Adventures in San Diego Part 2--March 2016 | Oceanside Pier, Oceanside California
Ok, so I was not really thinking about a blog post when I was taking these....I know, I know, I should ALWAYS be thinking that, right?! So, you get what I have :)
In March we stayed in Oceanside for a week during spring break. There is a condo complex there called Northcoast Village that we really like! It is WAY cheaper (especially in the off-season) than a hotel and it has a full kitchen! I don't know about you, but when traveling with the munchkins, staying in a hotel more than a night or two is painful. We love being able to have a separate bedroom to lock them in....I mean, close the door so the angels can sleep :) And a fridge stocked with food is a huge bonus and money saver. We love to pack lunches for the beach or even better, just walk back to the condo for lunch. These particular condos are RIGHT ON THE BEACH....well, you have to walk a block-ish...but you can see the beach from the condo. So if you are looking for a nice place to stay that will not break the bank, check them out! They are all individually owned and operated so if you google the complex, there will be multiple sites listing them. I always look for a comfy couch, a good TV, and a big bed! Those are always my priorities :) This last one we stayed at was a one bedroom on the bottom floor. We were steps from the gate and just a few steps more from the sand. It was perfect! We put the boys to bed at night and opened the arcadia door and listened to the waves! Ahhhhhh.... I want to go back!!
Anyways, Oceanside is not the ritziest or prettiest of the San Diego area beach cities, but it definitely has it's perks! Every Thursday, they have a street fair just east of the pier. They have TONS of vendors and every type of food imaginable. Go hungry!!! Our eyes were definitely bigger than our stomachs and we ate too much....but it's vacation....that's what you are supposed to do, right? So if you are there on a Thursday, check it out!
Another reason we love staying at Northcoast village is the location. It is located between the harbor and the Oceanside pier. There is lots to do there and everything is within walking distance! My kids love the beach but they also LOVE parks and playgrounds. There are two different areas here that have a place to play. The pier is also really fun to explore. There is a Ruby's restaurant at the end with great views of the ocean. There are always many fisherman along the pier too and they are usually pretty nice and will let you see what they have caught that day. One time we were up there, a man had just caught a baby shark and brought it over for the boys to look at. So cool! Andrew is always really excited to see any type of creature and looks forward to looking in people's buckets!
There are a few other restaurants within close walking distance to the pier as well as bike rentals. This last time we rented one and the boys had a blast. Don't let the bike fool you...these things are hard to pedal and do not go very fast. They are particularly hard when your partner, AHEM, decides they are tired and do not want to pedal anymore :)
We were excited to meet with our other dear friend Jackie on this last trip (yes, two Jackie's!) She is an incredible person and she is soooooooo good with Dylan and interacting with him. She is a very talented therapist, and pretty much genius in all areas of life. We LOVE her!!!
As you can tell, we LOVE San Diego, and we will always enjoy visiting there! New adventures await every time we go!
