What’s New in Oceanside Summer 2025

Oceanside, Calif. (June 2025) — New Michelin recognized restaurants, a reimagined beach motel, freshly renovated coffee shop by a Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, and the first ever collaboration between Oceanside Museum of Art and California Surf Museum are just the beginning of what’s new in Oceanside, California’s most original beach town.

New Stay Option
South Oceanside continues to grow its collection of reimagined boutique motels with the addition of the new South O Bungalows. Situated along Coast Highway in one of Oceanside’s trendiest coastal neighborhoods, this newly remodeled, upscale hideaway offers 12 thoughtfully designed rooms complete with kitchenettes and semi-private patios, perfect for soaking up the area’s coastal breezes and laid-back vibe. Guests can easily walk to local shops, restaurants, a scenic nature lagoon, and the beach.

Culinary Accolades, New Openings & Fresh Update
Oceanside’s dynamic culinary scene continues to earn national attention. In May, 24 Suns and Tanner’s Prime Burgers were added to the Michelin Guide, joining nine other new California additions and earning praise from the prestigious international dining authority. 24 Suns, which held its grand opening in late January, brings regionally inspired Chinese cuisine to the heart of downtown. Helmed by chefs Nicholas Webber and Jacob Jordan—both alumni of Michelin three-star Addison—this intimate 60-seat eatery explores ingredients and techniques from all 35 Chinese provinces, guided by the 24 solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar. Recognized by the Michelin Guide for its “ambitious storytelling and flavor-forward dishes,” 24 Suns is a powerful new player in Oceanside’s restaurant scene. Meanwhile, Tanner’s Prime Burgers is flipping the script on fast-casual. Opened last spring on Vista Way in South Oceanside, the buzzy burger bar is the brainchild of fine dining veterans Brandon Rodgers (formerly of Michelin-starred Benu) and Eric Brandt. Tanner’s Michelin nod celebrates the team’s “elevated simplicity and technique-driven execution.” Their inclusion highlights Oceanside’s rise as a destination for food lovers, fueled by fine-dining pedigrees, bold creativity, and a spirit of innovation.

Oceanside also welcomed Odie’s Pizza Co. as the neighborhood’s new go-to for sourdough pies and laid-back vibes. Located just two blocks from the pier, Odie’s serves New York and Sicilianstyle pizzas made with a 48-hour fermented dough, plus vegan and gluten-free options. Expect creative toppings, an all-day menu, and a rotating lineup of local brews. Designed by founder and North County San Diego native Odie O’Connor, this bright, skateboard-themed eatery is set to become a community favorite. Also newly opened at Pacific Coast Spirits’ Coast Highway facility, The Mill Room is a design-forward café and wine bar offering curated bites, artisan coffee, and a retail experience that blends seasonal California flavors with Oceanside’s signature coastal cool. It’s the perfect spot for morning meetings, midday resets, or an early evening glass of wine.

And longtime Oceanside favorite Jitters Coffee Pub has undergone a full revamp with the help of Grammy-award winning musician and local resident Jason Mraz. The coffee pub is now open with a newly unveiled modernized space, locally sourced pastry program, and expanded graband-go, mostly vegan options—bringing a fresh vibe to one of Oceanside’s most beloved coffee spots. Also new this season, Tierra Mia Coffee, known for its Latin-inspired brews and housemade pastries, will open its first San Diego County location in Oceanside off Mission Ave. This popular chain is celebrated for high-quality coffee and unique flavors, such as the Horchata Latte and Mocha Mexicano

Summer Camps & Family-friendly Activities
This summer, Frontwave Arena is home to some of Oceanside’s most exciting youth programming. The San Diego Clippers Summer Camp (June 16–19 and July 14–17) offers young hoopers ages 7–12 a high-energy week of drills, team building, and game-day action. For soccer lovers, the San Diego Sockers Summer Camp (June 23–26, July 21–24, and August 4–7) blends technical training with fun scrimmages in a supportive, fast-paced environment

Down at the harbor, a new boutique boating experience has launched just in time for peak whale watching season. O’side Whales offers small-group eco-tours aboard a six-passenger luxury vessel, giving guests front-row views of migrating whales, dolphins, and marine life with insightful narration from a local captain. With daily departures and a focus on sustainability and hospitality, it’s a whole new way to explore Oceanside’s wild side.

