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9 Best Things to Do in Oceanside, California

Are you looking to take a vacation soon? Don’t you wish there was a place where you could enjoy beautiful beaches, enjoy delicious food and drinks, visit exciting museums, and enjoy the charming small city vibe found throughout America?

Well, you’ve got to visit Oceanside, California! This is one of California’s most charming cities and is one that you don’t want to miss out on.

It’s a great place for solo travelers, couples, and groups. After you head back home, you’ll probably be planning your next trip back! We know you’ll be glad you visited!

Let’s look at the top and best things to do in Oceanside, California

Palm trees in dusk light flank the Oceanside Pier’s walkway as it leads to the downtown area with it’s high rise buildings in Oceanside, California

NUMBER ONE – Walk along the pier

The first thing you should do when you get to Oceanside, California is to walk along the pier. In fact, you’ll likely want to visit the pier a few times during your trip.

You can ride a sailboat from the pier or even use it as a place for fishing. It’s also a great place for enjoying a meal at a restaurant or buying snacks. The pier is a great place to visit if you need to sit and plan your trip. Before you head back home, you might want to stop by the pier to reflect upon your trip to Oceanside.

At the pier, you’ll also get to meet locals and tourists alike. The pier reflects the energy and vibrancy that the rest of the city has to offer.

Before we tell you more about the best things to do in Oceanside, California, please like this video and subscribe to our channel for more current news and interesting stories. Now, back to the video…

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NUMBER TWO – Visit the park

One of the best places to visit in Oceanside is the Guajome Regional Park. You can visit the park for a day or even camp there for a weekend.

It’s a great place to enjoy nature, go bird watching, or go hiking. There are also ponds if you wish to go fishing. The park is also only a few miles away from the Pacific Ocean. It’s a great way to escape from the busyness of Oceanside for a few hours or a couple of days.

You’ll love the incredible nature of the park and it’s a great way to bond with your fellow travelers. If you are traveling solo, it’s a great way to relax your mind and reflect upon your journey.

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NUMBER THREE – Hit the beach

No trip to California is complete without a visit to the beach. In Oceanside, you should stop by Harbor Beach. It’s a sandy beach that also has a long boardwalk to accompany it.

You’ll also find a playground, volleyball nets, and picnic areas on the beach. If you’re into fishing, Harbor Beach is yet another great spot in Oceanside to catch some fish! There’s enough space for both swimmers and surfers as well.

It’s a great place for solo travelers, couples, groups, and families. If you’re traveling with your children, visiting Harbor Beach is a must!

Apart from Harbor Beach, you can also check out Tyson Street Beach. This is near the Oceanside Pier and is a quieter beach. It’s great if you want to get away from the madness of the city and its especially great if you’re traveling with children.

There’s a playground for the kids and there are plenty of picnic tables to enjoy your lunch or dinner on!

NUMBER FOUR – Go to the markets

Oceanside has two great markets that you’ve got to visit. One is the Oceanside Farmer’s Market. This is a great market that attracts both locals and tourists. You can buy produce, baked goods, and other popular food items. There are also artisanal crafts available for purchase from the various vendors at the market.

You can also try delicious food at the market. It’s held every Thursday night at Downtown Oceanside.

You should also visit the Sunset Market – especially if you’re traveling with your family. It’s a great place to enjoy food and drinks as well as live music. There are occasional events held at the market so you want to make sure you do your research beforehand to plan for them.

The markets are great for enjoying a day out with your group and it’s a great place to see the Oceanside residents in action. Here you’ll see the incredible community spirit which is what makes Oceanside a great place to visit and live in.

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NUMBER FIVE – Visit the museums

Oceanside is a great city for museum buffs! You can visit the Heritage Park Village and Museum where you can learn about what life was like in Oceanside during the past.

This two-acre park was actually the town center of Oceanside at one point. It’s a great place to step back in time and see what an old American town looked like and what life was like for earlier generations of Americans.

