San Diego County's Oceanside
is
the home of Camp Pendleton, the
world's largest U.S. Marine Corps Amphibious Training
Base. As you enter the city along Highway 5, a huge sign
states "No Beach Beyond Our Reach." Because of the
military influence, Oceanside features a younger population than surrounding cities such as Carlsbad and Solana Beach.
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.
Tyson Street Beach, also known as Tyson Street Park, is
within walking distance of the Oceanside Pier. Lifeguard
Tower 5 is located here. Stairs are provided for beach
and park access from Pacific Street. Surfing is not
permitted here during summer months. There's a grass
lawn with picnic tables, benches, playground, snack
stand (in the summer months), restrooms, showers and
public phone. Pay parking lot located where Seagaze
meets South The Strand, while metered parking is
available on Pacific Street. Two handicapped parking
spaces are available on The Strand.
Wisconsin Street Beach is located at Wisconsin Street
and The Strand. The south Strand is a one-way,
southbound street that parallels the beach. There is a
ramp just north of lifeguard Tower 7 for access to the
beach. This is Oceanside's least frequented beach.
During high tide, water comes all the way to the rocks,
leaving very little or no beach at all. The ocean in
this area is open to all water activities. This beach
features a snack shop, restrooms, showers, and a public
telephone. Pay parking lot and parking along Pacific
Street.
Oceanside Boulevard Beach offers more actual beach than
its neighbor, Buccaneer Beach. All along the beachfront,
there are private homes facing the ocean. During the
summer months there is an area directly in front of the
lifeguard tower (Tower 9) approximately 200 ft., that is
designated for swimmers, waders, and bodyboarders only.
There is a very large rock that sits in the surfline
approximately 300 feet south of the lifeguard tower and
can be seen at low tide. Parking is available along
Pacific Street and the neighboring streets.
Buccaneer Beach at 1500 South Pacific Street, 1/2 Mile
north of Cassidy, is approximately 150-feet wide and
features a sandy break in the wall of condos that
separates Pacific Street from the Oceanside breakers.
There's a park with a play lot for kids, full basketball
court, barbeque grills, public restrooms, picnic tables,
snack bar, showers and public telephone, plus free
parking in a lot.
Heritage Park Village and Museum is an historic region
featuring Oceanside's original buildings that include a
General Store, Portola Inn, Blacksmith Shop & Livery
Stable, a doctors office, the Old City jail, Libby
School and the Blade newspaper building.
California Surf Museum on Highway 101
traces the historical roots of surfing through a series
of rotating exhibits.
Oceanside Museum of Art is located in downtown Oceanside
with a view of the Pacific Oceans and the historic
Oceanside Pier. Housed in a classic Irving Gill designed
building that represents the flavor of Southern
California in the 1930’s, it features five provocative
exhibits each year. Call: 760-721-2787
Information supplied by the Oceanside Chamber of
Commerce
