Four cities with sun, surf and small town charm
Ventura County Coast
is Southern California your way – 22 miles of beaches without the crowds, endless outdoor activities and four laid-back surf towns to explore. Just 60 miles north of Los Angeles, Ventura County Coast is a world away. It’s also one of California’s best kept secrets. You’ll be awed by panoramic mountain and ocean views that you can take in from the beach or the top of a trail. Wander the downtowns of Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura and Port Hueneme to treat yourself to eclectic local shops, galleries, and food and drink that will quench any craving. While there’s plenty to do around town, the Channel Islands National Park is not to be missed. Known as the “Galapagos of North America,” you can explore five islands and the unique plants and animals who call them home.
Dining
Bring your appetite – Ventura County Coast is home to hundreds of award-winning restaurants, bars, craft breweries, distilleries, and wineries, offering something for every palate. Morning, noon or night, you’ll find cooks serving up cuisines from around the globe using local ingredients and the freshest catch. Start your day slathering homemade strawberry jam across fluffy biscuits at Pete’s Breakfast House or with cold brew and an acai bowl at The Annex Food Hall, where, later you can kick off happy hour with a pint or slurp ramen. Seafood lovers visiting over the weekend can shuck oysters on the beach – or have them fried or grilled – at The Jolly Oyster.
Trek the Taco Trail
Build your own moveable feast on Oxnard’s Taco Trail: kick off with huevos rancheros from Taqueria Cuernavaca. Try “Los Vampiros” tacos with beef barbacoa from a Tacos La Bonita truck. And enjoy fresh-caught snapper and shrimp in your tacos at Otani’s Fish Market & Restaurant – offering Japanese-style seafood with a Mexican twist since 1952. If you’ve got the hunger to visit 15 taco joints, you’ll get a shirt proving you conquered the trail.
Sip & Savor
Craft and creativity are on display at Ventura County Coast breweries, cocktail bars, distilleries and wineries. More than 15 breweries are driving a lively craft scene, with Ventura’s Anacapa Brewing Company offering a seasonal rotation of more than 30 beers. Topa Topa Brewing Co. takes a nod from the great outdoors and focuses on quality ingredients for its award-winning beers. Oxnard’s Casa Agria is the place to go for farmhouse style ales, barrel aged wild ales and yeast-driven IPAs. California grapes are showcased at 13 Ventura County-area vintners, including Plan B Wine Cellars, Strey Cellars and Herzog Wine Cellars. For spirits sippers, transport yourself to the tropics with a mai tai at VenTiki Tiki Lounge and Lanai or try award-winning bourbon at Sespe Creek Distillery.
Ventura County Coast at a Glance
≈ 273 sunny days a year
≈ 70 degrees – average daily temperature
≈ 22 miles of beaches
≈ 450+ restaurants
≈ 60+ lodging options
≈ 9 golf courses
≈ 10 surf spots
≈ 20+ hiking/biking trails
≈ 30+ museums
≈ 15+ breweries
≈ 13 wineries
≈ 2 harbors
≈ 1 national park
Exploring
There are endless opportunities to get outdoors and savor the calm crashing of the waves on the beach – or crank up the intensity with sports and activities on land or at sea. When you lace up your shoes and hit the trails, you’ll find beach and woodland hiking suitable for all ages. Hop on a bike for a cruise and you may see a deer and dolphin on the same ride! Harmon Canyon, a 2,100-acre preserve, is an off-road dream for hiking and biking. No visit is complete without a trip to the beach. With 22 miles of coastal access and ample parking, you’ll have no problem relaxing in the sand or getting into the water to surf, SUP or kayak. If you want a more peaceful way to hit the water, consider a private gondola cruise in the harbor and bring a little Venice to Ventura County Coast with Gondola Paradiso.
Visit the Galapagos of North America
You’re also just a short ride away from one of our country’s most unique national parks. The Channel Islands are a chain of five islands that can only be accessed by plane or boat. Enjoy a day trip or camp overnight and explore unique plants, marine and animal life along the archipelago. Watch for dolphins and gray whales on your journey there and try to spot the housecat-sized Island Fox, which is found nowhere else on Earth. Immerse yourself in nature with a hike to Smugglers Cove, which pays off with 180-degree views of the Pacific Ocean. The park also protects a wealth of archeological resources – the oldest human remains in North America, dating to 13,000 B.C., were discovered in 1959 on Santa Rosa Island. To get there, take an ocean kayaking expedition aboard the Sunfish with Channel Islands Expeditions, or board an excursion with Island Packers, exclusive concessionaire to the national park.
Turn Up the Adrenaline
Camarillo is home to activities that will raise your heart rate. Skydive from two miles high with Skydive Coastal California and take in an unmatching view of the California coastline. Feel the wind in your face while you soar in an ultralight open-air two-seater aircraft with Skyrider Ultralights. Or tour the coastline and Channel Islands with Orbic Helicopters. In Oxnard, feel like you’re floating on a cloud above the ocean, taking in unbelievable aerial views on a parasailing adventure with Channel Islands Parasail.
