I always see this shop off the freeway as I drive back to LA from SD and had never stopped (yet heard good things from friends who had); but today with traffic horrible and in need of a tank fill I got my opportunity. I had called ahead to make sure (because not all dive shops are treated equal) and they confirmed they did. When I entered I realized that this was definitely a full service scuba center, not just a shop with a few items here and there; they had a full selection of gear, a large pool and learning center, a very nice large changing room, etc etc., basically everything you could ask for from a dive shop/center. I don't live locally to the area, but happy I stopped and I'm armed w knowledge for the future, and to share here, that they'll take care of you with friendly and professional service. read more

See all

The people who work here are awesome. I came in because I needed a new set of swim goggles for my 6 year old. There was one green pair left and I mentioned that green is my son's favorite color. Long story short--we needed another pair the next day. I went back and after telling them I needed another pair, they guy at the counter (sorry I missed his name) saw me looking at what was out (no green) and said, "didn't you say his favorite color is green?" And he went in the back and brought out a pair of green kid goggles. Places where people go out of their way for something small like this are exactly the type of places that deserve good reviews and good business! read more

They don't stand behind their products, arrogant and rude. Don't buy anything here, it's overpriced and not worth it. Horrible customer service. read more

Disorganized and poor equipment. I did my initial open water certification to complete with a referral at another dive resort. Despite my telling multiple people, the referral was ever followed up with. Thankfully I had good records and the other dive shop was resourceful and we were able to get everything verified in PADI. The pool class was a mess. They assured me prior to the class that they'd have no problem getting me a wetsuit even though I'm tough to fit, being exceptionally tall. I couldn't get the first one on and the second I could have carried a 5 gallon jug inside of. I'd brought my own well fitted 5 mm with me that was deemed inappropriate because it's too cold here, mind you we're in an 8 foot swimming pool. Once they deemed their own wetsuits inappropriate, I put my own on. Then was provided a regulator that was hard to breathe through, a BCD with no chest strap and shoulder straps that didn't stay in any adjustment so had a tank beating the back of my head repeatedly, and weight belt that had such badly decayed Velcro that my weights mostly dumped out on the pool floor during class I did send my concerns to management and was offered another pool class after telling me again how inappropriate my 5mm wetsuit was, at this point, I wanted absolutely nothing to do with this organization. Grateful for my certification and wouldn't have finished it had it not been for an awesome dive shop somewhere else. I won't be back, there are other great shops along the San Diego coast that care and are better run. read more

A great place to learn how to dive. Staff is very friendly and helpful to new and experienced divers. I took my open water class with Carson who was very knowledgeable and taught the course with a thorough understanding of of each exercise and made sure I was comfortable with the assignment before moving on to the next task. I highly recommend this business and this instructor. Thank you Beach City Scuba read more

We don't have a great selection of local dive shops here in Vegas and I really needed to try on some wetsuits before purchasing. I came in early Sunday on my way out of town and Jazmin helped me find all the possibilities, and helped me with the sizing on each. She really helped me so much, for an hour, making sure I saw all the ones I was after and that I got the best size/fit. They also price match anything on the internet, so you can be sure to get the best price here. Thank you so much, Jazmin! read more

Stopped in before our honeymoon to buy scuba gear and plan to use it all over CA. They were helpful when we were looking at mask and snorkel options. When it came to choices they had the options my husband wanted but not me. I really hate the color they had in stock for my sizing so they ordered my preference and made sure to expedite it so they we were able to pick it up before we left. Special shout out to Vince the manager who came out to make this work. Plus he seems awesome to take classes from! read more

The young woman behind counter (I should have gotten her name) was a tremendous help, twice. It takes a lot for me to leave one of these so you can tell how impressed I am read more

I've been coming to this shop for about 15 years now to rent/fill tanks, pick up little odds and ends, and poke around for anything I don't need but want to add to my gear. I've always regarded them as a great little dive shop and recently we came here to certify my son to his open water cert. What we found was that he was welcomed with a fantastically accepting and enthusiastic staff that not only made him comfortable in the water, but made me comfortable with their professionalism and attitude toward safety. He loved the experience and I know we'll be back as a family to get more gear and certifications. Also, their rental equipment is always in great shape and well cared for. My only gripe would be their sparse retail selection, but every other aspect of this place outweighs that small discrepancy. I'm hoping they stick around for a lot longer because we plan on doing a LOT more diving. read more

I just want to thank Vince for all of his good advice and walking me through the sign up process to get certified. This is a first class outfit with very knowledgeable people. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Beach Cities for certifications and competitive pricing on gear. read more

