If you’ve been staying away from Harbor Days  because the crowds make you crazy, here are a few tips for joining in on the fun without stressing out.

Go Early!  The Fire Dept. Pancake breakfast starts at 7:00  am both days and the Tiki Swim is at 8:00 tomorrow (who doesn’t want to watch other people freeze their tikis off?!) and the craft & activity booths open at 9:00 am.

Getting in and out can be easy – here are some tips from Fire Mountain locals on how to get there and where to park:

• There is FREE parking in downtown Oceanside at the Oceanside Transit Center Parking Garage (located at Cleveland St. and Seagaze Dr.) with free shuttle service from the North County Transit Center.  Just look for the double decker busses for a free ride Saturday 8am – 7pm and Sunday 8am to 6 pm.

• Look for parking by the Jolly Roger restaurant – first row is for slip renters only, but the second row is public parking (check signs for time limits, etc.)

• Ride your bike! If you aren’t in Fire Mountain you can take the San Luis Rey bike trail all the way to the coast – with tons of access points, it’s easy! Fire Mountain can be difficult to bike with young kids, so If you aren’t close to a trail or bike access point, you may want to but the bikes in your car and get closer to the coast.  Follow the  bike paths and ride all the way to the harbor! (If you’re there late, one local FM resident suggested keeping a nice friend with a truck on standby to come get you –  seems like a good idea after an afternoon in the beer garden!)

If you have more suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Be safe and have fun!

——- A quick update for those wondering about the Nail and Sail 2013 Judging and Race times:

Judging for best Craftsmanship and Best Costume is 1:00 – 1:30 pm * First Heat 2:00 p.m. * Second Heat 2:20 p.m. * Third Heat 2:40 p.m. * Fourth Heat 3:00 p.m. * Championship 3:20 p.m. *