The Oceanside Pier, located in Oceanside, in northern

San Diego County San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634, making it California's second-most populous county and the fi ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, is the longest wooden

pier image:Brighton Pier, Brighton, East Sussex, England-2Oct2011 (1).jpg, Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century. A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of ...

on the western United States coastline at .

History

The pier was first built in 1888 at what is now Wisconsin Avenue. The original pier was destroyed by storms in the winter of 1890, and was rebuilt in 1893 by Melchoir Pieper at what is now Pier View Way, where all subsequent piers would be located. Four iterations of the pier were built and then destroyed by heavy storms. The current pier was built and formally opened to the public in September 1987, at a cost of $5 million. At the foot of the pier is the Junior Seau Pier Amphitheatre, which hosts numerous events throughout the year. The Junior Seau Beach Community Center, also known as the Beach Recreation Center, is a facility located near the pier that includes a gymnasium, meeting room, stage, and kitchen. Both the amphitheater and the community center were renamed posthumously in 2012 in honor of hometown football hero

Junior Seau Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau Jr. (; ; January 19, 1969May 2, 2012) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL), mostly with the San Diego Chargers. Known for his passionate play, he was a ...

Activities

Now in its sixth incarnation (built in 1987), the pier is a popular fishing spot, and

Ruby's Diner Ruby's Diner is a restaurant chain aesthetically designed after American diners of the Swing Era. It first opened on December 7, 1982 by Doug Cavanaugh and Ralph Kosmides. Ruby's Diner serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a menu that include ...

, a 1950s style diner, was located at the end of the pier from 1996 to 2021. Surfing is also very popular on both the North and South sides of the pier.

Parking

Pre-pay parking is available along Mission Ave, N. Pacific St, N. Myers, and as well as on N. Cleveland St. Metered parking is also available on Pier View Way. Parking regulations are very strict in Oceanside, especially near the pier and the harbor.

Additional Images

File:Oceanside Pier - Early 1900s.jpg, Oceanside Pier in the early 1900s File:Oceanside Pier 1920.jpg, Oceanside Pier in 1920 File:Oceanside Pier.jpg, Oceanside Pier File:Oceanside Pier Aerial.jpg, Aerial view File:OceansidePier2.jpg, Oceanside Pier File:Oceanside, CA Marina.jpg, Oceanside Marina

References

External links

Oceanside Historical Society: The Oceanside Pier HistoryOceanside.com - The Pier at Oceanside
Piers in California Parks in San Diego County, California Tourist attractions in San Diego Oceanside, California Transportation buildings and structures in San Diego County, California 1888 establishments in California {{SanDiegoCountyCA-geo-stub