We can always count on the OB Boardwalk for an eclectic mix of people. Tourists, locals, homeless…read more(not aggressive in our experience), buskers, craft vendors, surfers...you name it! The views, the ocean breeze, the sun. Soak it all in. Take a walk on the pier. Put your feet in the water. If the kettle corn guy is there, by all means treat yourself to some. It's really good. If you're fortunate enough to visit during the craft fair, stroll through for some treasures. We love OB.

This walkway stretches along the beach, offering stunning ocean views, picturesque pier sights, and…read morea lively atmosphere that's perfect for a leisurely stroll or a fun-filled day out. I love walking along the boardwalk, taking in the salty air, and stopping at the various shops, eateries, and surf spots along the way. Whether you're a local or just visiting, the OB Boardwalk is a must-visit destination for its classic beach town vibes and unforgettable sunsets.

Beautiful garden with an array of CA native plants. Gravel paths meander through hillside. This…read moreplace Is larger than I anticipated. Many helpful signs identifying plants. Garden is well-tended to. No sketchy people in sight unlike the comment I read on Google, which was 7 years old. Nice to see wooden bridges and lookout deck built by the Scouts. I appreciate all the work that volunteers must dedicate to keeping this garden flourishing.

Free SD public native garden that's got a variety of plants and paths to walk along or sit down and…read moretake in the greenery.

Can't say enough good things about this restaurant. Every detail is highly considered and thought…read morethrough, from the decor down to the recipes. MAKE A RESERVATION FOR SURE!!! They get really busy, and now, since it's turning into the summer crowd, this spot gets EXTRA popular. ( Already busy during the down season.. coming from a local!). They do accommodate for drinks if you have to wait a little to get seated, but trust.. its worth it. I love the ambiance here, and the Norcina pasta is my favorite item on the menu. Best Italian in SD hands down.

If you want to transport to Italy while being in California, come to this place…read more Amazing staff - thank you Andrea and amazing food. Beyond gorgeous and beyond fabulous, incredible.

I like to call this "kiddie corner" because the area around Ebers Street and between Saratoga…read moreAvenue and Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach is irretrievably a neighborhood devoted to children and childcare. The bastions of Ocean Beach Elementary and Sacred Heart Academy are right there. There is the Ocean Beach Park & Recreation Center-where generations of children have played and hung out. The hippie haven of the Children's Energy Center-a daycare like no other is nearby and there are other Church-related daycares close to it all. A small, passive park attached to the other side of the Ocean Beach Park & Rec Center alley-the Saratoga Kid's Park is a gathering spot for lots of local kids who come up with their parents in strollers, trikes, bikes or simply on foot. On the weekends, the Park is overrun with them and the benches and picnic tables get quite a workout too. The Jungle Gym and swings are only a few years old- the Park was recently refurbished and freshened up with new equipment. What's nice about the Kiddie Playground there-it doesn't look ghetto or like a hang-out for punky teens. The Park & Rec must maintain it since there is no graffiti or trash. The only time it's gross is when the perpetually-flaky OB dog-owners bathroom their dogs in the sand or lawn area. Otherwise, a perfect spot to roll up with the kids and let them run around till they get hungry or tired-or preferably both! Which could only mean blessed words to hear, which are: NAP TIME!

This park is awesome for kids three and under. Wish I had known before I drove all the way out…read morehere. My daughter just turned five and she was done in less than an hour. Great place if your child is smaller.

I love a good food hall, and this one doesn't disappoint. A great collection of various cuisines,…read moreincluding yummy dessert options. This is a perfect choice for when you're traveling with a group and have a lot of differing preferences. Seating can be a little tricky, especially when you have a group larger than 6 people, but when the weather is nice, outside seating is lovely.

* catching up on old backlogged drafts so this review may be a bit out of date…read more Went with a couple friends and split up immediately to different store fronts so we could all buy the type of food we want - big perk of these market style dining areas! My friend got poke and I got a lobster roll and clam chowder. We all grabbed some beers as well. Sat outside and had a great meal together! Very chill relaxed atmosphere and parking was easy to find. We walked around to some of the neighboring stores before as well!

Chill, spontaneous, and a place with good food…read more I love coming here to people watch, and when I do come here there's always something new happening. Sometimes the events here are huge and fun! Come on down!

I love watching the sunset from OB. It never fails to be absolutely gorgeous!…read more When the tide is out, you can go tide pooling to the left of the pier, and it is always so much fun to discover sea life in the crevasses of the rocks and in the little pools. (The pier is currently closed.) The beach itself is great as well, for sunbathing, swimming, or taking a walk. There are also plenty of places nearby to grab some food. On Wednesday evenings, come by for the OB Farmers Market! At times, the area can be a little rough, but in ten years of living here, I have never had an issue. Lots of free street parking and paid lots as well. Peace.

