Located just south of the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base, Oceanside — and its tri-city neighbors Carlsbad and Vista — tripled in population during the 1940s as housing demands exceeded the base during World War II and has become a classic California beach town. The long-standing symbol of the community is the nearly 2,000-foot Oceanside Pier, which has been built and re-built six times. One of the longest wooden piers on the U.S. West Coast, the Junior Seau Amphitheatre sits at the foot of the pier while Ruby’s Diner — a 1950s style restaurant — feeds the tourists at its end. Fishing and surfing co-exist on each side of the structure.