A short drive away in Carlsbad, LEGOLAND California Resort is revving things up with the grand reopening of its beloved Driving Schools. The updated tracks now feature realistic road scenarios, roundabouts, and a bubble-powered car wash. Kids ages 3–13 can earn a commemorative LEGOLAND driver’s license during the month-long celebration, and families can enjoy meet-and-greets with the new LEGO Race Car Driver plus themed bites and treats.

Go Jump Oceanside, the city’s only coastal skydiving operation, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this summer. Known for its adrenaline-pumping tandem jumps and unbeatable views of the coastline, Go Jump has become a bucket list favorite for locals and visitors alike. Expect celebratory specials and events throughout the season to mark a decade of soaring high above O’side.

New in Nightlife and Arts & Culture
High above the coast, The Rooftop Bar at Mission Pacific Beach Resort is Oceanside’s must-visit summertime playground. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the venue comes alive with DJ sets, full moon parties, and themed events like the Soirée Blanche and Summer Solstice Celebration. The refreshed space features Mediterranean-inspired design and lush greenery— ideal for sipping cocktails at sunset or dancing under the stars.

Oceanside’s creative spirit shines this summer with a lineup of compelling exhibitions and cultural experiences. At the Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA), The Space Between: Texture Studies by Denja Harris (June 28–October 12) invites viewers to explore large-scale yarn paintings, soft sculptures, and immersive video works that examine the tension between structure and softness—offering a tactile meditation on uncertainty and transformation. Later in the season, Fabulous Fiber (July 26–November 2) will showcase contemporary textile art, featuring everything from quilting and weaving to tufting and embroidery. This vibrant exhibition celebrates both the craftsmanship and modern innovation found in fiber arts, offering a refreshingly tactile counterpoint to our digital world.

As summer comes to a close, Oceanside’s arts and surf cultures will converge with exciting events. In late August, Oceanside Museum of Art and The California Surf Museum will debut their first collaborative exhibition, “Surf Art: Exploring California’s Coastal Culture.” This inaugural partnership brings together two Oceanside institutions in a unified celebration of surf-inspired art rooted in Oceanside’s coastal lifestyle. The exhibition will be presented in two parts: opening at OMA on August 23, 2025, and at CSM on September 13, 2025, with both exhibitions on display through February 1, 2026. Surf Art will explore the creative expressions that have emerged from the surf lifestyle, focusing on the unique lens of artists who live and work in Southern California — the birthplace of modern surf culture

Starting off in early September, the 2025 Plein Air Festival (September 6–13), hosted by the Oceanside Museum of Art, brings artists of all levels to scenic spots across the city to capture Oceanside’s coastlines, neighborhoods, and iconic landmarks in open-air paintings. Activities include art sales, a juried exhibition and auction, and ocean-themed workshops.

Later in September, Super Girl Surf Pro (September 20–22), the world’s largest women’s surf and lifestyle event, returns to Oceanside Pier with more than 140 top female surfers, including past appearances by local Olympian and current World Champion Caity Simmers. The festival also features free concerts, an esports tournament, all-female DJ competition, fitness classes, and family-friendly activities—making it one of the biggest beach events on the West Coast. For more updates on what’s new in Oceanside, visit www.visitoceanside.org.

About Oceanside
Perfectly situated between metropolitan San Diego and Los Angeles, Oceanside is a quintessential California coastal escape that includes 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. This playful and fun destination thrives on taking recreation to the next level and boasts world-class surfing, skateboarding, bike riding, boating and even skydiving. A flourishing farm-to-table food and craft beer, wine and spirit scene reflects Oceanside’s creative and entrepreneurial spirit, as do exciting arts and culture programs that earned Oceanside one of just 14 California Cultural District designations in 2017. Classically charming, eclectic and always genuine, Oceanside is an ideal place to stay and a true O’riginal. www.visitoceanside.org

About Visit Oceanside
Visit Oceanside Conference and Visitors Bureau is the official tourism marketing organization in Oceanside, Calif., promoting travel to the city for both leisure and group visitors. The organization influences about one-third of the $625 million that is generated by visitor spending in Oceanside each year, which supports over 4,000 jobs. Visit Oceanside also operates one of the state’s official California Welcome Centers. With just one stop, visitors can find local, regional and state maps, purchase discount tickets to major Southern California attractions, make hotel reservations or shop for the perfect California keepsake. The Visit Oceanside CVB and California Welcome Center- Oceanside are conveniently located just off Interstate 5 at 928 North Coast Highway. For more information, please call (800) 350-7873 or visit www.visitoceanside.org.