The Beaches of Oceanside

The beaches of Oceanside, California are world famous surfing beaches found in the northern part of San Diego County. These white sandy beaches evoke memories of a bygone era yet have all the amenities of modern times.

The largest of Oceanside’s beaches is Harbor Beach which is right next door to the Oceanside Harbor. Here you’ll find amenities such as barbeque grills, gazebos, picnic tables, fire rings, volleyball courts (bring your own net and ball), showers, restrooms, payphones and plenty of parking.

The Marina Inn Hotel and plenty of shops are nearby. Visit the marina and rent a kayak or set out on a deep fishing boat or whale watching excursion.

South of the harbor lies Breakwater Way, a quieter beach that’s popular with surfers. A sand bar often forms where the mouth of the San Luis Rey River meets the Pacific Ocean which in turn creates a nice surf break. The area north of the river is less populated because it is designated as a surfer only area and it is quite a hike from the parking areas to this section.

The Oceanside Pier separates two fantastic beaches in Oceanside: Pier View North and Pier View South. Pier View North is much sandier and more spacious than its neighbor to the south.

Pier View South is the happening place to be in Oceanside. This area is home to numerous surfing, body surfing and body board contests throughout the season. In addition the Oceanside Pier Amphitheatre holds numerous events to please the crowd. The Oceanside Pier is a wooden pier that is popular for watching surfers, fishing and enjoying the scenery.

For a change of scenery, try one of the many beaches along the Strand which is a street that runs parallel to the beach. Wisconsin Street Beach located at the end of Wisconsin Street is a narrow stretch of sand that virtually disappears at high tide. Pay attention to the tide charts and plan on attending this beach during low tide.

Oceanside Boulevard Beach and Buccaneer Beach are located off of South Pacific Street and feature private homes and condos nearby making these beaches more family oriented. Buccaneer Beach features a free parking lot, a nice park complete with basketball courts and a jungle gym, restrooms, showers, snack bar and barbeque grills.

Whether you want to surf, body surf, boogie board, swim, sun bathe, fish, build castles, beach comb or simply people watch, Oceanside has a three and a half mile stretch of clean, sandy beaches to meet your beach going needs.