Arts & Culture
DISCOVER THE UNIQUE MUSEUMS, arts and cultural experiences of Ventura County Coast. Naval history runs deep here. Visit the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum in Port Hueneme, a free experience that pays homage to members of the Naval Construction Battalions – called Seabees – who since World War II have built infrastructure at military locations around the world. Meanwhile, the Channel Islands Maritime Museum in Oxnard explores the far-flung history of seafaring, from the Santa Barbara Channel’s Chumash tribes to England’s Admiral Lord Nelson. You’ll also find art galleries, model ships and even carvings done by French prisoners of war during the Napoleonic Wars, made from the bones of their meat rations.
Car Culture on Display
Gearheads won’t want to miss The Murphy Auto Museum and the Mullin Automotive Museum. The Murphy houses an impressive display of over 50 antique cars, early classics, street rods and Packards, while the Mullin honors art deco and the machine age-era, cars, particularly French automobiles, from Bugatti to Voisin, and race-winning rides from Grand Prix du Pau and Le Mans. Oxnard’s car culture dates back to its lowrider clubs that popped up in the 1970s, and today there are dozens of car shows, cruise nights and meetups hosted throughout the year.
Culture Walk
If you’d prefer to take in the culture with fresh air, Ventura’s Botanical Gardens offer a stunning wander among five Mediterranean climate zones, plus a spectacular ocean panorama. Take a tour through Heritage Square, a section of downtown Oxnard replete with Victorian-era homes. Go mural-spotting on Ventura’s westside and in Oxnard – get your picture at the Instagrammable “Greetings from Oxnard” mural with local sea lion celebrity Shaquille or with homegrown musician Anderson .Paak – who is featured in a mural on City Hall.
Ventura County Coast: 4 Cities, 1 State of Mind
If you’re craving sunshine, good vibes, and some adventure, Ventura County Coast has it all. Nestled between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, right at the intersection of SoCal swagger and Central Coast casual, the Ventura County Coast is home to four unique cities with surf-town spirit and small-town charm. When you explore Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura and Port Hueneme you’ll find fun for the entire family. Get to know each of our cities:
Camarillo, named for its founding family of ranches, is steeped in a rich agricultural history. Step back in time at the Camarillo family’s 1892 Queen Anne Victorian home or connect with today’s farming families at a roadside stand. Amp up the adrenaline skydiving or soaring in an ultralight aircraft. When the coast calls, you’re just 15 minutes from the beach.
Oxnard is a lot more than just a beach town. It’s a vibrant culinary community, rapidly becoming known as a foodie destination with some of the best food trucks and taquerias in the state. Not only is it located on the beach, but it has a bustling harbor offering aquatic activities from boat trips to the Channel Islands to jet ski rentals and more. It’s an incredibly family-friendly town with museums, year round events and entertainment, and is even considered a national hub for boxing!
Ventura is a real-deal beach town that will leave you breathless. Its name means “good fortune,” but you won’t need to rely on luck to find friendly locals, endless activities and a thriving culinary and craft beverage scene. And Ventura promises fun for everyone – including your dog – bring Fido to pet-friendly beaches, restaurants and lodging.
Port Hueneme takes its name from “wene me” – which means resting place in the native Chumash language – so it’s no surprise people come here to slow down. Dig your toes into the beach and have a picnic, cruise the winding beachside walkways on bike or do some pier fishing – no license required. Nestled between Oxnard and Ventura, its naval roots run deep. It’s the only deep-water harbor between L.A. and San Francisco and one of only two Naval Construction Battalion Centers in the U.S.
Shopping
With four walkable downtowns to choose from in Ventura County, you’ll find one-of-a-kind boutiques, surf shops and galleries. Browse sea glass jewelry at Betty Belts, find beach reads at
Calico Cat Bookshop and get outfitted at the original Patagonia store or Anacapa Surf n’ Sport. Bargain hunters will find over 160 retailers, including Nike, Michael Kors and The North Face at the Camarillo Premium Outlets. Raid the pantry of our specialty food stores for fine cheeses, charcuterie, olive oil and spices. Take a piece of Ventura County Coast home with you by supporting its local farmers at a market or stand, where you’ll find California strawberries, citrus and avocados.
Nightlife
Music, comedy and theater are just the beginning of a great night out in Ventura County. You’ll hear bands playing at bars, breweries and lounges across the area. Find larger acts at Ventura Music Hall, take in a play at the Rubicon Theatre or catch comedy (or something more avant-garde) at NAMBA Performing Art Space.
Plan Your Visit
Getting here:
Ventura County Coast is a California road trip destination, and roadtripping is easy from Phoenix, with less than a day’s drive. Booking a flight is easy, too, with options to fly into Santa Barbara, Burbank or Los Angeles.
Where to stay:
There are more than 60 lodging options in Ventura County, from the modern all-suite accommodations at Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach (a Hilton Curio Collection hotel) to Waypoint Ventura, a hotel comprised of restored vintage RVs – or bring your own trailer and enjoy the barbecues, lawn games and other amenities.
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