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.

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.

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.

Made a 7:45 reservation and was seated within 5 mins. The place is a cozy family vibe from the…read moreplatings down to the cutlery. It's what you would find at your grandmas! We ordered two pastas and a pizza, both were delicious! If you love mushroom I would highly recommend the rigatoni alla Norcina. If you want a combo of all the classic Roman pastas get the Zozzona. The pizza was flavorful, the only thing was that I think since there were so many "wet toppings" the dough was a bit soggy. I would definitely come back to try all the other pasta and pizza flavors.

i almost want to gate keep this place since it is hard enough to get a reservation, but elvira…read moredeserves all of its flowers! we reserved for a large party, and got a room to ourselves that truly felt like walking into someone's home dinner table! the service was excellent, our waitress had recommendations for everyone. she was also very clear with me as a vegetarian when items (like the eggplant) would be fried alongside meat which was super sweet of her! i ordered the rigatoni sugo with ricotta, and i think everyone was jealous because of how stunning it was. the ricotta and basil were fresh and the pasta was perfectly al dente, no notes! we were celebrating a birthday, so we even got a pistachio tiramisu and a cute polaroid souvenir! as a note: we had brought a cake from another place, and they do warn they can only serve cakes from other businesses (not homemade) and will cut and serve the cake themselves! we had no issues, but haven't experienced this before. definitely will be back!

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.

Been frequenting this area for a long while or a big chunk of/span of my lifetime. As a local…read morenative San Diegan I like to introduce spots to people who travel into the surrounding area. Point Loma is one of those places since it has a certain charm to it. Don'tcha think!? *It's very historical and strongly tied to those who serve or have served our country. Hence the anchor logo and other nautical features you'll spot in the area. Especially since the NAVY is right there in town. *The market hosts many different food and small business vendors all in one hall. Truly a hidden gem and so glad they opened up the space to share with those business owners. *You can visit larger restaurants establishments in the very near vicinity as well. It's touristy and locals favorite hot spot vibe is all rolled into one fused place here. *Very Family and fur baby friendly! *Very close to some nice hotels as well! Hope you enjoy as much as I do! Cheers!

I hadn't been back here since before COVID. I'm so glad we decided to pop by for lunch. Food halls…read moreare perfect for parties that don't all want to eat the same thing. My friend and I tried three places here, and most of them were great. The wonton noodles from Slurp actually had a heaping big portion that we were struggling to finish. The platter we ordered from Asado Gaucho, while tasty, were too overcooked for our taste. The empanadas from Panana were to. die. for. If I come back, I am 100% grabbing some to go. We had asked the employee for recommendations and they were all spot on. If you have to try anything in this hall - highly recommend their empanadas!! I regret not buying more to take back home LOL.

I've been coming to this beach for many years and it's always a fun destination. There are a ton of…read morerestaurants, great beaches and lots of various to ride bikes but for your information there's very few or a little Bike Path in the area. I highly recommend if you're near Ocean Beach or sunset cliffs that you definitely check it out!

We absolutely LOVE beaches! We used to spend more time in Ocean Beach area when friends lived here…read more We love visiting surrounding shops and eateries. Afterwards, a stroll on the beach was the BONUS part of the day! Ocean Beach Pier has one of the longest concrete pier on the West Coast! They say it's a half mile long. The local area is very laid back. Quite a few small local type shops. I enjoy the vintage antique shops! It's that 1970's vibe that brings back all the memories! You won't find the big box chain type stores here. The ocean waves are beautiful! The 70 degree something weather is perfect for the stroll on the beach. The sounds of the waves are relaxing. The surfers catching a big wave is exciting! Overall, it's a beautiful experience!

Great food, great service and a tiramisu that definitely make us a regular customer…read more Ravioli and hangar steak was delicious as well.

Hands down one of the best meals I'be had in a while…read more We were a little late for our resy, but they were very understanding. So glad we got seated in the corner inside where I had a full view of the bar area. I got to see the bartender do work. I ended up having a glass of their Tuscan red and ended with the espresso martini. We ate. My goodness did we eat. My friends went to town ordering all the things. The standouts for me were the carpaccio, octopus and the fish. Every dish was so so good. Such flavors. What a way to end with the table side presentation of their tiramisu. Big thanks to Emerald for taking such great care of us.

Only in crazy San Diego would a work of public art pay homage to a blip on the horizon when the sun…read moregoes down, but that is exactly what this Green Flash Sculpture is-a homage to the refractive rays of the sun as it sets in the west and disappears into the ocean. Before it makes that final drop, it is said that a Green Flash appears. Green flashes are real and not illusionary phenomena seen at sunrise and sunset, "when some part of the Sun suddenly changes color (at sunset, from red or orange to green or blue)." The word "flash" refers to the sudden appearance and brief spurt of green color, lasting just a few seconds at moderate latitudes. Many viewers will attribute the Green Flash to a hallucination or think them to be mirages. Perhaps this opinion can be understood as a vivid response to what these people are currently smoking and many times it is not cigarettes! There are physiological explanations for the Green Flash: as the area that turns green is ordinarily near the limit of the eye's resolution, these are sometimes called "green dot" displays. That reminds me of what happens when someone dies and is said to feel the aural sensation of moving through a tunnel towards "the light." Still, the absolute experience of The Green Flash is best seen and felt on a clear, cloudless day where a steady view of the horizon is available. A concentrated gaze towards the sun will, hopefully allow for a brief glimpse at that immediate time when the sun disappears and that is when a green flash will erupt! It really is a trip because it appears and is gone in a (green) flash! So nice that there is this colorful salute near the public restrooms in Mission Beach to honor the Green Flash phenomena. The bright colors of the sculpture represent the atmospheric refraction of sunlight that is captured into over-lapping images and also pays tribute to the beauty and elegance of nature and creation best represented by one of the most awesome displays of Mother Nature: the bounteous Ocean and splendiforous beaches of southern California.

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.

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.