Time Travel back to 1972 in this charmingly decorated casita in the heart of OB!

B & B (Bedford TX)
Review submitted: September 22, 2012   Date of arrival: September 2, 2012

We spent a week in early September (weather was perfect) at this charming, cute, casita that's a real throwback to the OB of the 1970's. We loved it and felt right at home, like we belonged there. The house is on a main street in OB, on the bus line, and only a couple of blocks walk to the cliffs above the beach. You can walk down and watch the sunset. There is a little cove you can reach by a trail down to the beach. The main part of OB beach is about a 10-15 walk away. We walked on the beach every day, and slept very well at night. The only thing is that OB is in the flight path of take offs from San Diego airport, but you get used to the plane noise.
The casita is nicely furnished and decorated. The small kitchen is fun to cook in, just not a lot of room. You can sit on the front porch and watch people walk by with a measure of privacy as there is a privacy fence. OB is a wonderful low-key So Cal beach town, with tons of local charm. Surfers, old hippies, students, beach lovers and dog people. Oh, and the Farmer's Market on Wednesdays is great for food, snacks, and shopping.
Sitting on the porch of the casita, you can hear and see the feral red-headed conures flying around and sitting on top of a nearby tree. Everything is very walkable. In fact, we had car problems while we were there, and had our car in OB Tire and Auto for repair for a few days, but we did fine. One day took the bus to Old Town---very easy. The casita has parking, and you really can just park and walk or bus.
Fave OB places: Jungle Java on Newport for great coffee - the best latte in OB, The Black head shop, Margarita's for breakfast. There's a donut shop, good Thai food, Apple Tree Market, Olive Tree Market, lots of restaurants, bars and shops, auto parts, dry cleaners, everything you need. Another fave shop is Sunshine Daydreams. And a great place for a mani/pedi is the Ocean Spa on Voltaire--walking on the beach is hard on your pedi! Dog beach is a short walk down the beach - the dogs just have a ball there. OB is a very dog-friendly place--shops leave water bowls on the sidewalks. We didn't have our dog, but the casita is good for dogs.You really don't even have to leave OB, except to take the bus to Old Town and go to the Old Town Mexican Cafe for $2 taco night on Tuesdays !
It was a wonderful time....loved the house and wish we could just stay ! "Peace, dude." Long live the 70's !

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

We Found Our Paradise

sunshinemominphx (Tempe, Arizona)
Review submitted: September 5, 2011   Date of arrival: September 2, 2011

My family stayed here for Labor Day weekend to escape the Arizona heat. After years of staying at Mission Beach, we think we've found ourselves a new little paradise. This house is fantastic. We've done many VRBO rentals in the US and Europe, and the owners were the most hospitable we've encountered! The home is nicely decorated, cozy-yet-spacious enough for our family, well-equipped (including beach gear, internet and big screen TV) and a beautiful walk to either the beach or the OB downtown area. We hated to leave. I'm sure we'll be back soon!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 3 / 3

Great beach cottage

Mira (Phoenix)
Review submitted: August 16, 2011   Date of arrival: May 31, 2011

my husband and I and our two golden retrievers stayed here and it was great. We enjoyed riding the beach cruisers at the house to the dog beach where the kids were able to run and play. It's a little loud with people walking by and such, but that's just how little beach towns are, everything is close together. Great area.

Recommended for: pet-friendly, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

Comfy Cozy and Accomodating

SheSellsSeaShells (Nashville, TN)
Review submitted: September 24, 2010   Date of arrival: July 16, 2010

My family and I stayed here this summer. Unfortunately the sun did not cooperate. However, my mom, sister and little niece and I enjoyed spending time at the big, rustic dining table laughing, playing cards and some of the board games made available at the property. My brother in-law and husband crooned to us on the ukulele and electric guitar, also made available on-site. The bikes made available were very appreciative for early morning and after meal rides. They were also especially helpful for exploring the town of Oceanside. Just a few minute walk to an almost "private" beach, we will definitely try our luck next year. Even if the sun doesn't shine, the accommodations and coziness alone are good enough for a relaxing vacation.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Amazing Summer Vacation!

Amy (Alhambra, CA)
Review submitted: September 22, 2010   Date of arrival: August 19, 2010

We are a family of 5...three kids ages 12, 6, 5 and 2 dogs...so finding a place to call home for a week can be challenging. We hit the gold mine with Joan's home! Not only was the house comfortable and eclectically decorated...but Joan was thoughtful enough to stock it with paper goods, cooking materials, books, games, towels, boogie boards, bikes, etc! All we had to do was buy food! It felt as though we were staying at a relative's home. It was walking distance to the beach and to town and the neighborhood felt safe! Overall, we were so pleased with this experience that we are booking it again next summer!

Recommended for: families with young children, girls getaway, pet-friendly, tourists without a car

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

We had a fabulous time!

bklyons (Lyons CO US)
Review submitted: July 25, 2009   Date of arrival: July 10, 2009

This historic Spanish Revival home was beautifully refurbished, retaining the original charm of the house while updating it with modern conveniences. There are coved ceilings in the living room/dining room and the kitchen features a refurbished period gas stove which works perfectly. The bathroom had plenty of storage for the inevitable abundance of various toiletries from home.
Our vacation experience was all about convenience: there is a driveway/parking spot next to the house so there was no hunting for a spot on the street! There is a very nice side yard with a large patio table and a grill (the propane tank was full!) and space for bicycle storage. Garbage and recycle bins are easy to access. The property is five minutes walk from shopping, dining, and beach recreation. A bicycle ride to SeaWorld is 20 minutes. Fabulous!
We found the house to be very well stocked with necessities; there was no emergency trip to the store for anything. The kitchen was very well set up, easy and pleasurable to cook in. The closet and dresser space was more than adequate. Linens and towels (including beach towels) were plentiful. There is even a good sized library of DVD's as well as some great reading material. If you choose not to bring your own bikes, there are 4 cruisers in a side yard. The addition of a computer/printer made the experience that much better, so that we could choose when to feel "cut-off from the world', yet have the convenience of all things online.
Our favorite aspect of the house was the very thoughtful and artistic way it is painted and decorated throughout. The lovely color choices and furnishings are very much in keeping with the Spanish Revival style of the home. It's a cozy and soothing environment, with a touch of whimsy provided by retro-Mexican art.
Our family frequently vacations in San Diego and this was our best experience yet!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 5 / 5

Danielle Stratton (-)
Review submitted: May 18, 2009   Date of arrival: May 18, 2009

Our stay in this beautiful home was such a pleasure!!! It had all the comforts you can think of, Joan was even kind enough to supply toys and a high chair for our daughter!

The location is perfect...only minutes to the beach, the awesome Ocean Beach pier, and the great shops on Newport Avenue.

I can't wait to return! Thanks again Joan for the beautiful Pooh Bear you gave to our daughter. I highly recommend this home to anyone looking for a cozy place to stay.

Cheers,
Danielle

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Guestbook Comment

Dawn (Colchester, Connecticut)
Review submitted: April 3, 2009   Date of arrival: April 1, 2009

We stayed here for a week at the end of March. What a nice surprise!

Then house was conveniently located - just a short three-minute walk to a small quiet beach, or a longer 10-minute walk to OB and the pier; also a short walk to restaurants, shops, church, library, and grocery store.

Even though the house wasn't big, there was plenty of room for the three of us. The house had everything we needed. We got a lot of use out of the outdoor patio.

We really enjoyed ourselves and wouldn't hesitate to return.

Thanks, Joan!!

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Helpful votes: 4 / 4