Welcome to Oceanside
Oceanside, the third largest city in San Diego County, boasts some of the widest, sandy beaches in Southern California. It also has the longest wooden pier on the Pacific Coast and a picturesque, 1,000-slip harbor with shops and restaurants. It is the northernmost coastal city with a population of approximately 171,000. Here you’ll find the largest of the California missions, several regional museums and year-round perfect weather.
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia was founded in Oceanside in 1798 by Spanish missionaries. It is the largest of the 21 California missions. In 1883 Andrew Jackson Meyers was granted a 160 acre parcel south of the mission in what is now downtown Oceanside. Lots were subdivided, and the railroad was laid from San Diego to Los Angeles. It was popular for people to come to the ocean’s side on the weekends. Growth was quick once this jewel by the sea was discovered, and Oceanside was incorporated by 1888.
Encompassing an area of 42 square miles, Oceanside offers a wide variety of communities. At the beach you can find everything from quaint cottages to high-rise, ocean view condominiums. There is even a private, gated oceanfront community. Much of the city has newer subdivisions and planned communities. It also includes equestrian neighborhoods and areas with a more rural feel.
Oceanside is, indeed, an ideal Southern California coastal beach town with lots of small-town charm. It has a beautiful coastline with 3.5 miles of beautiful sandy beaches, a quaint New England-style harbor and the longest wooden pier on the West Coast to go along with its stellar year-round climate. Vacationers have been coming here for years for its ideal outdoor pursuits including surfing, kayaking, boating, fishing, bike-riding and more.
The city boasts cultural attractions galore, the fascinating California Surf Museum and the impressive Oceanside Museum of Art, which is the cultural jewel of the city. Even the eye-catching building housing the art museum is a historic masterpiece.
Oceanside has also changed from being a military town on Interstate 5 to a vital, visitor destination offering a wide range of accommodations in all price ranges with ocean and bay views. Yes, Oceanside has a lot to offer including its average year-round temperature of 72 degrees.
