Take a break from the cold this holiday season and instead hit up the beach. You can do this and much more when you spend your holiday season with us here in Oceanside. Our southern California community has so much to offer during the holidays, from festive events to lively activities around the area. Keep track of your time together as a family by taking family holiday photos during your stay. Instead of a classic studio picture head out around Oceanside for your picture. Here are some great spots and events where you can get the best Oceanside holiday photos:
SnowSide Winter Festival
If you do happen to miss the snow back home when you visit Oceanside for the holidays you can always join the fun over at SnowSide Winter Festival. This annual event takes place over at Emerald Island Golf Course for three full days of holiday fun. SnowSide Winter Festival brings out real snow for a holiday treat like no other. In addition to the snow you can also enjoy live music, arts and crafts, festive drinks, and a visit from Santa Claus. Get the family together to take a unique pic with Santa Claus having snow in the background of a golf course while sunny skies are overhead. Your picture will have everyone guessing where you are at! This year’s SnowSide Winter Festival will take place December 6th through the 8th from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM each day.
Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony
You can knock off two things on your bucket list in Oceanside by attending the annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony and getting a wonderful family picture just in time for the holidays. Each year, the holiday tree lighting in Oceanside takes place in conjunction with the Holiday Sunset Market. This year’s festivities will take place on Friday December 5th with a whole evening of fun planned out. Arrive early at 5:00 PM where holiday music and festivities will kick off for the event. The festivities include live music, incredible holiday decoration, family friendly games and entertainment, zip lines, bounce houses, amusement park rides, and much more. There will even be a free holiday arts and crafts area for the kids in addition to free milk and cookies. Santa Claus will arrive at the party at 6:00 PM by fire truck, where he will assist the city mayor in the tree lighting countdown. After the holiday tree has been lit for the season Santa will be around for the evening to take pictures with the family. You will be able to get a wonderful picture in front of the giant Oceanside holiday tree making for an incredible holiday card. Make sure to stick around after the ceremony and picture is over to explore the Sunset Market that offers countless vendors. You will find plenty of unique gifts for loved ones back one all in one spot.
Oceanside Pier
You simply cannot visit Oceanside and not stop by the Oceanside Pier and snap a few pics. You come to Oceanside for the beautiful beaches but they will be put in even more perspective when you have the Oceanside Pier close by. This pier has been around for decades and is a part of Oceanside’s history here in Southern California. The pier stretches out westward onto the water and is over 1,900 feet long. Get family photos on the beach with the pier in the background as the sun sets behind you. This will make for an ambient family photo that only somewhere such as Oceanside can provide. Try to visit during low tide where you will be able to take pictures underneath the pier. Being right under the pier for your family holiday photo will offer a window for your framing with the ocean in the background. This is a unique vantage only available at certain points of the day!
Oceanside Murals
Get a little bit of the city in your family holiday photo by taking it in front of one of the local murals in the area. Local artists have created several incredible murals over the years that can be found all over Oceanside. Finding the murals can take a little bit of searching if you do not check online but are worth the effort. Many of the murals focus on the ocean habitat and sunset views making for a perfect photo backdrop.
Book Your Stay at The Brick Hotel
Finding the perfect photo spot for your holiday family photo is just the start. You will find the best stay in town over at The Brick Hotel. In addition to comfortable amenities and a historic building you will find onsite restaurants and lounges that also provide a great spot for family photos. Come check out our Oceanside vacation rentals this holiday season!
Some holiday seasons you want to take a break from reality and escape somewhere new. That place could be somewhere sunny with blue waves and sandy beaches. If this sounds ideal to you, plan a holiday trip to Oceanside! Oceanside is a top Southern California destination at any time of year, and it is a great place to form new family memories for the holiday season. You can do just that with the various Oceanside holiday events happening around town. Here are some of the top holiday events you can find in Oceanside this year:
Holiday Oceanside Art Walk
Many urban cities across the country host monthly or weekly art walks that showcase local artists and studios. Oceanside joins in on the fun with our weekly Oceanside Art Walk that takes place outside of The Seabird Resort. These art walks are weekly on Thursdays from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM for an evening of local shopping. The holiday season will also kick off with a Holiday First Friday Oceanside Art Walk that is a bigger event that will focus on holiday fun. Over 50 artists are typically on hand where you can purchase unique gifts and enjoy live music. Get your holiday shopping in during the weekly Oceanside Art Walk.
Snowside Winter Festival
While Oceanside never does get snow in the winter, you may be surprised at the winter fun you can have at the Snowside Winter Festival. This is a newer festival found here in Oceanside where you can have a weekend full of winter cheer. The Emerald Isle Golf Course hosts the event, and you will find real snow brought in to play in! You will be able to sled down the snow-covered hills for a wonderful experience. Additional activities to enjoy include a glow golf putting course, bounce houses, Christmas trees, live entertainment including music, a silent disco, and local vendors providing tasty food and drinks. This year’s Snowside Winter Festival will take place December 6th through the 8th from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM each day!
