Ocean Beach

A community that never abandoned its counterculture ways

History: Once dubbed “Mussel Beach” for the mussel beds along the shoreline, Ocean Beach first came to public attention in the real estate boom of 1887. Next came Wonderland, the 1913-1916 amusement park at Voltaire and Abbott streets. The ’60s brought counterculture and dust ups with police, followed by resistance to chain stores and condos.

How it got its name: Real estate speculators Frank Higgins and Billy Carlson (elected at 29 as San Diego’s “boy mayor” in 1893) chose the name at the time of their 1887 lot sales campaign. Locals call themselves “OBcians.”

Landmarks: The 1,971-foot Ocean Beach Pier, the longest concrete pier on the West Coast, opened in 1966. The Strand Theater, opened in 1925, was one of the first in the country to screen “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” every weekend. Closed in 1998, it’s now Wings Beachwear.

Did you know? The community hosted the 1966 World Surfing Championship. The Ocean Beach People’s Rag, an alternate newspaper, was founded in 1970 by Point Loma High School alumnus, attorney and community activist Frank Gormlie, who revived it as the OB Rag blog-based news site in 2007. Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous” opening scene was filmed in Ocean Beach.

Things to do: Run your dog at off-leash Dog Beach. Keep a lookout for wild parrots, the “OB Air Force.” Stroll up and down Newport Avenue, the community’s main street. See why the burgers at Hodad’s are considered local favorites.