Have been here a few times, the food quality is amazing. It's truly the only place I've been able…read moreto find where the pasta tastes exactly like the one I had in Italy! Along with that when we went, we were celebrating my mom's birthday and the service felt extra attentive and kind! Overall, this place is amazing, it has a great ambiance for going out with friends or family to enjoy some great food!

Cesarina is one of the most popular Italian restaurants in San Diego for a reason! Highly recommend…read morecoming with a reservation, otherwise you'll be waiting for a while. The interior is so cutely decorated and they have some outdoor seating as well. The paccheri vodka & scampi is a bit on the pricier end compared to the other pastas but sooo worth it! I don't really crave seafood pastas too often but I think about that pasta often and would 100% go back to get it. So if you're on the fence, take this as a sign to get it. The flavor of the pasta is so good. The funghi pasta is also amazing and my husband craves that one often as well. The arrabbiatissima sounded really delicious from the description but was too acidic for me the couple of times I tried it. For my friend's birthday, they brought out a small dessert and also took a cute Polaroid for us to take home which was so sweet. I've recommended this restaurant to friends whenever they ask for San Diego restaurant recs and they have all said that they really enjoyed their meal here!

Green Flash is a meteorological optical phenomena that you can see during sunset or sunrise. It is…read morevery rare to be able to see. Given the right conditions, you can see a distinct green spot above the sun's upper limb, that usually only lasts for no longer than two seconds. It is even more rare, the green flash can resemble a green ray shooting up from the sunset or sunrise point. This sculpture is the work of Malcolm Jones and is dedicated to that phenomenon, but it in no way aids you of viewing. You will find it on the Mission Beach boardwalk. The piece is made of a solid cast acrylic archway that is supported by two concrete pillars. There is also a bronze plaque describing the green flash phenomenon located on the sculpture and another title plaque. It was made in 2002 and is in fair shape, especially considering its age. Some has put stickers on it and the plaques are show signs of corrosion. It is unique and I actually learned something new in the process. It definitely sticks out. I have come to the terms that I will probably not ever see a green flash. It takes masterful planning, precise timing, and patience. I have 2 of the 3 (you can figure out which one I am missing). Parking here is simple. There is a free parking lot right by it. You can park, get out and talk a closer look. Well, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. The beach, a park, and an amusement park are in walking distance if you are looking for ideas.

I walked under this on my way to Mission Beach in San Diego and wondered what it was. It looked…read morelike something out of the 1970s!!! What is the Green Flash?? Well, it happens at sunrise or sunset, right before the sun drops out of view or starts to appear, it is said that a green flash appears for about 2 seconds. So this SoCal local flavor arch is a tribute to those 2 seconds!! Don't blink or you might miss it, literally, lol!!!!!

The OB Holiday Parade. What a blast! Every year! Such a blast!…read more This was our second consecutive year we enjoyed the parade from the balcony of the our room at the OB Hotel. We're already booked for next year. It starts with the countdown to the lighting of the traditional OB crooked Christmas tree, then the quirkiest, most awesome parade begins. It starts on Santa Monica then travels around the block down the main drag Newport Ave. then onto Abbot St. right in front of the boardwalk and beach. It is so much fun! Everybody is in such a festive mood. The floats and participants are all super cool and most are only what you'd find in OB. (My apologies for having too much fun to take pictures.) Macy's Thanksgiving Parade ain't got nothin' on OB!

I have lived my entire life in San Diego and never knew this was a thing???…read moreThe Ocean Beach Holiday Parade was fantastic. It all started off with the lighting of the annual crooked Christmas tree. Followed by a parade of OB's interestingly fun inhabitants. We were up on a hotel balcony enjoying the views of the passerbys all to the sweet aroma of marijana. Randomly seeing our friend Nikki on the float of crazy Bill's fans was a plus. I hope to remember to attend next year... once the smoke clears from my head.

This neighborhood was featured on a list of neighborhoods to check out when looking at Christmas…read morelights in San Diego and as tourists here during the holiday season, we saw that this wasn't too far from us so we went to stop by and check out the lights. We came here around 7 PM, so around prime time for lights. There were a couple houses with lights, but it's really spread out and not really as impressive as some of the other neighborhoods I'm accustomed to in the 626 nor like the neighborhoods in northern San Diego that my friend and I saw on our way back up from our trip. There was a group on golf cart zooming through the neighborhood, so at some point it used to be a thing, but not so much anymore. Aside from how fancy the houses look normally, there may have been 2 houses that were unique, the others were a bit standard.

It's a beautiful neighborhood up in the hill and has nice Christmas decor but it is not like what…read moreit used to be?! Not all of the homes are decorated whereas in the past all the homes and yards were lit up and the whole street glowed. I don't take any pictures.