Ocean Beach Vacations, Ocean Beach Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

Ocean Beach is worth a visit when you come to San Diego. It's a funky little beach community with an equal mix of surfers, hippies, bikers, students, and homeless. This flat, beachfront area was long ago set aside for affordable housing; the rich live on the hillsides above.

Newport Avenue is the heart of the community. Lots of tiny cafes to get an inexpensive lunch, tattoo parlors, surf shops and board rental places. It ends at the famous seawall, where you can sit and watch the show go by. On Wednesday's there's a farmer's market with home grown produce, hemp clothing, handmade candles, "healing crystals", and of course lots of delicious food. A band is always playing, and usually a drum circle forms before it's over : ) The street's also well equipped with dive bars and reggae clubs.

There's a youth hostel complete with plenty of dreadlocks, camo pants, and guitar playing on the steps. Other relatively inexpensive (for the beach) motels are scattered along the shore. Make reservations way in advance during the summer though. It's one of the few places in the city with good bus service, or you can rent bicycles.

There's a great surf break by the pier (there always is..) and swimming and body boarding farther up the beach. May want to stay clear of "Dog Beach" up at the north end if you don't have a dog, it's a minefield, if you know what I mean.