My family and I were invited to check out Oceanside, and here’s a video look at all the happenings, from where to stay and play to a look at Legoland.
The Wyndham Oceanside Pier Resort had all the comforts of home, as it’s a timeshare also. So think 2-room, oceanfront, jacuzzi tub, kitchen, and laundry (click for my quick look around our suite). And the pool is not crowded and is very relaxing. Best of all, it’s steps from everything: the beach, restaurants, museums and more.
As far as what to do in Oceanside, as you saw in the video, we filled our few days with CA Surf Museum (you’ll see Bethany Hamilton’s shark-bite board, longboards vs shortboards, skate truck history and more), The Mission (beautiful grounds and good ole history for the kids) , Cafe 101 (an authentic ’50s diner with killer pineapple shakes), Ruby’s (classic pierside eats) and The Breakfast Club is a great all-’80s diner (think MJ, Duran Duran, and an owner who even offered to go get my husband allergy pills down the street). And Wheel Fun Rentals makes for an easy, breezy 4-passenger bike ride on the strand. Oceanside is just small-town, good vibes. You can do all of the above for a very affordable price too. The museum and mission are just a few bucks, and all the diners were well within reach.
And rounding out the vacation with a trip to Legoland was a great move. I loved how clean, bright and spacious the park was, and it was really nice to get rides, water fun and aquarium in one, so get the park hopper for sure. The kids loved Splash Battle best, so don’t miss the boat fun. Ideal age is probably 4-7 at the park, but you’ll see kids younger and older too. It was just so nice to switch scenery from the rides to Sea Life to the Water Park, and kept the kids’ attention front and center.
So if you’re looking for a chill weekend (as in no makeup, ok lip gloss, and casual attire) and just old-fashioned family fun, Oceanside is a strong contender. And it’s really not the military town many remember it is. It’s all surfer and very relaxed. Finally, consider taking the Amtrak train, just two blocks from the Wyndham (we needed a car, so couldn’t this time).
