Romantic Walking Tour Of Oceanside (PHOTOS)

Summer is a fantastic time for a romantic date night and Downtown Oceanside is where music, art, food and wine combine for an intimate sensory experience that couples can enjoy together!

Our romance journey began in Artist's alley, just a few steps away from Oceanside's lovely Civic Center plaza and fountains. Every Saturday, Artist Alley comes alive with art demos, live music, face painting, drum circle performances, puzzles, virtual reality, workshops and more.

At the end of Artist's Alley we turned left on Mission and strolled 2 blocks up to the recently opened Coomber Wines Tasting room. Our wine hosts were Ian and Megan, who were both very knowledgeable about the wines, which is great because Coomber has an extensive selection of Whites and Reds. Ian greeted us with a complimentary taste of their Rose, which is light and delicate. But we were in the mood from some bold wines and Coomber did not disappoint.

We opted for an All Red Tasting which consisted of 6 wines including:

2016 Vintner's Collection California Pinot Noir - Has a gorgeous bouquet and is light and playful to drink.
2013 Signature Collection Central Coast Pinot Noir - Nice medium-bodied with both fruity and earth notes.
2013 Private Reserve Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir - A unique Pinot Noir for Cabernet lovers that think Pinot's lack heart.
2017 Coomber Family California Cabernet Sauvignon - Nice transition Cab, lighter and fruiter than most Cabs.
2011 Signature Collection Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon - Spicy in the front but with a long fruity mocha finish.
2012 Private Reserve Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon - Very earthy with big flavors that open up as you hold it in your mouth.

Coomber is also a dog-friendly locale where all the furnishings are made from re-purposed materials from the bar itself, to the light fixtures made from old wine barrel rims. The tasting room exudes a warm, welcoming and eco-friendly vibe. While they invited us to stay for the live music starting at 6pm, we continued our quest for the most romantic locales in downtown. For more info about Coomber Wines visit: https://www.coomberwines.com/

After leaving Coomber we walked back to Coast Hwy and headed north half a block to Holme Estate Cellars Tasting room that is tucked in a cozy and inviting spot. We were greeted with a big smile and welcome from Veda. A most gracious wine host, Veda, who hails from Kansas City, shared the Australian Wine focus of Holme Cellars and recommended a tasting of a wide range of wines including a 2016 Rose, NV Brut Sparkling Wine and 2011 Special Release Shiraz. Veda explained that the Rose and Shiraz's were all sourced from Aussie grapes. As we were leaving Holme, the music act of the night, Hailey Wilde, was just setting up, but we were committed to continuing our wandering in the name of romance. For more info about Holme Estate Cellars visit: https://www.holmeestatecellars...

Next on our journey was a short 3 block stroll down Pier View to Cleveland street, where the newly re-opened Bunker House is still completing renovations. Despite work still going on in the front of this historic building, they already deliver a fun and eclectic experience to visitors in the back. We
were greeted by Lori, who was preparing a charcuterie plate for a small group, so we headed to the bar where our wine host hooked us up with an interesting sampler of Desire Mead, Calista Pinot Noir and Crios Malbec. We took our wine tasters out to the back patio where a casual and friendly small crowd of wine and music enthusiasts, along with their cool dogs, were enjoying the modern
rock and pop genre music of Shay Skylar: https://shayskylar.com/. For more info about The Bunker house: https://www.bunkerhouselounge....

As much as we were enjoying the laid back ambience and singing along with Shay, we were starting to get hungry and the call of a romantic Italian dinner won us over and we walked the 4 blocks up Civic Center drive to north Coast Hwy to Venetos Cucina Italiana. While all the prior stops on our tour were to places that are fairly new to Oceanside, Venetos is a long time mainstay that is well-known to locals. Or is it? For those that have not experienced Venetos since it came under the management of owner, Pino, then you really must try it anew. From the outside Venetos looks like just a small non-descript pizza place, but once you enter you are transformed to a quaint little Venetian Cafe with a charming restaurant ambiance.

We were seated in a corner booth by Pino who also took our wine order, which is why we could not resist ordering the Pino Pinot Noir, served by Pino! It was a fruity Pinot Noir that paired well with all our food. For appetizers Pino recommended the Carciofo alla Medetterenea, artichoke hearts sautéed in a olive oil, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, lemon white wine sauce that was so sublime and delicately flavored. We also had the button mushrooms sautéed in an incredibly wonderful marsala sauce that had been reduced to near perfection. Served with Italian bread and garlic knots dipped in oil and balsamic, that complimented the appetizers very well.

For our entrees we went traditional with Linguine alla Vongole (Baby Clams in red sauce) and Lasagna al Forno. Both were expertly prepared and served by an awesome staff of smiling, happy servers that went out of their way to make our evening romantic and memorable. Our main server, Chloe, was very attentive and could really work the nearly 4-foot tall pepper-grinder. Of course, what really enhanced the entire dining experience was the smooth sounds of Tony Soraci. Tony sings in five languages and plays guitar so sweetly you might imagine you were being crooned by one of the old Italian greats, and you are! Tony has been performing at Venetos for over 11 years and is a local musical treasure. For more info about Venetos Cucina Italiana visit: http://www.venetoscucinaitalia...

While we really wanted to try the Cannoli or Tiramisu, we were just too full from dinner, so we bid farewell to Venetos hospitality and headed out for a refreshing evening stroll past the Civic Center fountains, which are even more beautiful by night, down to the ocean for an idyllic walk along the beach. All in all it was one of the most enjoyable and yes, romantic date nights we've had and it was all within walking distance. Whether you’re looking for a romantic night spot or a sunny space to relax, Downtown Oceanside has more to offer than ever before including museums, theatres, special events and festivals that are perfect for a stroll while holding hands. So get out and explore with an open heart and see what gives each place on your journey its unique Oceanside vibe.