Oceanside, a part of the tri-city area of Vista and Carlsbad in North County San Diego, is the 3rd largest San Diego city, with a population of over 190,000. Oceanside was originally founded to build mostly single-family residences, but has since built all different kinds of residences and also commercial and industrial facilities to serve and employ the booming population. Several films have been filmed in the area, including Bring It On, Top Gun, The Whole Ten Yards, Diamonds are Forever, and The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.

Oceanside lies underneath the military base, Camp Pendelton, which contributes largely to the traffic, business, and resident in the area. This military base is the busiest in the nation and the main west coast base for the United States Marine Corps.

There are quite a few school districts that operate in Oceanside, including the local Oceanside Unified School District, Vista Unified School District, Bonsall Union School District, and Carlsbad Unified School District. The location of the residence of the student determines which school district he or she attends, though there are some exceptions made each year. The two main high schools operated by the Oceanside Unified School District are El Camino High School and Oceanside High School, in the city.

There are several recreational facilities and city attractions that are popular destinations for residents and visitors of Oceanside. One of the most notable landmarks is the Oceanside Pier, which was built in 1888 and is the longest wooden pier on the west coast, extending around 2,000 feet into the ocean. There is also a popular California Surf Museum found in downtown Oceanside. Many fun events occur in Oceanside every year, including a Day of the Dead festival in November and a Harbor Days festival in September. These festivals host carnival rides, several street and food vendors, and exciting musical entertainment.