Oceanside,
California's
many visitor attractions includes its colorful Oceanside hotels,
restaurants, 3.5 miles of some of Southern California's widest
and most beautiful beaches, a 900-slip small craft harbor, the
longest over-water pier in Southern California (1,954 feet),
Mission San Luis Rey (founded in 1798 by Father Junipero Serra)
and a wide variety of cultural and recreational facilities.
Water sports are highly popular here, especially surfing, sailing
and fishing (there is no permit needed to fish off of the pier).
The Oceanside Transit Center is a major rail hub and offers
services on the Metro link and Coaster commuter rail, as well
as AMTRAK trains. Plaza Camino Real mall is the area's major
shopping center.
Oceanside Early History: Oceanside's first inhabitants
were the Luiseno Indians who were part of the large Shoshonean
tribe. They inhabited the San Luis Rey river valley area, originally
named, "Rio San Luis Rey de Francia," after St. Louis King of
France by the Franciscan friars who passed through the valley
in 1769. The Mission San Luis Rey de Francia was established
in 1798, four miles up river from the coast. The Indians who
were gathered at the Mission (called "San Luisenos" by the Franciscans)
were hunters and food gatherers until the friars taught them
farming and other trades. Among these padres was Father Antonio
Peyri who planned and oversaw the construction of the Mission's
many buildings which included three churches, the last of which
still stands and was finished in 0ctober of 1815. Mission San
Luis Rey was the largest building in Califomia when completed
and was the most prosperous of the missions
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