Annual Holiday Tree Lighting
Nothing pairs as well with the holiday season as a huge tree lighting ceremony for everyone to see. You can help kick off the holiday season this year by joining the Oceanside Annual Holiday Tree Lighting that takes place in conjunction with the Holiday Sunset Market. This event kicks off the rest of the market by featuring a huge celebration that starts with the lighting of the holiday tree. This is no small Christmas tree, either; it’s a huge tree that is covered in thousands of holiday lights. The festivities begin at 5:00 PM, where you will find live music and activities to enjoy. The activities at the Annual Holiday Tree Lighting provide tons of fun, including zip lines to ride down, amusement park rides, holiday decorations, bounce houses for the little ones, and live music. You will also be able to enjoy free milk and cookies for the kids. There will also be free holiday arts and crafts to enjoy.
The fun continues when Santa Claus arrives on a vintage Oceanside fire truck at 6:00 PM. This will kick off the official tree lighting where the tree will stand tall shining in the night sky. Santa will stick around afterwards to help out with photos. Make sure to hang around after the event to shop around the Sunset Market. The best spot for parking can be found over at the Civic Center parking structure. Don’t miss out on this annual event in Oceanside!
Parade of Lights
Another incredible annual holiday event that you will not want to miss is the Parade of Lights. This is a boat parade taking place at Oceanside Harbor. Local boats will be decked out in their best holiday swag and Christmas lights for all to see. A variety of boats can be seen, including yachts, kayaks, sailboats, and many more. Many of the boat owners will be in their best Santa outfits too! The best viewing areas for the Parade of Lights are over by the fishing dock and police station in Oceanside Harbor. Make sure to get to the viewing areas early so you do not miss out, as this is one of Oceanside’s most popular holiday events.
More Holiday Fun Here in Oceanside
Get ready for more holiday fun when you make your way to Oceanside this winter. You will find that the holidays right next to the beach simply cannot be beat. Contact us today to choose your favorite Oceanside vacation rental and come see for yourself!
There is something peaceful about staying home for the holidays and relaxing with your family. This quiet time allows everyone to reset and spend time together. You can still enjoy a holiday with family when you take it on the road. Consider visiting Oceanside California this holiday season for a beachside Christmas that offers plenty of fun and excitement. One of the best family activities to do together on Christmas Day is dinner. Getting the opportunity for everyone to sit down together is a rare occasion so make the most of it. You can dine out with one of the local restaurants remaining open for the holiday, order take-out, or simply prepare a meal at your vacation rental. Here is how to do Christmas dinner in Oceanside CA:
Dining Out for Christmas in Oceanside
It can be difficult to find a restaurant open on Christmas Day if you do not know where to look here in Oceanside. Luckily, we have done the hard work for you so you can rest easy knowing these restaurants will be available for you to try out.
One local favorite for Christmas is enjoying a fine dining experience at 333 Pacific. This local restaurant is found right across the street from the Oceanside Pier, making it easy to get to. It is a high-end steakhouse that offers lovely chic art décor and fresh seafood. They are open for reduced hours on Christmas evening so you can enjoy your meal with your family. Enjoy the raw bar that includes oysters and ceviche. If you prefer a more casual entrée, you can find a variety of comfort food items, including the steak burger and half chicken entrée. With 333 Pacific being a steakhouse, you can find some delectable cuts of meat, including the filet mignon, dry aged New York strip, flat iron, and porterhouse. 333 Pacific also offers some truly delicious seafood such as Maine scallops, glazed cod, salmon, lobster, and much more. You cannot go wrong, especially when pairing your meal with a glass of red wine or cocktail.
Killowat Brewing Oceanside Taproom is also another restaurant here in town that remains open for Christmas and offers a more casual experience. Order up one of their handcrafted ales on tap and pair it with one of their hot dogs or sausages. Our very own Q & A Oyster Bar & Restaurant is often also open on Christmas Day so you can indulge yourself in fresh oysters and other seafood items.
Ordering Take-out in Oceanside
Not everyone will want to spend time out eating dinner at a restaurant on Christmas Day. If you prefer to grab your food and take it back to the comfort of your vacation rental, you can always order take-out to go. Several restaurants in town will be open for dinner with take-out available or just take-out services open. For those looking for a casual meal of comfort food, look no further than Alfredo’s Mexican Food. In years past they have been open all day on Christmas so you can purchase your favorite Mexican dishes to go. You can purchase all of your favorite Mexican food items a la carte or in combination plates. This can include tacos, nachos, burritos, enchiladas, rolled tacos, quesadillas, and more. The breakfast burritos are served all day so who said you could not have breakfast for Christmas dinner. Many bigger pizza chains have certain locations will remain open for limited hours on Christmas Day so call the closest ones during your visit. Zig Zag Pizza is a local pizza joint that offers take-out services on Christmas Day so you can enjoy a cheesy slice of pizza. There are plenty of more options where that came from!
