Ocean Beach, San Diego facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ocean Beach, San Diego
OB
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| Ocean Beach | |
The Ocean Beach Pier at sunset
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 Ocean Beach, San Diego
Location in San Diego
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Diego |
| City | San Diego |
| Area | |
| • Land | 1 sq mi (3 km2) |
| Population
(2019)
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| • Total | 31,223 |
| Website | https://oceanbeachsandiego.com/ |
Ocean Beach (often called O.B.) is a cool beachfront neighborhood in San Diego, California. It's known for its relaxed vibe and beautiful ocean views.
Contents
Discovering Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach is right on the Pacific Ocean. It's where the San Diego River meets the sea. You can find it about 7 miles (11 km) northwest of downtown San Diego. It sits south of Mission Bay and Mission Beach. It is also just north of Point Loma.
The area of Ocean Beach is about 1 square mile. It is bordered by the San Diego River to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
Ocean Beach History
Long ago, before Europeans arrived, the Kumeyaay people lived in the Ocean Beach area. They had a fishing camp called Hapai. They would gather mussels, clams, abalone, and lobsters from the ocean.
The beach was first called Mussel Beach because of all the mussels found there. In 1887, two developers, Billy Carlson and Albert E. Higgins, gave it the name Ocean Beach.
They built a hotel called the Cliff House and divided the land into lots to sell. To attract people, they held mussel roasts and concerts. But it was hard to get there from downtown San Diego, taking two and a half hours by carriage. They even tried a train, the Ocean Beach Railroad, in 1888. However, the economy slowed down, and the development paused.
The Cliff House hotel burned down in 1898. Carlson then sold the land, and development was delayed for 20 years.
Early Development and Growth
One of the first people to live in Ocean Beach was D. C. Collier. He bought land there in 1887 when he was only 16. He later became very important to Ocean Beach's growth.
Collier helped plan the streets and encouraged people to buy land. In 1909, he built the Point Loma Railroad. This train connected Ocean Beach to the rest of San Diego. By 1910, Ocean Beach had 100 houses, a big jump from just 18 houses two years before. Collier also built the Ocean Beach Elementary School and gave land for parks.
Wonderland Amusement Park
In the early 1900s, the Wonderland Amusement Park was a big attraction. It opened on July 4, 1913. The park had a large roller coaster, a dance hall, a roller skating rink, and even a petting zoo with 500 monkeys!
Wonderland closed in 1916. This was partly because of competition from the Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park. Also, winter storms damaged the roller coaster.
Connecting with San Diego
In 1915, John D. Spreckels built a 1500-foot (457 m) wooden bridge. This bridge connected Ocean Beach with Mission Beach. His company used it for a trolley that linked Ocean Beach to downtown San Diego. This helped both areas grow.
The bridge was taken down in 1951. This made Ocean Beach more separate from other beach communities. Later, in 1967, Interstate 8 was built, connecting Ocean Beach to the rest of San Diego. The part of I-8 that ends in Ocean Beach is even called the "Ocean Beach Freeway."
Surfing and Culture
Surfing came to San Diego at Ocean Beach in 1916. A local lifeguard borrowed a surfboard from the famous Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanamoku. By 1966, surfing was so popular that the World Surfing Championship was held in Ocean Beach. Nat Young won and became the world champion.
Ocean Beach became known for its unique culture. In the 1960s and 70s, it attracted many hippies. Local businesses welcomed them, and places like the Ocean Beach People's Organic Food Market opened.
In the 1970s, there were plans to build big resorts and hotels along the oceanfront. But residents worked together to stop these plans. They passed a rule in 1972 that limited building heights to 30 feet (9 m). This helped keep Ocean Beach's small-town feel.
Ocean Beach Architecture
Ocean Beach has a special historic area called the Ocean Beach Cottage Emerging Historic District. It has many beautiful Craftsman bungalows and cottages built between 1887 and 1931.
Other important buildings include the Ocean Beach Library and the Strand Theater. These are recognized as historic landmarks in San Diego.
Ocean Beach Pier
The Ocean Beach Municipal Pier was built in 1966. It is 1971 feet (601 m) long. For a while, it was the longest concrete pier in the world. It was also the second longest ocean pier in California.
The pier has faced damage from storms over the years. In 2021, it closed due to storm damage. It reopened for a few months in 2023 but was severely damaged again that winter. The city now plans to take down the old pier and build a new one.
Ocean Beach Economy
Ocean Beach's economy is mostly made up of small, local shops. Newport Avenue is the main business street. For many years, it had family-owned stores like bakeries and drug stores.
Over time, bigger stores and malls in other parts of San Diego caused many small local shops to close. Now, many storefronts on Newport Avenue are antique shops. The area is known as the Ocean Beach Antique District. You can also find restaurants, coffee houses, bars, and surf shops.
A famous burger place called Hodad's opened on Newport Avenue in 1969. It became nationally famous after being on the TV show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Ocean Beach residents often try to keep out big chain businesses. They have protested against donut chains, gas stations, and even Starbucks. In 2019, a Target store opened on Newport Avenue despite local efforts to stop it.
The Strand Theater, a historic single-screen movie theater, opened in 1925. It closed in the 1990s and is now a clothing store. It was named a historic building in 2002.
Community Life in Ocean Beach
People who live in Ocean Beach often call themselves "OBceans" or "OBecians."
Ocean Beach has two schools: Ocean Beach Elementary (a public school for grades K-4) and Warren-Walker (a private school for grades K-8). There are also churches, a public library, and a vegetarian food co-op.
For fun, you can visit the Ocean Beach Recreation Center, Dusty Rhodes Park, and the Robb Field athletic fields and skate park.
Local Events
Ocean Beach hosts many fun events throughout the year:
- The Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cookoff happens in late June.
- A jazz festival takes place in late September.
- The Ocean Beach Christmas Parade is in early December.
- The Ocean Beach Kite Festival is on the third Saturday of May.
- The Ocean Beach Canine Carnival is on the third Saturday in October.
- On Wednesday afternoons, two blocks of Newport Avenue close for a farmers' market.
Dog Beach
The northern part of Ocean Beach's waterfront is called Dog Beach. It opened in 1972 and was one of the first beaches in the United States where dogs could run around without leashes 24 hours a day.
Wildlife
Ocean Beach and nearby Point Loma are home to many feral parrots. These parrots, mostly Amazons, love the warm climate. You can often hear them being very active and noisy around sunrise and sunset.
Santa Cruz Cove
Santa Cruz Avenue in Ocean Beach leads to a cliffside. Stairs from the cliff go down to a small, hidden area called Santa Cruz Cove. You can also reach the cove from the Ocean Beach Pier during low tide. Be careful, though, as strong waves can be dangerous there.
Notable People from Ocean Beach
Many interesting people have lived or worked in Ocean Beach, including:
- Mark Atkinson, an actor and filmmaker.
- William H. Carlson, one of the developers who named Ocean Beach.
- D. C. Collier, a developer who helped connect Ocean Beach to the rest of San Diego.
- Michael Dormer, an artist and cartoonist.
- Troy Johnson, a writer and food critic.
- Christine Kehoe, a former California state senator.
- Andy Rathbone, author of the For Dummies books.
- John Reis, a musician and disc jockey.
- Slightly Stoopid, a rock band based in Ocean Beach.
- David Wells, a former Major League Baseball pitcher.
See also
In Spanish: Ocean Beach para niños
