Serena’s Travels

Oceanside is a cozy, beachy, community, and walking along the beach this time of year, the moist breeze verges on perfect. Traveling for Valentine’s Day, or on weekends throughout February and March is a great idea especially for vacation destinations that are busting at the seems in summers or on major holidays. There is more of a local vibe, an ideal laid back atmosphere that you don’t find in busy season.

Oceanside is a very low key town, not overtly a “green” town, but one that’s spotted with local businesses and equipped with an updated recycling and waste management program.

For a fabulous grocery shopping experience head southeast of the Municipal Pier to Oceanside Boulevard. There’s you’ll find an in-store bakery, an incredible bulk section, and an array of Mexican, Turkish, Indian, and Jamaican specialty foods more varied than some of the ethnic grocery shops in the Bay Area.

Enjoy the salt-and-pepper sand in your toes, the tide-smoothed rocks, the wetsuit-clad surfers like black booeys bobbing in the surf. You can take a bike ride along the paved path between Carlsbad to the south and Oceanside, or take the train, arriving at the station 2 blocks from the beach, which makes it very convenient back and forth from San Diego, Los Angeles or points further north.

Staying at the Wyndham Oceanside Pier Resort is the best way to stay close to the beach – plus parking isn’t charged in your reservation cost.

If you go:

Oceanside, CA

Johnny Long Boarder’s  (try the Long Boarder scramble with fresh mushrooms, tomatoes, ham, cheese, and peppers for breakfast)

Boney’s Market

Wyndham Oceanside Pier (when you book ask for an “ocean front” view, the “ocean views” are also good, but are the sides of the building so they don’t look out directly on the pier)

Surf Museum (a fun flashback of the first women to make waves, pardon the pun, in the sport, is on view now)

Pier View Coffee Company (great fresh-baked muffins and pastries, plus fair trade roasts and sidewalk seats)

Tags: California, Neighborhoods, Recycle Everything, Romantic Trips, Travel Tips, Weekend

This entry was posted on Monday, February 15th, 2010 at 2:43 pm and is filed under GR Recommends.... You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.