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Give O’side 48 hours and we’ll give you the romantic weekend you and your partner have been longing for, filled with sun, sand, unique ways to unwind and relax, and amazing options for dining and drinking. Here’s a weekend itinerary with options for all budgets, guaranteed to bring couples closer (pro tip: set your phone to “do not disturb” to make sure you’re both present and in the moment).
The “Loving Feeling” package at the Mission Pacific Hotel—with a rose petal bubble bath and champagne waiting for you in your Sanctuary Suite—it’s an homage to Top Gun, filmed in O’side (the baby blue Victorian beach cottage on the hotel grounds was a major filming location).
The Seabird Resort cuts to the chase with the “Stay in Love” package that includes an ocean-view suite and couple’s treatments in-house at Sunny’s Spa & Beauty Lounge. Or, for a boutique urban oasis (where you never have to leave the building), book a king suite at The Fin and make a dinner reservation at their in-house resto, The Switchboard, featuring killer Mai Tais and Hawaiian-inspired fare like ahi poke and pineapple crème brûlée for dessert.
A king room at The Hotel Oceanside is one of the best deals near the beach, within walking distance of the marina and the pier. Or just a short walk from the Harbor Marina, are the Holiday Inn Oceanside and the Quality Inn Oceanside which have suites with their own living area, like a home away from home.
Or check out the numerous O’side property rentals available through sites like Airbnb. You’ll find everything from inland estates to beachfront condos.
For more lodging options, click on the Stay page of the website and find the place to suit your needs.
We’re super bike friendly, and rental shops around town have a variety of cruisers and city bikes so you can get around like a local, including a selection of e-bikes and electric scooters from Ride O’side or Wheel Fun Rentals.
Explore the neighborhoods, go shopping in South O, or take a self-guided tour of the O’side art murals and pose in front of the vibrant backdrops.
Shared experiences, especially if you’re learning something new, bring people closer.
Check out the O’side surf schools and arrange for a couple’s lesson tailored to your experience and ability or rent paddle boards at Harbor Village and paddle around the marina, a favorite site for boarders. Or for engine-powered adrenaline rush you can head out of the harbor on a Jetski from Oceanside Boat Rentals.
The Mellano Farm Stand hosts seasonal weekend events and festivals with live music, crafts, and more, including the Spring Flower Fields and an October pumpkin patch and corn maze. Year-round, the farm stand has fresh produce and gorgeous bouquets of farm-grown flowers.
The Oceanside Pier is primo sunset watching territory—walk out to the end and if you’re lucky, spot the green flash as the sun dips below the horizon. Watch from the sand with a romantic experience set up by The Beach Genie. Set sail in the early evening for a sunset wine cruise Oceanside Adventures!
Or, for a once-in-a-lifetime thrill that’s totally proposal appropriate, book a sunset flight with Waverider Helicopter Tours and be hovering over the Pacific when the skies turn shades of pink and flaming coral.
Sun’s up and you need grub and in the heart of South ‘O , The Beach Break Café is a hometown fave, serving up omelets, scrambles, and fluffy buttermilk pancakes with a heaping side of O’side vibes.
Barely a stone’s throw from the pier, Toasted Gastrobrunch has a dizzying selection of toasts, Benny’s and south of the border breakfast specialties that will fill you up big time, before heading to the beach.
Communal Coffee is just down the street at the Tremont Collective, serving breakfast sandwiches, toasts, bowls, and—very important—all the caffeinated beverages.
Or, for tea drinkers, check out the exotic brews at Bliss Tea & Treats. Or if you’re in the mood for Tres yummy, stop by Petite Madeline and enjoy some delectable French pastry decadence.
Midday, if you’re looking for fast-casual, we’ll grab the karaage chicken sando at Naegi, serving artful Japanese sandwiches on soft Hokkaido milk bread.