Once upon a time, I was a snorkeler. I loved going out to any body of water in La Jolla, Maui, The Bahamas, and Mexico. I have wondered what it would be like to get deeper in the water without loosing my breath or having to reascend just to descend shortly after. The answer my friends is SCUBA. Emily was super helpful and informative when I was choosing where I would be getting SCUBA certified. She described things clearly and answered the questions I had. Part of the certification is completing the PADI Open Water Diver: e-Learning. This is an excellent way to become comfortable with the vocabulary, expectations, and concepts that will be discussed and done in the class. You need to have this complete prior to attending the class. My instructor Lisa phoned me the day before class to introduce herself. She gave me an opportunity to ask any questions as well as talk about what I would need to have for personal equipment. The first night of instruction was fascinating! My fellow divers and I tried on wetsuits, hooded vests, BCDs, and talked about our experiences if any in the water. We took a quiz and discussed the answers. Lisa was great at going over some of the problems involving the dive tables; which can be quite difficult at first. The second and third nights were in the pool. We went over many important skills and determined what weight was needed to keep us properly weighted for diving. Jerry was most excellent with supporting me through some challenges myself and another diver had during our pool training on the second night of class. Lisa was wonderful at introducing concepts and skills, answering questions, and was quick to problem solve anything she saw that needed to be corrected. Day 1 of diving- La Jolla near Kellogg Park. We swam out with our gear on through the calm surf (most thankful). We practiced a lot of skills and some skills that weren't even planned (loosing a weight pouch). The second dive of the day was postponed due to boat engine problems. Lisa was able to give us a call an hour before meeting. She offered to complete the open water certification the following Saturday at a different location. I will finish this review about the second open dive next week. ** read more

I needed some weights and some air. They were Super friendly and outgoing. Also Very knowledgeable.

Worst service ever. The guy behind the fixit curtain was asked to repair a dump valve on my BCD and he ended up trying to pull one off another old BCD that wasn't even the same manufacture. So I go to pick it up when they tell me it's ready and it falls off in my hand. Mr. Fixit isn't there so I have to come back another day. They call me again and tell me it's ready. I show up and again, the same replacement dump valve falls off in my hand when I give it a tug. Mr. Fixit comes out and removes it and gives me old dump valve back and tells me to fix it on my own. Not very competent and completely not safe for servicing vital equipment that you depend on at depth. I will never go to them again for anything. John F. read more

Started my open water certification at this location and the staff and instructor (Carson) were top notch. They also helped me find some basic gear, which was very high quality and fairly priced. read more

My fiancé and I bought classes for our scuba certs and the experience was really great. The instructors were very diligent, informative and helpful. Xander was our diving instructor in the water and was extremely patient and supportive to me and all the other students! We really appreciate the experience we had here and can't wait to explore the world as new divers! read more

I took a "Try Scuba" class at another dive center in San Diego and one of the skills - clearing my mask - really freaked me out, so my fiancé called a few dive centers in North County to see if I could take another introductory course to see if I would like to pursue Open Water certification. Oceanside Scuba and Swim Center was extremely accommodating and went out of the way to work with our schedule. My instructors were both great, especially Shawn, and after 2.5 hours of going over the basics again, I felt much more confident and was able to clear my mask several times. The instructors here are very experienced, knowledgeable, and make you feel comfortable. I like that their pool is outside too - although it is not heated, so you'll definitely need a wetsuit - which is standard gear for SCUBA - so no problem there! +1 Experienced, friendly, and amazing instructors! +1 Flexible scheduling - will schedule privates outside their standard classes +1 Pool is standard size and outside +1 Not the cheapest, but still reasonably/fairly priced +1 Conveniently located in Oceanside right off of I-5 freeway read more

The whole staff made the first Scuba experience a welcoming and comfortable one. Jazmin is very helpful, knowledgeable, encouraging and friendly. She really sets the tone from day 1 to make a new venture like Scuba Diving fun and organized. Adam was my in pool trainer and he nailed it. Very patient, thorough, easy to learn from, and just a cool dude. I highly recommend utilizing them for your Scuba equipment and certification. Thanks everyone! read more

After going to a dive shop on La Jolla and the dive master refusing to rent us gear unless we went out with him I went to Oceanside. Josh was extremely helpful and took time to help familiarize us with the cove and point out where to go and where to avoid. I would highly recommend going here to anyone. PS - I read the review about him refusing to rent equipment for a girlfriend taking a class. As fall as I am aware it's against the law to rent equipment to someone for someone else that isn't certified. read more

This review is mainly for an employee, i went on a dive yesterday on a local charter company and a dive master david bruce was his name i believe was doing dive 3 and 4 for an open water class. He noticed that i was concerned do to my lack of experience so help me and over saw me to make sure i was set up correctly also showed me a few things even thought that was not part of his class. If that is the level of service you get from this company from a person who is not a customer then i would love to see the service when i walk in there to buy more gear. Now as for david, he is a passionate diver. He does it for the love of the sport and i believe he is an active duty Marine that dives for the Corps. Thank you david its people like you that make diving not as scary of a sport for newbies like me. read more

