbor Beach, has many amenities including the Marina Inn Hotel and a variety of shops. In the harbor, you can spend the day on a deep-sea fishing boat, whale watching during the seasonal migrations, rent kayaks or visit the marina. Fishing is an option from the jetties. Harbor Beach has three lifeguard towers, Towers 10, 12, 14. Tower 10 at the south end of Harbor Beach, is nearest the south jetty. Tower 12 is situated in the middle of the beach, and Tower 14, at the north end of Harbor Beach, is near north jetty. Harbor Beach features barbecue grills, picnic tables, snack bar, gazebos, fire rings, volleyball courts (you must provide your own net), restrooms, showers, and telephones. Free parking and pay parking lots are available in the lots east of the Harbor.

Breakwater Way is a quiet, family beach located just south of Oceanside Harbor. It is popular with surfers and volleyball players. Surfers must walk to the jetty in the summer months when the beach is closed to surfing in front of Lifeguard Tower 8. The river jetty is where the San Luis Rey River meets the ocean. A sandbar is often formed here and creates a good surf break. The area at the mouth of the river mouth is usually one of Oceanside's least populated beaches. This location features barbecue grills, picnic tables, volleyball courts (you must provide your own net), fire rings, restrooms and showers. A pay parking lot is located at the east end of Breakwater Way and east of Pacific Street. Metered Parking is also available along Pacific Street.

Pier View North beaches north of Oceanside Pier have much more sand than those south of the pier and provide more space for those visiting the beach. The Pier Amphitheater on the south side of the pier makes for a quiet, relaxed location on the north side. There are two lifeguard towers north of the pier (Towers 2 and 4). During the summer months, an area is closed to surfing. This beach Pier View North features volleyball courts on the sand (provide your own net) and a small pay parking lot right off of the Strand.

Pier View South beach area south of the Oceanside Pier is Oceanside's most popular beach. Surfing, bodyboarding, and body surfing contests are held at Oceanside Pier throughout the summer. There are also various events that are held in the Oceanside Pier Amphitheater. The pier itself is a beautiful walk and a popular fishing spot as well. During the summer months, the area from Tower 1 south is closed to surfing most of the day. The area will be marked with a black ball as well as swim-surf signs and black-and-white checkered flags that indicate the boundaries. The surfing area is from Lifeguard Tower to 100 feet from the pier and is closed to all other water activities. No water activity is allowed within 100 feet of the pier. The Pier View South beach features covered picnic tables, benches, barbeques, fire rings, pay phones, and vending machines. Close to downtown shops and eateries.  Read more...>