Free Free Free! Donations generously accepted!…read more Great spot if your at the Ventura Harbor. Great educational experience on how important it is to keep our oceans clean and learn more about the local islands creatures and climate. Lots of parking but never enough parking spots during great weather. However the parking is free. You can find by driving all the way to the dead end and it's on the right hand side. There is a store to buy souvenirs. Lots of picture ops. Great views to have a picknick and sightseeing. Most importantly this is a great spot to educate our children the importance on a eco friendly environment for our sea creatures and the local islands. There's a auditorium and a short clip constantly running, That's also free. There's a great sight seeing tower that you can walk up and get your stair climb on. There's also an elevator to get to the top as well.

Happy to see that the displays and the gardens have been Updated. An enjoyable place to visit.read more

Oh gosh! I cannot believe I haven't written a review! I really like this hike. It's not too hard…read more There's a bit of an incline going up but you'll survive! The view once you get to the top , where the cross is ... absolutely gorgeous!

Beautiful park with incredible views!! One of our favorite places! There's hiking trails and picnic…read moretables spread out near the grass, cross and off road sides... we bring our dog (on leash) he loves it too!

We were so fortunate to visit the Gardens during their wonderful hummer exhibition. Hummingbirds…read moreand informative displays are located throughout the Garden. There are new paths to explore, interesting displays to enjoy and of course, the amazing views when you get to the top. Benches are strategically placed throughout the Garden for rest if needed, shade if desired and simply to enjoy the moment. Bring water as you'll be glad you did on these warm days. Remember to wear your sunscreen and enjoy. Ample free parking in the lot out front.

Heads up to local seniors who may want to build up their aerobic fitness in the foothills above…read moreVentura Harbor with a perfectly maintained path, gentle rise, and fabulous scenery. For a $45/year membership you can train all year on a 2.5 mile loop through the plants native to Chili, South Africa, Mediterranean, Australia and CA with blooms that change through the seasons. There's no gym that can provide the meditative immersion in nature that the botanical garden gives you. The path's surface is amenable to walkers. There's only an outhouse -so that may be a problem. Coming from out of town? Got children? Perfect place to take them for breathtaking views of the harbor, fun exhibits (like the one on hummingbirds going on now) and a place to eat your bagged lunch. Kids under 18 free. Adults $7 without a membership.

I walked alongside the front of San Buenaventura City Hall recently. I enjoyed my visit. The…read morebuilding has beautiful architecture. There are some great landscape views from it. I would recommend taking precaution when venturing to or from the city hall on foot as there are some steep streets surrounding it.

This is a premier building in downtown Ventura, with Father Serra statue front and center in the…read moregardens below the building. Check out the friars' faces, all different, festooned below the roofline. This building is a classic, resisted being torn down in the 60s- if it is old tear it down and build a box- mentality. City offices are located inside, and strolling the lovely hallways is recommended. Parking is available in a side lot. Access to Grant Park above is via the narrow roadway on the left of the building. Even better, ample parking for the botanical garden trails is directly behind the building.

This is one of my favorite parks in Ventura, and I come here often. There's free parking,…read morerestrooms, plenty of green space for picnics, and easy access to the beach. There's also a short walking path if you want to get some steps in, along with oceanfront benches where you can relax and enjoy the view. It's the perfect park for me and has everything I'm looking for.

This is my FAVE park in Ventura because - IMO - it has everything you need for a great day at the…read morebeach. Let's start with FREE PARKING! Some local beaches are starting to charge, but this one still offers PLENTY of free parking. In addition, there are multiple playgrounds - including a pirate galleon from when the park was established during my childhood, a THOUSAND years ago! It doesn't have the zip line that caused me to smash my leg into the concrete side, leaving a still visible scar 1,000 years later, which is probably for the best, but a kinder/gentler playground with more modern amenities for today's active child. There is also an expansive grass area, where you will find many local pups bounding about with joy. On the grassy areas, BBQs! Also a protected, man made beach cove with an easy enter, small to no wave water entry. Lots of families prefer to set up their space on the green grass and then make their way to the beach, which is an ideal way to have your picnic sand free! A foot shower is also available to rinse the beach off before you settle back onto your blanket. Plenty of benches, tables and a bathroom that is, if I'm being completely honest, acceptable, but could use an upgrade. If you're more active, make your way to the public dock to launch your kayak, paddle board, etc. I've also seen people fishing from this dock and launching remote control boats - so cute! If you haven't brought your own board or boat, there is a rental kiosk handily available. This is also a great park to stroll through. A clear path goes from the parking lot to the tip of the Ventura Harbor entrance, known as Soter Point, where a beautiful sculpture stands. When I think of the perfect beach park, I think of Marina Park in Ventura. Cheers! "CC"

