Despite being a California native, I've never been to a California Welcome Center, despite living…read moreto much closer ones. We wanted to stop by for a restroom break and to stretch our legs and eat some of our snacks before making our final voyage to San Diego and we saw the welcome center when we turned out of the freeway. Definitely stop here over a regular rest stop or fast food joint. We came in around 15-20 minutes before they had to close and all the ladies working there were super friendly, welcoming, answered all of our questions. Restrooms are super clean and smells nice too. They have a sign in sheet for visitors, lots of brochures for nearby attractions, an entire car inside for photos, lots of neat bits and pieces of history of the area and sights to see including info about pro-skater Tony Hawk, the surfboard museum or something nearby, and much more. Lots of neat gifts and trinkets for you to take back on your trip too. There's also books, and goods made by local artists. My friend from Texas got a cute kitchen towel with the art of all the animals and such from California. Cute! There's a discount corner and everything is reasonable and affordable. At the side there's also someone posted there to assist you with booking hotels and I'm sure other things like tickets to events or attractions, I'm sure. Going here has inspired me to eventually visit the other Welcome Centers too!

One of the things I love to do when traveling is to visit the local welcome center and I find…read moremyself always looking got them when away from home, so I was super excited to find that Oceanside has a Welcome Center! Yippee! The last one I went to was in Ventura and that was also fabulous! This Welcome Center is smaller than the one in Ventura but it was very solid! The two ladies that helped me today were sweet and knowledgeable. Since it's gonna hella rain the next couple of days, I asked for some indoor suggestions and they both were well prepared to answer my questions! One lady even pulled out a handout that had many rainy day activity sessions! I was pointed to go visit the Mission San Luis Rey, which I promptly did later and it did not disappoint but also got plenty of indoor suggestions like a vintage market to check out, go to the mall and go to the movies (I will probably do all of these things and more!). I also loved that they had very informative magazines, brochures for North Coast, and all of Cali and other states too! I was in heaven with all this information! Definitely give this place a visit if you like doing research on your travels! I loved it!

Every time I go there, I am greeted by so many enthusiastic people who are there to truly help…read more Even if you don't need help and just want a friendly ear, someone is there for that! they have many programs and services for all. Highly recommend :-)

Have you ever heard of an LGBTQ center that doesn't have an onsite gay men's support group? Under…read more"Services" they offer a "list" of "various programs" which included exactly ONE weekly Narc Anon meeting. No AA 12 step meeting. Under the "Programs" section of the website, there is an HIV group that meets ONCE a month. There is no onsite seniors group meeting. It's a flashy website that looks great and seems to promise a lot but when you dig into it and actually visit the location you're told to find a support group on Zoom or offsite somewhere. And the atmosphere is not friendly; it's cold. But there are multiple links for donating money.

Soo cool! Such a surprise. You think it's a small community center, but it's packed with…read moreactivities, light snacks, coffee, a stage, play rooms, books, toys, and best of all - animals! There's a pig that gets walked by a staff member intermittently, turtles you can get up and personal with, chickens, owls, hawks, falcons, snakes, starfish, etc. This is a great venue to take your kids. They have activities such as story time, and they also have an area where you can learn about the natives. There's areas to hike around the beautiful lagoon. You can be a member or take a look for the day for about $15 which is very reasonable. I believe it's worth it. They really maximized the space. It's a wonderful place!

Wow! I'm so glad I was recommended this place! They have a suggested donation and with it, you get…read morean animal feed bag of your choice. There are lots of animals around the property! This place is perfect for younger kids, I'd say around 9 or younger. They have a scavenger hunt that changes monthly and kids get to pick a small prize. Highly highly recommend if you're looking for a fun FREE activity to do with your kids!

