Oceanside CA Beach Guide

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Select a beach below for more information or scroll down to get the full beach list


1	Breakwater Way	Oceanside Beaches
2	Buccaneer Beach	Oceanside Beaches
3	Harbor Beach	Oceanside Beaches
4	Oceanside Boulevard Beach	Oceanside Beaches
5	Pier View North	Oceanside Beaches
6	Pier View South	Oceanside Beaches
7	Tyson Street Beach and Park	Oceanside Beaches
8	Wisconsin Street Beach	Oceanside Beaches

Explore Oceanside's Beaches

With 3.5 miles of perfect white sandy beaches, Oceanside offers visitors and locals the perfect environment for a variety of surf and sand activities, from surfing and bodyboarding to volleyball, frisbee, and just plain getting a tan.

The Strand (the beachfront street that runs parallel to the sand) is perfect for jogging, bike riding, or just a walk at sunset. And out in the waves one can see the tips of sails and the white foam trails of sailboats and speedboats as Oceanside often plays host to not only surfing competitions but also boat races. So whether you’re at the beach just to relax or to take part in some great activities, the beaches in Oceanside have it all.

Oceanside Beach Regulations

Glass: NO glass containers
Alcohol: NO Alcohol on beaches, pier, and parking lots
Animals: NO dogs or other animals
Fire Rings: FIres may be started only in fire rings provided by the city - no portables or other. There is a curfew on fires except at Harbor Beach
Camping: Camping at Harbor Beach parking lot only. No tents on beach.
Picnic Areas: There are no reservations for fire pits, picnic grills, volleyball nets,etc. If you want to use these items, get here early.
Unloading and Loading a Vehicle: Parking your car on the strand is prohibited at all times. If you wish to load and unload your vehicle, you may use a turnaround, such as the one at "Surfrider" and The Strand.

Oceanside Beach List

Breakwater Way

Located just south of Oceanside Harbor Beach, Breakwater Way is popular with families, surfers, and volleyball players. The San Luis Rey River connects to the Pacific Ocean at the river jetty. The area at the river mouth is often less crowded than the other beaches due to its distance from the parking areas. A pay parking lot is located at the east end of Breakwater Way and east of Pacific Street. Metered Parking is also available along Pacific Street.

Facilities:

Showers, restrooms, picnic tables, grills, and a volleyball court

Parking:

pay parking lot is located east of Pacific Street or metered parking on Pacific Street

Directions:

from I-5, take Coast Highway exit and go west until Coast Highway. Turn left and go to Surfrider, then turn right and go to Pacific St. Turn right on Pacific and go until you reach Breakwater Bay

Buccaneer Beach

A tiny beach at only about 50 yards across, Buccaneer Beach is very popular with local families looking for some relaxed time in the sun.

Facilities:

Grassy area, jungle gym, restrooms, showers, snack bar, pay phones, grills, and picnic tables are located right across the street at Buccaneer Park

Parking:

free parking available directly across the street from the beach

Directions:

if you are traveling north on Interstate 5, take the Vista Way exit. From the exit, you will proceed west until you reach Coast Highway, turn right; continue to Cassidy Street and turn left. Cassidy Street will take you to Pacific Street; turn right on Pacific Street and travel half a mile to Buccaneer Beach. If you are traveling south on Interstate 5, take the Cassidy Street exit west until you reach Pacific Street. Turn right on Pacific Street and travel half a mile to Buccaneer Beach.

Harbor Beach

Oceanside's largest beach, Harbor Beach offers a variety of activities from surfing to volleyball at the northern most point along Oceanside's coast. Aside from the usual beach activities you can find much more to do at the adjacent Oceanside Harbor, which offers deep sea fishing expeditions, jetski and kayak rentals, and numerous quaint and colorful shops and eateries.

Harbor Beach also has overnight RV parking

Facilities:

the area behind each lifeguard tower has picnic tables, barbecue grills, gazebos and showers. There are restrooms and telephones, a snack bar and some volleyball courts (you supply the net and ball). There are 24 fire rings along Harbor Beach.