If you’re an art lover, you’ll love visiting the Oceanside Museum of Art. You’ll see contemporary art exhibitions as well as film screenings and live concerts. It’s also a great place to enjoy discussions on art as well as educational events.

California is of course known for its surfing culture. And what better way to celebrate surf culture than by visiting the California Surf Museum. Here you’ll learn about the incredible surf culture as well as the history of some of our greatest surfers!

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NUMBER SIX – Grab a bite

Don’t worry, we didn’t forget about the many food options in Oceanside!

If you love seafood, you should check out the Hello Betty Fish House. This is a rooftop lounge where you can enjoy seafood and margaritas. It’s a great place to visit in the early afternoon so you can soak up the sun and enjoy the views. If you’re traveling with your partner or a group of friends, this is easily one of the best restaurants to visit!

And if you can’t get enough seafood, you can’t go wrong with Sushi. It’s a modern restaurant where you can enjoy sushi in a fine dining experience. It’s also great for cocktails and fine wines.

If you want a break from seafood, why not dive into a delicious pizza? You can stop by Privateer’s Pizza to enjoy pizzas made in coal ovens. It’s a great place to eat indoors as well as outdoors – on the patio. Apart from pizzas you can also enjoy sandwiches, salads, and soups. There’s also a generous selection of beers to sample.

If you’re looking for coffee, you can hardly do better than the Beach Break Café. Actually, there’s much more than coffee over here! It’s a great place where you can enjoy traditional American breakfasts as well as desserts.

If you walk around Oceanside, you’ll find many great restaurants offering a diverse range of cuisines. Make sure you sample as much as you can!

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NUMBER SEVEN – Have a drink

Oceanside is also a great place for coffee, cocktails, craft beer, and wine tastings. You can start by paying a visit to Legacy Brewing Company. This is a brewery where you can sample different craft beers as well as enjoy live music.

The flavors of beer have a European influence – they’re inspired by beers from the British Isles, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, and Russia! This is the perfect place to visit if you’re traveling to Oceanside with your partner or with a group of friends.

If you love wine, you’ve got to visit the Beach House Winery. This is a vineyard where you can enjoy a variety of wines by scheduling a wine tasting session over the weekend. It’s a great way to meet locals and tourists alike if you’re a solo traveler. If you travel with a group, this will easily be one of the best memories you’ll make together.

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NUMBER EIGHT – Go Whale Watching

Undoubtably, one of the most fascinating aspects of life in California is the opportunity to go whale watching. You can book an excursion where you and other locals and tourists can ride on a boat to watch the whales make an appearance!

These tours can also be arranged for private parties. You can also charter boats for sport fishing or for general exploring.

This is easily one of the best experiences you’ll have during your trip to Oceanside. Even if you’re usually a landlubber, there’s something serene about sailing on the beautiful Pacific Ocean and enjoying the majesty of Mother Nature. This is an experience you’ll be talking about for years to come!

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NUMBER NINE – Visit the Prince of Peace Abbey

As you’re ready to wind down your trip, you might want to revisit your favorite restaurant in Oceanside. Perhaps you want one more stroll on the pier and maybe you need to soak up a few more rays at the beach.

But you should also consider visiting the Prince of Peace Abbey. This is a Benedictine Monastery home to several monks. It’s a great place to feel at peace and learn about the spiritual aspect of life. You can also book accommodation at the Abbey if you want to experience the quite seclusion for a night or two.

As you enjoy the serenity that you’ll feel when visiting the Abbey, you can also reflect upon your trip to Oceanside. We know that you’ll have a great trip and you’ll be wanting to revisit again in the future! We wish you bon voyage!

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So, are you ready to book your trip to Oceanside, California? In fact, what are you looking forward to the most?

Are you looking forward to long walks along the pier? Or are you more interested in visiting the various museums?

Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.

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We’ll see you in the next video!

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