Make Dinner at Your Rental
The last option for Christmas dinner here in Oceanside is to simply prepare your own at your vacation rental. There is never a bad option and lets the whole family spend time together preparing the meal. You will find the gourmet kitchens have plenty of room to lay out all of your ingredients. Full size appliances allow you to cook everything at once. Once everything has been prepared just right, you will be able to sit down as a family and enjoy the meal together in the dining room. Time together is always spent best here in Oceanside.
Book Your Stay at One of Our Rentals or the Hotel!
When it comes to staying in Oceanside, you will always have options with The Brick Hotel. In addition to our lovely rooms at the hotel, we also offer vacation rentals throughout the area. Contact us today to learn more about our options and book your holiday stay!
This is the year you have been waiting for. It is time to try something new for your family’s holiday traditions and explore a new location such as Oceanside. If you have been wanting to see beautiful beaches, gorgeous waves, and sunny weather you will not find somewhere better than Oceanside. Our Southern California home still has all of wonderful holiday events and activities so your family has an incredible stay. One of the best ways to enjoy a holiday retreat is to check out the local Christmas lights and displays in the areas. You will find tons of Oceanside Christmas lights at local events and strung up through the neighborhoods. Take a look at where you will find the best Christmas lights and displays across Oceanside:
Holiday Tree Lighting
No holiday season is complete without a local holiday tree lighting. Oceanside makes sure this tradition stands strong with our annual Holiday Tree Lighting that always takes place in early December. As with other larger cities Oceanside has its very own Christmas tree that will be lit up for the first time of the season at the event. This is not your typical holiday tree lighting though and instead a huge event with plenty for the whole family to do. The festivities always kick off at 5:00 PM with the area strung up with beautiful Christmas lights. You will find tons of games and activities for the whole family to enjoy including amusement park rides, bounce houses, live music, zip lines, and much more. Children will be able to enjoy free cookies and milk along with free arts and crafts projects that are holiday themed. Santa Claus will arrive in the area at 6:00 PM to begin the official tree-lighting ceremony. Our holiday tree features countless Christmas lights all around it making it a delight to see in person. Stick around after the ceremony to enjoy a meet and greet with Santa for photos. The annual Holiday Tree Lighting always gets scheduled in partnership with the Holiday Sunset Market that is another cannot miss event. Keep an eye out for the 2024 date to be announced soon! The Holiday Tree Lighting always takes place at 401 Mission Ave at Regal Plaza.
Holiday Gift Market
One of the best markets that takes place here in Oceanside during the holidays is the Holiday Gift Market. This is the ideal spot to find the perfect gifts for loved ones and enjoy food from all over the world. The Holiday Gift Market is also an incredible spot where you can check out all of the Christmas lights hung up around the area. The Holiday Gift Market takes place in Downtown Oceanside so you will see all kinds of holiday lights strung up between signs and businesses. Make sure to visit after sunset to get the most of your holiday light viewing in. The Holiday Gift Market is open 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Thursdays during the month of December.
Parade of Lights
Ask any local resident here in Oceanside what their favorite holiday event with Christmas lights is and you are sure to hear “Parade of Lights.” This is one of our most looked forward to events here in Oceanside. The Parade of Lights takes place each year out on the Oceanside Harbor where you will find an aquatic light parade. This event features local businesses and boat owners who decorate their boats that include yachts, fishing boats, kayaks, sail boats, dinghies, and more with their best holiday swag and Christmas lights. The Parade of Lights encourages creativity and you are sure to see plenty of it. Many of the boats will have Santa’s on board their vessel waving out to onlookers. The boats always have tons of Christmas lights on display making this event a favorite for light seeing. Locals report that the best way to get the best views of the parade is to stick to Oceanside Harbor. From this vantage point you will be able to see the boats go by twice! You can even dine out on a restaurant with a patio to enjoy the view as well. The Parade of Lights typically takes place the second Saturday in December from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Don’t miss out on this Oceanside exclusive event!
More Fun When You Stay at The Brick Hotel
As you can see, there are quite a few different events here in Oceanside to go check out the Christmas lights. When you stay at The Brick Hotel, you will be close to many of these events and have a comfortable stay in the area. Make sure to book an Oceanside holiday rental at The Brick Hotel soon before we have no vacancies for the holidays!