LOS ANGELES, Ca (Catholic Online) - Too frequently, people from L.A. bypass Oceanside as they head to San Diego County's flashier resorts: La Jolla, Del Mar and the like. Yet this city has a fun, retro downtown.

The city's redevelopment efforts have been hit or miss and the recession has taken its toll as well.

"For travelers, the sporadic redevelopment is good news. There are still mom-and-pop eateries and funky dive bars to enjoy and, at the same time, recent gentrification has brought new fine dining, drinking and entertainment options to savor. It makes for a good mix," Irene Lechowitzky for the Los Angeles Times writes.

" Oceanside can be a car-free getaway; everything is in walking distance, including the train depot for Amtrak and Metrolink trains from L.A. It's also a great home base for day trips; take the Coaster into San Diego or the Sprinter to Escondido.

Local eaterie the Longboarder Cafe is "a mini shrine to surf culture with murals and surfboards, serves great food. The Longboarder scramble was fine, but the hit was Lou's almond-studded French toast."

The jewel of Oceanside is without a doubt the Wyndham Oceanside Pier Resort. "The seven-story, two-tower Mediterranean-style building dominates the waterfront and offers time-share condos as well as hotel rooms. The ocean-view condos have kitchens and are set up for four or more people; because it was just the two of us, we booked a hotel room with a king-size bed," Lechowitzky writes.

"Our sixth-floor, 350-square-foot room was spacious and colorful. The bathroom was large, with a deep whirlpool tub and a glassed-in shower stall. Windows framed views of downtown, the railroad tracks and an empty lot below.

"Ocean views are icing on the cake at the second-floor pool, spa, sun deck and exercise room. Best of all are the seventh-floor 'sky lounges' with comfy sofas and chairs from which to admire the spectacular water and pier vistas."