10 New Reasons to Visit SoCal’s O’side

From “grain to glass” locally made spirits to new hotels and eco-forward restaurants, visitors will continue to find surprise and delight in this San Diego beach town this spring and summer. Perfectly situated between metropolitan San Diego and Los Angeles, Oceanside is a quintessential California coastal escape with wide sandy beaches, a quaint New England-style harbor, historic wooden pier and charming bungalow neighborhoods. O’side (as locals affectionately call it) is a destination of discovery where visitors can explore everything from California history at the “King of Missions” to surf culture at the California Surf Museum and awe-inspiring sea life through exciting ocean adventures.

Take a look at 10 new reasons to visit!

Grain to Glass Craft Distillery

Already named one of the hottest cocktail bars in San Diego, Oceanside’s Pacific Coast Spirits opened in December and is leading the charge as the only craft distillery, tasting room and kitchen in North San Diego. The 12,000 square-foot space enjoys a prime location on Coast Highway and features indoor and outdoor seating that is casual and comfortable. With a focus on sustainability and locally sourced ingredients, PCS offers a menu of shareable plates and a selection of “grain to glass” house made spirits including American Single Malt, Bourbon, Vodka, Gin, Brandy and Agave Spirit.

The Plot: Plant Based, No Waste

With yummy dishes like chicken and waffles and bone marrow with smoky stuffed potato, it’s possible some may not realize The Plot is a vegan restaurant. This leading-edge, eco-conscious new restaurant is entirely plant-based and committed to a responsibly sourced menu and a zero-waste business model, focusing on total utilization of fresh, clean ingredients. The newest venture by Oceanside’s dynamic husband and wife duo Davin and Jessica Waite, who also run the popular Wrench and Rodent Seabasstropub and The Whet Noodle, The Plot’s business model focuses on good food, community and sustainability with a menu featuring house-made, plant-based proteins.

Carte Blanche: Innovative French-Mexican Bistro

Oceanside’s dining scene continues to buzz with new restaurant openings and the French-inspired Mexican Bistro— Carte Blanche Bistro and Bar— is noteworthy among them. Located just a few blocks from the beach in downtown, the creative menu is the invention of Chef Alex Carballo, a well-known local chef who formally ran the kitchen at the iconic Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in Escondido, Calif.  The 160-seat restaurant features an airy, colorful décor and lively bar with a French Mexican fusion menu that includes dishes such as carne asada tartare, prickly pear ceviche, duck confit street tacos, chile verde moule frites and quinoa negra with beet and ricotta hummus.

Sidewalk Activism Inspired Artwork

Through June 21, Oceanside Museum of Art is showcasing an exhibit that explores street art and its use as unmediated political commentary. As opposed to spray paint and graffiti related messages, street art holds a different aesthetic, engages a larger audience and is judged on its ability to cultivate change by advocating, motivating or educating the public. The exhibit represents a diverse number of artists and issues from a broad perspective. As an extension of the exhibit, visitors are encouraged to explore Oceanside’s own street art through the museum’s guided and self-guided tours of the city’s downtown murals.

Axe Throwing, Escape Room and Virtual Reality

It’s not all about the beach in Oceanside. A crop of fun, new activities have popped up in the city including Axe Ventures, where visitors can learn the art of axe throwing, School of Hard Locks Escape Room and The Grid, a virtual reality activity center featuring arcade games, hyper tag and even art classes.

Oceanside International Film Festival Celebrates 10 Years

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Oceanside’s International Film Festival kicks off the season of film festivals in San Diego and offers an exciting mix of local and international films alongside special unique events such as the 2019 “talk story” with legendary surf filmographer Taylor Steele. Fest-goers can expect another great year of film and curated events at the 2020 event, which takes place August 12-16 at Sunshine Brooks Theatre.

The Rising Co.— A Maker’s Collective

Oceanside’s newest co-operative retail space celebrates local makers from artisan-crafted leather goods and candles to vintage finds and slow fashion. The beautifully-reinvented space along Coast Highway is home to popular local goods including Mr. B’s Necessities, Rais Case, Wild Habit, Soul Shapers and Mary y Lana. Plus, the co-op also features events, workshops and creative hands-on experiences like candle making classes.

Awesome Surf Contests

Surfing continues to be a key component of Oceanside’s heritage and culture with numerous local hot spots like North Harbor Beach and the Pier featuring some of the best and most consistent waves around. In addition to taking lessons, visitors can experience the excitement through one of Oceanside’s numerous surf contests held throughout the year. Popular surf contests include the action sports industry’s largest all-female competition and lifestyle series Super Girl Pro, as well as the US Open Adaptive Surfing, World Bodysurfing Championship, Oceanside Longboard Club Contest, Scholastic Surf Series and more.

New Beach Resorts

Opening late 2020 with a prime location overlooking Oceanside’s historic wooden pier and beach are two new upscale resorts— one flagged a Joie de Vivre hotel and the other a Destination Hotels resort. One of the largest beachfront developments along the San Diego coastline in over a decade, the resorts will add a luxe vibe to Oceanside’s coast and include ocean view rooms, restaurants, meeting space, public gardens and curated artwork by Oceanside Museum of Art. Plus, the development will be the new home for Oceanside’s beloved “Top Gun” house, named for its appearance in the popular movie from the 1980s. The historically protected Queen Anne Victorian is being meticulously restored and will relaunch as a curated food outlet. 

Restored Historic Boutique Hotel with Rooftop Bar

Late 2020 will also welcome a new 10-room boutique hotel set in an historic 1888 building and located in the heart of the Oceanside Cultural District near museums, theaters and the popular Thursday-night Sunset market. The hotel owners have been diligently renovating and restoring the three-story hotel, which is yet to be named but is currently being referred to as the “Brick Hotel” due to its original brick façade. The boutique property will include a first-floor restaurant, hotel rooms on the second and third floors and a rooftop bar. A new cocktail lounge adjacent to the hotel also is part of the project and slated to open Spring 2020.

For more information on Oceanside and all of its events and attractions, visit www.visitoceanside.org .

Photos courtesy of visitoceanside.org