They are suppose to be an official dealer of the Ocean Reef full face dive mask. I visited the store in Oceanside and they said they can order them but have none in the store. They also didn't know if any other their other stores had them in stock. I can order them from my couch, I do not need to go the store to do that. Disappointing. read more

Very nice folks. I went in to buy some gear to supplement another batch of gear I was looking to buy 2nd hand on Craigslist. The staff didn't try and talk me out of my intended purchase. In fact they praised the deal. Being a newbie, they might have talked me into spending all of my money with them. But they didn't and I respect them for it. They did get a decent amount of spend from me and will continue to do so in the future. read more

They're not full of hot air, they fill your tank in a tub of water, that makes them cool. read more

See all

I got my open water cert. here using a Groupon deal. The shop staff and Gerry the instructor were all very nice and helpful. Josh spent some time showing me different regulators and computers. Teaching me what to look for in equipment when I get ready to buy my own gear. Much Appreciated! The only complaint I had was the pool. I took my classes in January and the pool is unheated. The very first thing you're required to do is swim 6 laps (300M?) followed by a 10 minute water tread in only you swim trunks. Water temp was 60 degrees! Temp was confirmed by instructors dive computer in the pool. read more

Small hidden gem dive shop right off of the 5 highway in oceanside. I have been coming since I have moved to south California. After recently finding out they are under new ownership and that my information was no longer in there system. My conserns for my store credit now that I was no longer in the system became reality when I was told the there was no record. Untill talking with D.J. Mansfield Director of Operations who investigated and found my store credit. Glad everything got resolved and got to meet the new owner brefly when dropping my tank off today. read more

Outstanding shop. My girlfriend and I did our Open Water certification here and every single person we encountered went above and beyond for us. Our instructors were David Bruce and Shawn Harper, both exceptional instructors. David went out of his way to accommodate our schedules, and arranged for Shawn who was a super nice guy and very experienced to help us finish when our schedules changed. All of the people who worked inside the shop were also outstanding, helping us with gear and scheduling. They even exchanged my girlfriends mask after our last open water dive when she realized it wasn't quite the right fit. We visited 5ish shops in the area before deciding on this one and I couldn't be happier with our decision. There's no reason to look any further for your scuba certification! read more

My son just finished his PADI open water certification this morning. Ray, the owner, set us up through his other shop on Camp Pendleton, and then Jess Macchio was my son's instructor. The whole process was easy, and everyone involved (instructor, owner, and the shop staff) were phenomenal. Jesse, especially, was a top-notch instructor; patient, smart, flexible, and an all-around classy guy. I couldn't be happier with how well everything went and cannot recommend him and the shop highly enough! read more

CONS: Over the past year all the old employees I became friends with have left after a new owner took over and by that I mean ALL the old employees. I just wasted my time going to Pizza Port for the Scuba Social (attended for years) only to find no one there, even though it's listed on their calendar. In Oct. the shop told me they weren't going to have the social that month, but they would in Nov, only to have a friend ask me why I wasn't there. In Nov. a number of people were there, but the shop didn't come. Keep in mind this is where the shop has a chance to have vendors demo their products as well as divers get to know one another. Watch out if you buy a course. You not only can't count on who trains you, but you can't count on the same person training you for the whole course! No continuity. They steer you to their boat in Dana Point, the Riviera. It's a small boat, very tight for the number on board. Better options in San Diego. They offer no group dive trips under $5,000 (excluding airfare). The old shop had a couple a year from $2,000-3500 (including airfare) PROS: Close to where I live read more

This shop is pretty cool. Josh is a funny guy and knows it all when it comes to recreational dive gear, then you got Miranda with the tats shes always smiling or making faces. Then there is Alex hes just a NINJA. This shop has a bunch of amazing instructors, they make getting certified fun. Last but not least amazing with kids everyone there is. read more

Hands-down, one of the finest SCUBA centers we have ever been to! The staff is very friendly, and very well informed on all the products and safety information. They're not so big that you are just another customer. We haven't made a scuba dive in several years and wanted to do a refresher course before our upcoming trip in May to the Caymans. We had the pleasure of working with instructor Robert Dietz who we highly recommend. His attention to detail, from going over our gear to performing all the underwater tasks, was impeccable. He shared his knowledge freely and in a very friendly way. He completely removed any anxiety and made it a very fun learning experience. I know this may sound corny, but, you have our deepest thanks! - janet & Fred Lundquist read more

