Oceanside features three and half miles of sandy beaches and a New England style harbor making it one of Southern California's favorite coastal towns. Both residents and tourists love exploring the beaches and the Oceanside Harbor and Marina, which houses more than 950 boats. It also includes a fishing village, complete with nautical boutiques and seafood restaurants. Nearby, the 1942-foot Oceanside Pier offers a scenic alternative to view the beach or catch fish, as well as features outdoor concerts from their 150-seat Amphitheater. Oceanside also houses some very interesting museums, including the largest of the 21 missions, Old Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, which features early mission artifacts. The town includes one of the best transportation system in North San Diego as it features a local bus service, a Greyhound bus service, and an Amtrak train station.

Things to do in Oceanside, CA

Residents will not tire of things to do in Oceanside. Every year, Oceanside hosts several annual festivals, including Harbor Days, complete with boat races and Navy and Marine demonstrations. On Labor Day, swimmers partake in the annual Rough Water Swim.

The town also houses several museums, including the California Surf Museum, which showcases the culture and history of surfing and captures the best artwork featuring surfing. The Oceanside Museum of Art includes rotating exhibits of local and international artists. Both locals and tourists also will want to check out Camp Pendleton's Marine Corps Base, which opened in 1946 as an extensive training base. For security purposes, the base recommends calling before visiting.

Oceanside is divided into several different neighborhoods, which feature custom homes and vacation rentals. The Rancho Del Oro village includes the bulk of Oceanside and features custom new homes, a community park with biking trails and baseball fields, and a corporate area with companies like Robert Mann Packaging. The Henie Hills subdivision is named after Olympic figure skater Sonja Henie because she and her brother built a ranch-style retreat to escape the chaos. Now, all of the houses feature large, spacious ranches in honor of them.

The North Oceanside neighborhood is situated within walking distance of the Harbor. It features several beachfront vacation rentals, new resorts, and beach cottages. Residents and visitors enjoy being so close to the water that can swim or surf at a minute's notice.