5 Swell Date Nights in Oceanside
Contributing Writers & Photographers: Mic & Jord, @OceansideDateNight
One of the wonderful things about Oceanside is that – within the span of 5-minutes – you can go from parasailing at the Oceanside Harbor to sitting down and eating sushi at your favorite Japanese restaurant. This diverse set of surroundings and activities makes for such a vibrant spot to take your partner or friend out and try something new! So whether you’re nervously trying to plan the perfect first date, looking to surprise your long-term partner, or have friends visiting from out of town and want to plan the perfect itinerary, below are Five Swell Ideas that we think have something for just about anyone.
Couple/Romantic
BEACH HOUSE WINERY
Nestled above the hills of Oceanside and found just a short drive from Downtown, Beach House Winery is a family-owned and operated winery that features not only delicious wine but the best panoramic views of San Diego County. Their award-winning wines taste even better while sitting atop their rooftop and we love how they often partner with local businesses like Cucina di Nana to provide artisan wood-fired pizzas and live music to their guests. We recommend attending one of their special events from Chocolate Pairings to Cigar Socials!
Splurge
MATSU
Sharing a meal at Matsu was on our list of “must-do’s” for a while and we still think it’s one of the best spots to celebrate a promotion at work, a birthday, anniversary, or something special with your partner or friends! With a focus on modern Japanese cooking while paying homage to centuries-old tradition, we love the simplistic approach to their menu and quickly understood why Matsu is widely recognized as one of the best Japanese restaurants as featured by San Diego Magazine. What’s great is that if you’re not feeling the full 10-course tasting menu, you can try a selection of their menu a la carte or attend their monthly Tsuki Night – making it more accessible for folks to check out.
Budget-Friendly
SUNSET WATCHING
As a couple who started dating when we were teens, we’re passionate about researching and finding activities that don’t break the bank and firmly believe that meaningful dates do not have to cost an arm and a leg. In fact, one of our favorite ways to spend time together is to sit down and watch the sunset! Whether we choose to walk along The Strand and find a spot at Tyson St. Park or drive down to the Oceanside Harbor and peer over the jetty, we’re so fortunate that Oceanside has a vast amount of beautiful spots to catch the sunset and haven’t been disappointed yet.
RelaX
ART MAGIC
The word self-care can mean so many different things to so different people and one hobby we’ve found that helps us both is being creative and working with our hands. Using family-friendly resins and dye, Kay at Art Magic has curated such a wide variety of art workshops that make for the perfect piece of home decor or gift for your partner or friend. Our personal favorite has to be the Ocean Resin Art on a Cheeseboard workshop but any of her 8+ workshops are well worth your time.
Action/Adventure
PEGASUS SIDECAR TOURS
One of our mantras when it comes to date nights is that, every so often, they need to gradually take us both out of our comfort zone. For some folks, that may look like trying new foods or a new hobby, but for us it usually has something to do with adventure. Using the only American-made motorcycle and sidecar in the U.S., Pegasus Sidecar Tours is an incredibly fun way to experience the city and Nik, the brains behind this operation, gives you all kinds of history and facts along the way. We opted to start our tour in Oceanside but, if you’re up for it, you can fully customize your tour through North County.