What a wonderful and exciting excursion to the channel island national park!…read more Island Packers is the best and reliable way to get to your channel island destination! The ride was fairly calm getting to and from the island. Felt like we were in great hands the entire time. The ship is clean and well stocked with snacks and drinks for your purchase. They also seem to be very knowledgeable when it comes to the rare whale sightings that can happen. We got lucky when the Captain saw some whale activity near by and slowed down to show us. He dropped a lot of knowledge about the animals and their habits etc. So we scored a surprise marine life lesson too! Thank you! Island Packers also do whale watching excursions btw. Overall: I would and absolutely recommend Island Packers for your visit to Channel island national park or anything else they provide! Super friendly and professional service all the way.

We had a great experience with Island Packers Cruises two days in a row! I booked our day trips…read morewell in advance to Santa Cruz Island (Scorpion Anchorage) and Anacapa Island. We got super lucky with the weather and both sailings went smoothly. Island Packers staff members were friendly and knowledgeable about the channel and islands. We also got to see so much marine life! Both days we spotted humpback whales, which the staff were quick to point out. We also got to see two massive pods of common dolphins! This was such a cool experience, especially since they love to play in the boat wake. Overall, Island Packers provided a seamless, well-organized experience.

If you're thinking about taking this tour just do it! From the moment you arrive these guys treat…read moreyou like your best friend visiting the islands for the first time. They show you all the cool stuff answer all your questions. It's been a few days and we're already missing them! They are truly lovely to chat with. When it was time to hit the activities they went to work showing their skills and knowledge. FYI we're vegetarian and the lunch was lovely- so make sure you order that too! Thanks Captain Dan and crew! It was a bucket list day we won't forget!

Chartered the sunfish for a two hour sunset whale watching cruise last night and it was incredibly…read morefun!!!! Roger was a terrific captain. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and just all-around awesome. Cheyenne was terrific as well. My group of 10 could not have had a better time. We weren't even sure we would see whales and we saw tons of them and we saw about 100 dolphins and adorable sea lions and other fish just swimming around our boat. What a phenomenal experience! So highly recommended!!!

This vintage 1892 house was the home of successive generations of the Dudley family up to the…read more1970s. The house was originally situated at the corner of Telegraph and Ashwood. The old girl is in remarkably good condition for 131 years old (I think she's had some work done). The interior is set up to reflect daily life in Ventura in the early 1900s. Many of the furnishings inside are original pieces the family used in their daily routine. One imagines the difficulty of cooking a meal on the vintage stove, or how exhausting it would be to iron clothes with a pair of ten pound irons (they had two so one would always be hot, forget taking a break for two damn minutes), or making a phone call on the old crank style phone (the Dudley's had one of the first telephones in Ventura). The house is open to the public on the first Sunday of every month. Admission is free. You can learn a lot about the Dudley family and life in turn of the century Ventura from the docents on duty. The docents here are very informative and exceptionally good at contextualizing everything you see. They share as much about the Dudley family as they do about the house. Attired in appropriate period clothing, their narrative really captures and holds your attention. All of the above is why I rate The Dudley House five stars. I encourage you to visit. But this place isn't for me. This place gives me the creeps. See, as it turns out, this is a haunted house. This isn't something that is well-known at all. But I tell you, I knew before I even set foot on the property that there was an evil presence here. Yet, whatever presence I was sensing didn't seem malevolent, so I ventured inside. I took the tour. Just after the tour started, I was surprised and a little shocked when one of the other guests straight up asked the Docent if the place was haunted. It seemed like the question came out of left field. Sure, people often ask that question about any old wood frame house. But I've gone on a great many tours of historical homes and adobes across the Southland and I've never heard someone ask it during any other Docent's spiel. And just to reiterate, this site is not at all well known for being a haunted house. I've read a lot about the house online and there's no mention of the house being haunted. Even so, as I said, I had a sense about the place from the get go. And then, seemingly from out of nowhere, this question from another guest. The question surprised me, but the answer didn't. The Docent answered Yes. According to our Docent, some people say that The Dudley House is haunted by at least two ghosts. I mentally patted myself on the back and said, Mikey, you totally called it. (Lol) But then I come to find out the evil here is much, much than just a couple ghosts. And it's personal. See, this was a farm house, or ranch house, whatever way you want to call it. The Dudley's grew walnuts. On the other side of Telegraph Avenue they had a sprawling walnut orchard. In addition to walnuts, in the fertile fields where Ventura College now stands, the Dudley family grew Lima Beans. The Dudley Family made their fortune growing and selling Lima Beans. Hearing that made my skin crawl. Immediately I knew that was the dark presence I sensed before I sat foot on the property. Lima Beans. Lima Beans were once one of my most despised vegetables. I say "once" because now, as an "adult," I love Lima Beans. But when I was a kid I was haunted by the damned things. Because more than once they were the vegetable in the old "You're going to sit there until you finish your vegetables" game parents used to like to run at Dinner Time. I don't think many parents play that mess these days, but when I was growing up it was a thing. For so many years I considered Lima Beans to be concentrated evil that it's impossible to shake that association. It doesn't matter that I like them now. I'm still haunted by the things. And there I was. I was standing in the house of the guy that grew the beans that I hated so much for so long. It was chilling, yo! Not taking any stars off. It really was a great tour led by a very knowledgable Docent. But this place ain't for me. Mikey C says: You go ahead inside, Ima sit in the car and listen to the radio.