Studio Ace was fantastic for my son's 8th birthday party! I can't say enough good things about…read moreMichelle and everything she did for the boys and our party guests. She was extremely hands-on, professional, patient, and amazing with the kids from start to finish. The amount of artwork and activities available kept everyone engaged, and we absolutely loved the Japanese-inspired artwork and overall vibe of the studio. I was honestly surprised to learn this place is a nonprofit. For about $250 for 15 kids, it felt like a great value. Unfortunately, three kids didn't show up, but the setup still worked out perfectly. The layout is on the smaller side, so I wouldn't recommend too many adults, but it created a cozy atmosphere where everyone could still enjoy themselves comfortably. One of the best parts was being able to bring our own food. We had pizza, and because we're Filipino, we also brought pancit and lumpia, which everyone enjoyed. The location was convenient as well. Parking was decent for the middle of the day, and having a dollar store right next door was perfect for grabbing a few last-minute party items. Overall, the two-hour party felt like two minutes because the kids were having such a great time. We enjoyed art, pizza, cake, and quality family time together. Highly recommend Studio Ace for a fun, creative, and stress-free kids' party experience!

What a fun experience for our kiddos! It's nice to have a place that teaches art and they are well…read moreorganized. The kids and I passed by often going to the library and they have free coloring pages hanging outside in a creative way. So to get to take classes after a year of passing it by, well my only regret is not enrolling them earlier. Check it out! Last class (an hour long) hubby and I had a little early dinner together next to the art studio. There's two teachers and a large window and kids completed fun art pieces I've not seen before. And I've been doing art for decades. So much fun!

I love when I'm invited by members. Good food at extremely low prices for what you get. Friendly…read morestaff and everyone is just there to have fun. Karaoke night is a blast and they get some real talent in there unlike most bars where you have to put up with people with horrible voices. The Elks draws people that could absolutely be professional..

Real good lunch simple tasty and good value. Will return many times. Good service very nice…read moresurroundings.

Incredible organization! I can't say enough good things about the facility, the team, and the…read moremission. Everyone cares so deeply about those they help and serve. I get a real sense of peace every time I visit. The world needs more places like Casa de Amparo. Thank you for all that you do for children and families in need!

One of my favorite non-profits. I have been here to tour the facilities, and have volunteered my…read moretime to help with the kids, teens, and young adults for five years through their wish list program at the holiday season. Tania is the woman that I've been communicating with at Casa de Amparo, and she has done a tremendous job at coordinating and communicating effectively. Every staff member that I've met has been loving and friendly. This place deserves a lot more credit than it gets because they are involved in extremely difficult situations at times, and they are doing so much to help. I just learned that Amparo translates to protection, shelter, and help. Many of the kids at Casa de Amparo are being provided a safe shelter.

Very nice volunteers, cook and serve food at holiday park…read more6:30 pm on tuesdays! For anyone in need! No sign ups . Everyone is nice to each other, everyone is treated with respect. Delicious home cooked food,salad, fresh fruit. Treats. They don't allow smoking or any funny business. Very organized operation! These volunteers are truly angels!! Calm relaxed friendly atmosphere!!!

Accidentally reserved one weekend we couldn't go and I called and someone was super helpful on the…read morephone to switch my dates. Little bit hard to find. But great friendly people help you right in. Fabulous show! Great place to come and check out! Their seats are actually NOT hard plastic! My behind thanks you.

This theater is phenomenal!! It's a little gem tucked into a "downtown" area of Encinitas. Walking…read morein, we were greeted by extremely friendly people and a rush of cold Air conditioning; which hit such a sweet spot after the warm day. They have a little mini concessions with extremely reasonable prices and a great selection of sodas, chips, candy, and some yummy baked goodies. Walking into the theater you quickly see that there's not a bad seat in the house. These are the most comfortable cushion seats that can recline a bit and there are drink holders for the ice cold drinks from the concessions. This theater is small and intimate, but the show is big! Beautiful voices, beautiful music played live by a band, great lighting, and you feel every emotion these phenomenal actors portray. There's a selection of restaurants in the immediate area for a bite to eat before this amazing show. So glad to have found this gem and will definitely be back to see their future performances!