Mt Calavera & Oceanside

In the late 1700s Father Juan Crespi arrived in the Oceanside area, and he felt the location was perfect for what is now known as the Mission San Luis Rey de Francia.  

After the completion of the railroad from San Diego to San Bernardino, the city of Oceanside began to take shape. Folks who lived inland would take day trips to the ocean-side, and eventually the two words became one. When the town petitioned for a post office, they wrote ‘Oceanside' down as its name. In 1888, Oceanside's population was approximately 1000 individuals. Today, there are more than 160,000 people living in Oceanside.

Oceanside sits next the Marine Corps base, Camp Pendleton, and has benefited economically from the close proximity. Oceanside, like Carlsbad, has a pleasant climate and many crops of tomatoes, avocados, citrus and flowers are produced here as well. It also is a popular tourist town with miles of pristine coastline, a fishing (and dining) pier and small-craft harbor.

When the pier was built in 1979, it was known as the longest pier on the west-coast measured at 1900-ft. Currently, you can dine at Ruby's Diner at the end of the pier while overlooking the ocean and sailboats as they pass by.

The Oceanside harbor has several fine restaurants with gorgeous views, as well as many shops to visit, a lighthouse, tour boats and fishing boats (take a tour boat to see the magnificent gray whales migrating). Be sure to join the upcoming annual Harbor Day celebration during the third weekend in September.

Sailing, fishing, bicycling and lots more fun can enjoyed in Oceanside.

Visit the Buena Vista Audubon Society for a glimpse of a replica of the recent archeological find of a mastodon, which is only the third such find in San Diego county. Children love to visit here where they can hold a live tarantula, see wildlife displays and take guided insect tours. You can also view the native California Coastal Sage Scrub plant community here, and learn about the area's habitat and important role in the surrounding ecosystem. (If you stop by on a Friday morning, you might just find me there, working in the garden with Native Plant Director, Joan Bockman. Stop by to say hi!)

Go visit the ocean-side....