Plan ahead to visit this gem in eastern Ventura. They're only open to the public on the first…read moreSunday of each month for guided tours of the Dudley family home. While the clan's land holdings were once large, as befitting a farm family, the Victorian home they built was adequate, not a big mansion. The house features Victorian-era craftsmanship, highlighted during our visit with bunting ahead of the 4th of July holiday. The docents all dressed in period costumes to further highlight the times when the home was built. Many Dudley family possessions are displayed throughout the house. Though it's a museum, it doesn't feel fussy. Its aura is that of a well-loved family gathering place with music and games in the parlor, and scratch-made biscuits in the kitchen. The docents are delightful - knowledgeable and welcoming. They bring humor and life to the tour around the common rooms and five bedrooms. Tucked into the largest bedroom downstairs sits a small gift shop. I understand their pride and joy is their holiday boutique in December. They decorate the home for the occasion and it must be all volunteers on deck for the event. We'll have to check it out this year. Very glad that the Passport 2 History led us to Dudley House.

For four years in a row, we have taken up to 65 eighth graders to Golf N' Stuff, Ventura, for a…read morethree hour visit on a Monday afternoon on our way up to the El Capitan Canyon campground. This Golf N' Stuff is extremely safe, clean, well kept up, and our students love the rides, mini golf, food, and arcade. The staff is phenomenal! They are patient, kind, and they keep the students safe. It is always a very fun, safe, and special experience for our students. Well done, Golf N' Stuff staff!!

This Golf N' Stuff location is absolutely amazing. they have…read morea little bit of everything: miniature golf, arcade, bumper karts, go-kart and more. Everything is affordable. They have a snack bar: pizza, chips hotdogs etc.

Went for happy hour and the red sangria was ahmazing! Our…read moregroup had chicken lettuce cups, the pizza with carmelized onions. The string beans and calamari. Great service What a great way to end our afternoon of shopping on main

Horrible service...like HORRIBLE HORRIBLE. But, the ragu was one of the absolute best dishes I've…read morehad at any restaurant ever. The drinks...almost as good. But, honestly, that rago...piping hot when it came out. So fresh. We sat on the couch in the corner. It's where the musicians used to set up. Really cool spot in the restaurant. Cozy, comfy and the place has a ton of ambiance. Such a great spot. The waiter was super cool. Nice guy. Friendly when he engaged...but, needed to be more engaged. I thought that going to the bar for another drink would kinda wake him up...but, no. Great drinks, by the way, which would have most certainly lead me to having another Old Fashioned! Also, the place has A-ma-zing dessert, however, my waiter never even asked if we wanted dessert. Again, HORRIBLE HORRIBLE service but such high quality dishes and drinks. JUST FIX THE STAFF!