Ocean Beach, San Diego

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Visiting Ocean Beach is like stepping back into the mid-sixties! Little has changed since that time, by design. The community of Ocean Beach has strict regulations with regards to the type of businesses allowed to open in this area, in order to maintain that '1960's' feel. FUNKY!

If you like to shop antiques, there are plenty little places here offering anything from second-hand goods to real antiques, especially on Newport Avenue. The Ocean Beach Farmers Market is held every Wednesday afternoon from 3:30 pm-7:30 pm on Newport Avenue and keeping in spirit, check out the Ocean Beach Peoples Organic Food Co-op!

Pictured: 'An Old Hippie,' but don't let this scare you off, there are plenty of young hippies there too. Just check out the porch of the Ocean Beach Youth Hostle!

Of course, the beach is the focal point, especially for surfers, but also there is a pier to walk along--which can be closed, as a precautionary measure, during bouts of high waves---fishing from this pier is allowed without having a license. Also, next to the pier is a section providing tide pools which are especially fun for children.

More information about OB can be found on my Ocean Beach page.

I had an opportunity to visit California just about a month ago (May, 2006). I have learnt to swim a long time ago, when I was a small boy and I like it still nowadays at the age of 50. I travelled to California from Finland, (just about 10 000 kilometers) by airplane and the journey was exciting. I spent two springweeks in San Diego and visited the ocean beach there, too. I think that it was the most greatest thing to do to swim on salty ocean waves and I'd like to do it a number of times again.

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Ocean Beach is one of the most interesting places I have lived. When I am there it feels as though time has stopped. When I go back it seems little has changed over the years. Ocean Beach is really about a lifestyle or attitude that is rarely affected by the rest of the world. Yes there are some cart pushers and strange individuals, but the general population is very laid back and friendly.

Go to the Ocean Beach Pier
Once you've gone there, leave and go under the the pier and head straight back toward the cliffs. Sit there and enjoy the sound of the crashing waves. Especially fun at night. It will calm you and may put you to sleep.
Don't worry about the scary people 50 yards down from you, they're just drunk. :)

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Building sand castles and watching the surfers is FREE and absolutely the best time that we had in San Diego.....