Parking:

RV Paid Parking!
also numerous paid and free parking areas throughout the harbor commercial area and along the beach

Directions:

From I-5, take the Harbor Drive exit, west; Harbor Drive will take you directly to the entrance of the Harbor.

Oceanside Boulevard Beach

Near the southern end of Oceanside's beach line is Oceanside Boulevard Beach (so named because it is predictably located at the western end of Oceanside Blvd), along which many private homes face the ocean, making it almost a 'residential' beach. A 60 yard area directly west of the lone lifeguard tower here (Tower 9) is designated for swimmers, walkers, and bodyboarders during the summers months.

Facilities:

Showers but no restrooms - closest bathrooms are at either Buccaneer or Wisconsin Street beach

Parking:

parking along Pacific Street

Directions:

from I-5, take Oceanside Boulevard exit and go west until you hit water

Pier View North

The beaches that lie on the north side of the Oceanside Municipal Pier tend to be somewhat less crowded than the beaches directly south of the pier as the Oceanside Amphitheater is located to the south and most of the surfing competitions and other activities occur near to the Amphitheater. The Pier View North beach is nonetheless very popular for its surfing, fire rings, and volleyball. This often makes for a quiet, more relaxed atmosphere.

Facilities: Volleyball courts, restrooms, fire pits, and close prozimity to snacks and numerous amenities on pier

Parking: one pay parking lot, or metered parking on Pacific or nearby streets

Directions: From I-5 exit Mission Avenue and travel West - this will take you almost directly to beach

Pier View South

Oceanside's most popular beach, Pier View South lies directly south of the Oceanside Municipal Pier. This beach is busy year-round but may become especially crowded during the summer months both for its proximity to local attractions and venues like the Oceanside Pier, the Oceanside Amphitheater, and Oceanside's downtown, as well as the fact that it plays host the vast majority of surfing, bodyboarding, and other athletic events that occur in Oceanside.

Facilities:

Numerous - picnic tables, restrooms, grills, showers, snack area, fire rings, and of course the numerous activities and amenities on the pier itself. Located right next to the beach community center and the Oceanside Amphitheater

Parking:

pay parking lots located around pier

Directions:

from I-5, exit Mission Avenue west and continue until you reach Pacific Street

Tyson Street Beach and Park

Immediately south of Pier View South Beach, and also within a short walk of the Oceanside Pier, Tyson Street Beach is a relatively small beach area primarily characterized by the fact that it adjoins a small park, making it the perfect spot for families for picnics and relaxing in the grass. During the summer surfing is often prohibited in this area due to the preponderance of families. Since the park is just a few feet from the beach, it is great for picnics. Stairs are provided for beach and park access from Pacific Street.

Facilities:

restrooms, showers, picnic tables, a playground, and pay phones available at the park across the street (Tyson Park)

Parking:

metered parking on Pacific Street or a parking lot located one block east of Pacific Street and one block north of Tyson Street on the corner of Mission Avenue and Myers Street. Some handicapped parking available.

Directions:

from Interstate 5, take the Mission Avenue exit, west. Proceed west on Mission Avenue to Pacific Street, turn left on Pacific Street and continue for about ½ mile until you reach Tyson Street.

Wisconsin Street Beach

Located at the end of Wisconsin Street where it runs in The Strand, Wisconsin Street Beach is probably the least populated of all Oceanside beaches, mostly due to the fact that the beach is more narrow than the other beaches (the distance from the street to the water is relatively short). In fact at high tide there is often no beach at all as the surf rises all the way to the rocks that abut The Strand.

Facilities:

restrooms, showers, and a payphones

Parking:

pay parking lot is behind the lifeguard tower on The Strand or park along Pacific Street

Directions:

from I-5 take the Oceanside Boulevard exit and go west until you hit the beach, then make a right and go until you come to Wisconsin Pay parking lot and metered parking along Pacific Street.