Oceanside, affectionately referred to as O’side, is the cutest beach town that ever was. Halfway between L.A. and San Diego, visitors can surf world-class waves, walk along one of the longest wooden piers on the West Coast (at 1,942 feet), and snack on a hand pie at High Pie, which is located inside the very house where Kelly McGillis and Tom Cruise fell for each other in the 1986 film “Top Gun.” The Victorian-style house is filled with movie memorabilia, and just outside, people can pose for pictures with a replica of the motorcycle that Cruise’s character, Maverick, rode down North Pacific Street in the film.
Oceanside is a surf town spotted with historic landmarks and two new beautiful hotels on North Pacific Street: The Seabird Ocean Resort & Spa and Mission Pacific Beach Resort. But according to long-time residents and local lore, O’side was not always so coveted. Maybe it was because of its proximity to Camp Pendleton, a military base located in North San Diego County, or that its neighbors, such as Carlsbad to the south and Dana Point to the north, stole the spotlight.
Flash forward to 2025, and O’side is the playground of some of the best surf pros; home to the Supergirl Pro Jam event, the world’s largest women’s surf competition; and a popular vacation destination and coastal road trip stopover along the Pacific Coast Highway. . . .
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Jessica Koslow 