At the Harbor, we’ll keep it old school with a fish & chips basket at Harbor Fish & Chips and watch the sea lions bask in the sun. Or we’ll grab a seat at Lighthouse and watch the boats while we nosh on mahi-mahi tacos or a bowl of the killer clam chowder.
We’re also keen on the Flying Pig—it’s a little more gastropub, with a stellar cocktail menu and dishes like the bacon and pickled serrano Mac ‘n Cheese, the Grilled Pork Sando and the Pig Burger rounding out its pork-inspired burger offerings.
O’side has one of the hottest food scenes in SoCal, but no matter how elevated the cuisine, the vibe is always down to earth (yes, you can wear your flip flops).
Be sure to snag a reservation at O’side’s own Michelin Bib Gourmand rated Balinese inspired flavor fest, Dija Mara. The food experience is as colorful as it is flavorful, we highly recommend the shared plates (you’re on a couples escape after all).
And Every Wednesday night is date night at Blade 1936, where a prix fixe meal of Italian classics includes a bottle of the house cabernet sauvignon or chardonnay.
Boutique hotel dining is being redefined in O’side thanks to Valle at the Mission Pacific Hotel, where Chef Roberto Alcocer celebrates the food and wine of Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe region, and The Switchboard, at The Fin Hotel, for Hawaiian-inspired dishes like crispy Hua ‘Alani duck or house made vegan kimchi fried rice.
And finally, for a truly memorable dining experience, there’s Matsu, which San Diego Magazine called the Best New Restaurant of 2022—a 48-seat fine-dining restaurant serving a 10-course tasting menu focusing on the traditions and techniques of Japanese food married with Southern California terroir.
Local Tap House (locals just call it “LTH”) has a chill vibe and a rotating selection of 20 local beers on tap, plus bar snacks and a pitch-perfect menu of comfort food.
Bagby Beer has earned accolades for its “Three Beagles” English-style brown ale (among others!), proving that styles beyond hoppy IPAs have a home in O’side (there’s a full food menu, too).
The Flying Pig is constantly changing its tap selection but look for local faves like draughts from Booze Brothers and June Shine (hard kombucha!) to pair with their chef-driven menu of eats.
And in the heart of South O Pour House has a range of draughts, local and otherwise, plus cocktails, wine by the glass, burgers, entrees, and shared plates.
You can raise a glass at tasting rooms and wine bars around O’side while learning as much—or as little! —as you want about the winemaking craft.
Start your tasting adventure a few miles inland from the beach, where Beach House Winery has ocean views and bottles their own single-varietal vintages.
Orfila Winery—making wine in the nearby San Pasqual Valley—has an official O’side tasting room downtown near the pier. You can bring your own picnic to Coomber Craft Wines and discover their house wines while listening to live music (bonus: Coomber is also pet friendly).
And in South O, you don’t want to miss the Privateer Marketplace & Wine Bar, which sources, sells, and pours distinctive and interesting wines from all over the world, including some from San Diego County vineyards.
Or, for a memorable evening, grab your special someone and charter a sunset cruise. Oceanside Coastal Expeditions and Oceanside Adventures have various charter options. You can raise a glass at tasting rooms and wine bars around O’side while learning as much—or as little! —as you want about the winemaking craft.
Explore single-barrel and special-release spirits crafted on-site at Pacific Coast Spirits, plus a selection of draft cocktails highlighting their own small batch specialties.
For a classic cocktail, slip into a padded booth or take a seat at the bar at Frankie’s Cocktail Lounge to watch the maestros ply their craft. There’s a sexy vibe at Cococabana, the rooftop tiki bar at downtown urban oasis The Brick.
Or the Mission Pacific Hotel features a live DJ at the rooftop bar where you can get bottle service, craft cocktails, and small bites.
Transportation Options: Getting Around SoCal
O’side is just 100 miles south of LA and 50 miles from Orange County. You can easily get around by car, bus, plane, or even train.
Nearby Attractions
Make O’side your vacation home base for exploring world-famous attractions and destinations like the San Diego Zoo and Universal Studios Hollywood.
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