Oceanside California is San Diego County’s third-largest city, and it is home to around 173,000 people. Boasting more than 3.5 miles of beaches, Oceanside is a popular destination for those who want to enjoy some fun in the sun when in the San Diego area, and vacations to Oceanside certainly have plenty to offer. In addition to spending time on the beaches here, visitors can check out the California Surf Museum, visit the historic Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, and spend some time on the Oceanside Pier, among other endeavors. Vacations to Oceanside can also see you enjoying annual festivals and events like the Fourth of July celebrations, the Day of the Dead festivities (early November), and the Harbor Days Festival, which is held in September.

As one might imagine, the beaches in Oceanside California are the main reason why people take vacations to Oceanside. There are eight different beaches that you can enjoy here, and all boast soft, white sand that is most inviting. The Pier View South beach is the most popular Oceanside beach, and as its name implies, it begins just south of the city’s pier. Various events take place at this beach, especially in the summertime, and they include surfing competitions and performances at the Oceanside Pier Amphitheater. As for the pier itself, it is ideal for casual strolls and for fishing, which doesn’t require a license. The Oceanside Pier has been altered a number of times since it was first constructed way back in 1888, and at 1,954 feet, it is the longest wooden pier on the entire West Coast. Amenities at the Pier View South Beach include manned lifeguard stations, barbecue grills, fire pits, picnic tables, vending machines, and pay phones. For those who are looking for more than the vending machines have to offer, it’s an easy walk from the beach to the downtown restaurants.

There’s more sand to enjoy at the Pier View North Beach than there is at the Pier View South Beach, and this Oceanside beach begins just north of the Oceanside Pier. Fewer events take place at this beach than do at the south one, and as such, it is usually more relaxed. Unlike the Pier View South Beach, surfing at the Pier View North Beach is not permitted in the summertime, but you can enjoy a range of other beach-related activities, like swimming, bodyboarding, and sand volleyball. You’ll have to bring your own net with you if you want to use the sand volleyball courts on this beach, and for those who are driving in, there is pay parking available at a small nearby lot. The Pier View South and Pier View North beaches might be the most popular beaches in Oceanside, but as for the largest, Harbor Beach takes that honor. It is found next to the Oceanside Harbor, which boasts shops and the Marina Inn Hotel. Deep-sea fishing trips and whale-watching tours can be booked at the harbor, and you can also rent kayaks there if you please. The Harbor Beach features jetties, which are often used by fishermen, and there are three lifeguard stations here, which helps to give swimmers and surfers added peace of mind. Amenities at this lovely stretch of sand include public showers and restrooms, pay phones, barbecue grills, a snack bar, picnic tables, fire rings, and volleyball courts, though you will need to bring your own net for these courts as well. Parking can be found just east of the adjacent harbor, and there are both free lots and pay parking lots.

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Other Oceanside beach choices include Breakwater Way Beach, which is ideal for families, and Tyson Street Beach, which is also a great family hangout. Breakwater Way Beach is arguably the most popular beach with surfers who are enjoying vacations to Oceanside, as it is here where the San Luis Rey River filters into the Pacific Ocean. The sandbar that is naturally formed at this point is known to create some consistently good surf breaks. Amenities at Breakwater Way Beach include fire pits, barbecue grills, and public showers and restrooms. You will find metered parking spaces and a pay parking lot on Breakwater Way’s eastern end. As for Tyson Street Beach, it is popular with families and others seeking relaxation partly because of its nearby park, which is known as the Tyson Street Park. You can easily walk to this Oceanside beach from the pier, and when you’re not hanging out on the sand, you can set up on the park’s wide and grassy yard. There are picnic tables, a playground, public restrooms and showers, and a summertime snack stand at the park, so you pretty much have all that you will need to enjoy a good time. Due to the summertime crowds, surfing at Tyson Street Beach is prohibited in the summer months.

Buccanneer Beach, Wisconsin Street Beach, and Oceanside Boulevard Beach are the other three beaches in Oceanside California that you can enjoy, and other beaches in the San Diego area that are worth visiting include Imperial Beach, the Carlsbad beaches, the Encinitas beaches, the Coronado beaches, and the La Jolla beaches. According to many, the La Jolla beaches are some of the more beautiful beaches in the entire country, so if you are going to visit just one other beach destination during vacations to Oceanside, you might want to move them to the top of the list.