Ocean Beach

The story

Ocean Beach's shops line Newport Ave from Sunset Cliffs Blvd to Abbott St, running down to the OB Pier, with more on Cable St, Bacon St, Santa Monica Ave and Voltaire St. The mix is surf shops, antiques and consignment, records, plants and beach gifts, nearly all independent. The 4900 and 5000 blocks of Newport Ave hold most of it, so start inland and walk toward the water.

Newport Avenue

The 4900 block is antiques and souvenirs. Ocean Beach Antique Mall (4926) has about a dozen dealers selling china, sterling silver, real and costume jewelry, comics, tiki items and sports and Disney memorabilia; jewelry and silver are the best sellers. Golden Seashell Jewelry (4920) and Ocean Gifts & Shells (4934) are close by, and Ocean Beach Surf & Skate (4940) sells longboards, shortboards, wetsuits and boardshorts, rents boards and is the base of the Ocean Experience Surf School, founded in 1990. Vignettes (4828) sells home decor at the inland end of the street.

The pier end is lined with surf shops. South Coast Surf Shop (5023) is a block from the sand, Pride Surf & Skate Shop (5035) is independently owned, and South Coast Wahines (5037), from the family-owned South Coast Surf Shops, sells women's clothing, sundresses and footwear. Better Surf Than Sorry & Surfer Baby (5059) pairs a surf shop with one for babies and kids. Cow Records (5040) sells used and new vinyl and CDs, and The Black (5017), half a block from the ocean, is part smoke shop and part boutique, with clothing including vintage, jewelry, candles, incense and housewares.

The Side Streets

Bacon St and Cable St have smaller shops a block off Newport. The Ocean Beach Souvenir Shop sells official OB merchandise from the Ocean Beach MainStreet office: seagull tees, OB parrot gear, local-history books, 1,000-piece Dog Beach and pier puzzles and yearly holiday ornaments. Cherry Picked Vintage (1862½ Bacon St) and Claytime Ceramics & Gifts are on the same block. On Cable St, Botanica Shop & Studio (1909) sells rare and house plants, handmade ceramics, vintage finds and fragrances and runs pottery workshops, and Bernie's Bicycle Shop (1911) is a family-owned bike shop in business more than 30 years.

Voltaire St is worth the detour. Karen's Consignment Gallery is a family-owned high-end consignment store open since 1990, with an 8,500 sq ft showroom of brand-name furniture, decor, art, rugs and jewelry, and stock that changes daily. Willow, near Dog Beach, sells gifts, jewelry and home goods from local, independent and socially conscious makers. The Ocean Beach People's Food Co-op is a community-owned organic grocery and deli open since 1971.

Eating Between Shops

Hodad's has served burgers since 1969, with bacon cheeseburgers, 'frings' and shakes under walls of license plates. South Beach Bar & Grill, at the foot of Newport Ave since 1992, is known for its mahi fish tacos. For a sit-down dinner, Cesarina is a trattoria with a glass-walled pasta lab and a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2026), and The 3rd Corner Wine Shop & Bistro lets you pick a bottle off the shelves to take home or open with dinner.

When to Go

Surf shops generally run about 10am–7pm daily and gift shops 11am–6pm, but most shops here don't post hours, so call ahead. Willow is open Wed–Mon 11am–6pm, the souvenir shop weekdays 10am–4pm and to 6pm on Wednesdays, the Co-op daily 8am–9pm and Hodad's daily 11am–9pm. Come on a Wednesday for the farmers market on the 4900 block of Newport Ave, 4pm–8pm, with produce from local farms, ready-to-eat food and handmade crafts and jewelry. Ocean Beach MainStreet suggests the paid CVS lot on Santa Monica Ave for market night; other paid lots are at 1858 Cable St and at 4994 Newport Ave, and the pier lot is often full.