Oceanside



Oceanside is a large city on the Pacific coast of northern San Diego County, California.

By plane
Most commercial passengers land at San Diego International Airport. Take San Diego Transit's Route 992 bus from the airport to the Santa Fe Depot and connect to the COASTER or the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner.

The next closest airport is John Wayne Airport in Orange County. From Santa Ana, Tustin, or Irvine, take the Pacific Surfliner or the Metrolink Orange County Line. Further north is Los Angeles International Airport.



Nearby McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad serves general aviation.

By car
Oceanside is located at the intersections of Interstate 5 and California State Highways 76 and 78.

By train


Oceanside is well-connected by train. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner travels south to San Diego and north to Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo, with several trains stopping in Oceanside each day.

Oceanside is also the northern terminus of the COASTER regional rail line to San Diego, and the southern terminus of Metrolink's Orange County Line which heads north through Orange County to Los Angeles. A new light rail line, the SPRINTER, links Oceanside with Escondido to the east.

Get around

 * North County Transportation District (NCTD) is the main transit service in the area and operates the local BREEZE bus service.
 * College Blvd., Mission Avenue, El Camino Real, Coast Highway, Vista Way, and Oceanside Blvd. are the major arteries in Oceanside, as well as I-5, CA-76, and CA-78.
 * You can walk anywhere downtown if arriving by train or bus. Many restaurants, a 16-plex movie theater, and the beach are within a few blocks.

See

 * A good draw for Oceanside is its sandy ocean beach with convenient facilities, multiple lodging options, and a good amount of accessible parking.

Do

 * Eat breakfast at one of Oceanside's many restaurants on Coast Highway and walk to the harbor (farther) or pier (closer) and back to work it off.
 * Another famous landmark is the Oceanside Pier with bike, wet suit, and body board rental shops and food stalls under it
 * Another famous landmark is the Oceanside Pier with bike, wet suit, and body board rental shops and food stalls under it
 * Another famous landmark is the Oceanside Pier with bike, wet suit, and body board rental shops and food stalls under it

Thursday Night visit the Oceanside Sunset Market for live music, interesting fast food, fresh farm produce, and exciting fresh art. It is located on Pier View Ave, just west of Coast Highway. Thursday Morning Farmer's Market is held also on Pier View, but East of Coast Highway. Lots of good, fresh organic fruits and vegetables from local farmers at reasonable prices.

Fish from the Oceanside Pier. No license is required, and the bait-house on the pier can supply everything you need. You can also surfcast, fish from the rock jetty, or join a fishing party boat out of the Oceanside Harbor.

Nature attractions in Oceanside Area:

Right around the Oceanside Harbor are a lot of “nature attractions.” There is a wide variety of seabirds on the ocean, on the beach, and in the inlet to the San Luis Rey river. We love to watch the pelicans dive for their fish. There are also a pod of dolphins who regularly patrol up and down the coast. In the harbor area, there are harbor seals and noisy sea lions usually barking over near the bait dock, just north of the boat launch ramp.



Buy


Oceanside has five shopping centers along California State Route 78, between Interstate 5 and El Camino Real.

Eat
There are several restaurants in the harbor area including Rockin' Baja Lobster, Fish-N-Chips, Crabby Bob's, Monterey Cannery, and the Jolly Roger.



Stay safe
The most dangerous place in Oceanside is the northern parts, near Camp Pendleton. This is where an officer was once murdered. Do not wander around at night with gang colors, and expect suspicious looking people at night.

Since Camp Pendleton is so close, the Marines often take their off time in downtown Oceanside off Mission Avenue near the Regal movie theater. This area has many bars and Marines are known to frequent them and get rowdy.

Go next

 * Check out the Oceanside Municipal Golf Course. From CA-76 go north on Douglas Drive to the golf course on the left (after North River Road).
 * Oceanside is separated from the southern border of Orange County by 17 miles by Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Disneyland is easily accessible by the METROLINK train.
 * Visit Legoland California in Carlsbad. It's the first stop south of Oceanside on the COASTER.
 * Imbibe among the vineyards of Southern California Wine Country in nearby Temecula Valley