We go here for all our new equipment purchases, tank fills and classes. The staff are extremely knowledgeable, dive often and are helpful. The instructors are very safety conscious and experienced, able to deal with anything that may come up. Great selection of courses and as well a a large certified used gear offering. read more

My experience with Oceanside SCUBA and Swim has been fantastic. The staff here is super friendly and knowledgeable. The manager Kelly and one of the instructors, Jesse, are both great and an absolute pleasure to work with. I am a SCUBA beginner, and the staff here has always been very encouraging and welcoming. I highly recommend Oceanside SCUBA and swim for any and all of your diving needs. read more

Absolutely Awesome! My son had his first Bubblemaker experience and loved it. Rich, the instructor, was patient and fun. We got to blow some bubbles too. We will be back... read more

Oceanside Scuba and Swim Center is amazing! I went in with a bad past experience with diving, but now I am totally hooked. First time I walked in, Kelly fitted and quoted me for all the gear I needed. I came back the next day and payed for everything and signed up for the open water classes. I wanted to get certified before my vacation. They were great at accommodating my schedule and my instructor was awesome. Jesse (my instructor) was fantastic! All around cool guy and great instructor. Would highly recommend, going back for additional courses after my vacation. read more

You want to learn how to Scuba dive in a safe and friendly place, with great instructors and outstanding divemasters than this is the place hands down. Go in and see for yourself read more

Kelly and her team are amazing professionals. They have all the gear and classes I needed to get back on track with my scuba diving activities, highly recommend them! read more

Now they have the compressor working and you can get a HP fill while you wait. Will start getting my fills here again.

These people are horrible. I signed up for a class, and called when it got close to the start date to make sure it was still going on (they have a minimum attendee requirement per class). I mustve called them 10 times... and each time they give me a wishy-washy answer, say theyll call back, and never do! Im so frustrated with them. And they keep putting me on hold, probably to think of some lame-ass excuse to prolong having to refund me. Theyre classes are more expensive than other nearby places, too. I cant vouch for their gear since I havent seen it yet, but judging by their customer service, this place is a total waste of time. read more

I've been surfing for a long time and wanted to take up kneeboarding. I had problems with making my fins fit and feel comfortable. Frank took the time to help me out even though I wasn't a diver, he made me feel good. He solved my problem. Their prices are reasonable. I would use them for all of your diving needs. read more

I went today to rent a tank for a dive class my wife is taking tonight. I have been here probably 60-80 times this year. We used them for a long time to get our tanks filled for work. Normally we deal with a girl who seems to always be there. This is the first time I have been there that she wasn't. Instead I had to deal with a guy who is a huge A$$. He is arrogant and acts like he doesn't need your business. He was fired from Ocean Enterprises for being bad with the customers and other employees. I will never be going back to the Scuba and Swim Center if he is there. He wanted to give me a hard time about my certification which he eventually looked up. Took him about 2 minutes. That was too much work for him. My work has quit using them because of that. We work in Carlsbad and now drive all the way down to Ocean Enterprises or Sea World to have our tanks filled just to avoid him. I along with all divers at work will be driving way out of our way to avoid this place when he is there. Everyone else there is great and will do anything to make your experience and dive great. There is nothing they won't do if it is in their power. Where as this guy will make you not want to dive because he makes your day bad just by walking into the store. I asked him if there was another dive shop so I could get out of there before things escalated and I ended up telling him off or posting on here and he told me the only one in North County was on Camp Pendleton. I know that not to be true and looked it up while I was there to prove him wrong. He then didn't want to rent to me. If it weren't for the other girl there he would have gotten aggressive, which he has done before. Please avoid this place at all costs if there is a guy working there that acts like he knows everything. You cannot miss him. I think he is from the East Coast as well. Maybe Boston area from the accent. If you go in there you may not get what you need he will only show you what he wants you to have. He also will talk poorly of other dive shops and their equipment. Everything that comes out of his mouth is 50% wrong because he wants you not to buy from others. We learned this on our other encounter with him. Being fired from Ocean Enterprises was the best thing that could have ever happened to Ocean Enterprises. Good Luck on your journey to purchase or rent gear or just get information. Just for clarification I would agree with the other review with the exception of this one guy. Assuming from the last review his name is Josh but don't know for sure. read more

So glad I came here! I needed a snorkel mask and a snorkel. Casey was awesome. He was very professional, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, kind, thoughtful, and most importantly, he helped me find the PERFECT mask that fit my face (and super comfortable). It was quick, easy, and a wonderful experience. Who knew shopping for snorkeling gear could be so fun? Thank you Casey for your patience, and for hooking me up with the best gear and accessories. I checked it out as soon as I got home and each of the items you helped me find was everything you promised and more. I love them all. Thanks again Casey! read more