Oceanside - advice required please?
 

Hi

There seem to be several conflicting reviews on Oceanside as a destination. We're looking at a 7 night stay, possibly at North Coast Village.

I read that Oceanside is really an overspill for a nearby Marine base! Yet, I then read a glowing report.

Can anyone advise? I'd much appreciate this. We're basically looking to just chill out, but would like to walk out to local restaurants etc.

Many thanks.

Oceanside is, for better or worse, an overspill for Camp Pendleton. It is also the 3rd largest city in the county with a divers population that includes some rather nice areas and also some of the crappier neigborhoods in the county.

It is, of course on the coast, so it has that factor working for it.

Personally, I think Oceanside is a dump.

If you're looking to be in the North County coastal area, there are much nicer commmunities to chill out in including Solana Beach, Encinitas, and Cardiff. Just south of Oceanside is Carlsbad, too.

I've lived in Southern California all of my life, and I would never have considered Oceanside for a vacation destination. Hmmmm....

Oceanside used to be a big destination for surfers, but I'm not so certain anymore. (I'm talking back in the 60s) It is also the nearest city to Camp Pendleton Marine base, so yes, it is known as a "Marine town." The weekends, from what I understand, can be a bit crowded with Marines on weekend leave. But then, I would imagine where you were staying. I used to live in San Clemente, which also sees its fair share of Marines from Camp Pendelton; however, my neighbors and I never looked at them as a liability of any kind. Mostly just young guys coming into town looking for drinks and female company. Outside of that, they are the most polite men one would ever want to meet.

I don't know if I would select Oceanside as a vacation destination, though. Not for the Marine factor, but just because there are so many other nice, quiet, pretty places along the San Diego County beachside that I personally think are nicer. Heck, I think Carlsbad is nicer than Oceanside. Not to mention Solano Beach!

I've never stayed at North Coast Village, so I'm not sure what you can expect there. But Oceanside is remote - the closest places to it are Camp Pendelton, San Onofre (state beach and nuclear reactor), and San Clemente. It is a bigger town, so you would have more in the way of restaurants and such, but I think if you go further south you would find something better. Just my personal .02 worth.

I prefer Carlsbad to Oceanside (43 to 1 in terms of the number of vacations spent in each town)

That said, I do go to Oceanside a least a couple of days each vacation to walk the pier and visit the harbor. It does have a very nice beach, both by the pier and the harbor.

It is next to Camp Pendleton, but WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH MARINES!!!!!!!!

When are you going? If it's in the summer, I would look at renting an apartment on the beach in either Oceanside or Carlsbad. Barbara McLain Properties is the one property manager that I know of.

Oceanside is pretty dumpy. decent surf though.

it's also as far away as possible from any san diego tourist destinations.

Get carlsbad if you can, much nicer.

course if you rent a car, you can just drive to carlsbad every day, it's 5 minutes away.

I live in Carlsbad, so I am very familiar with Oceanside, and I assure you that you can find a better place to spend seven nights.
Oceanside has a great beach and nice pier, and it will one day be a tourist mecca, but that time has not come.
The North Coast Village is within walking distance of the Oceanside Harbor, which has some fair to good (at best) restaurants and is also within walking distance of "downtown" Oceanside, which has a few mediocre restaurants, but no shopping. All there is is a movie theater.
Right now, with many marines in Iraq, the town is suffering economically, and it shows.
Carlsbad, just south of Oceanside, is far from bustling itself. The downtown needs more, better restaurants and more shopping, but it's superior to Oceanside in every way but the beach. To me, Carlsbad is a family destination. You didn't mention the age range of you or your fellow vacationers.
The further south you go, the closer you will be to San Diego's tourist attractions, like the zoo. Check out La Jolla.

Thanks everyone! You helped me make a decision! Forget Oceanside!

Will check out the other destination you've mentioned, many thanks.

x

what's wrong with marines? oceanside is a dump BECAUSE of the marines. just like most areas around military bases are dumpy. 32nd st/national city?? rosecrans? chula vista west of broadway?

I used to live in Carlsbad as a young teenager in the early 70's. My father was a Marine Corps officer, first stationed out of El Toro then Camp Pendleton. When I was fifteen, I remember going to a dance in Oceanside and being really surprised that the dance was full of young Marines! They were very mannerly and polite, and I guess they were hard up for places to go besides tattoo parlors and sleazy bars. Anyway, reading the posts about Encinitas, Solono Beach etc. really brought back a lot of great memories. I remember La Jolla as being beautiful, as well as being the site of the state's only nude beach (Black's Beach, I believe it was called). Is Black's Beach still there?

a few years ago, nudity was officially banned on the city part of torrey pines. i think it's still ovelooked on the state side.

Definitely not Oceanside. Not a vacation environment. Carlsbad is nice. If you dont mind traveling a little farther... Laguna Beach in south orange county is about 40 minutes north of Oceanside and very beautiful. Also about 40 minutes south of Oceanside you can visit La Jolla or Del Mar which my wife and I have found to be wonderful locations. But definitely not Oceanside.