I have driven by the city of Ventura on my way to Solvang/Pismo Beach and back on a few occasions…read more I didn't stop inside this city on my most recent trip this past July 2024. However, I have visited Ventura a couple times when I did my half marathon races several years back. I have never had an overnight stay though. Ventura is a coastal city. It's northwest of LA. It's known for its beaches and surfing. Downtown Main Street has lots of restaurants and bars for hopping opportunities. They have a landmark that is worth a visit... Mission San Buenaventura that has a very old church dating back to 1809... WOW, that's 215 years ago. I recently found out that boats depart from Ventura Harbor for visits to Channel Islands National Park. This is one park I have not been to yet and would love to visit it one day. I will be back Ventura!

The city is badly mismanaged. They shut down cars on main Street and before that they put in…read moreparking meters no one wanted. Now they are building ugly low income apartments that no one wanted and cause traffic. They should all be fired.

I was hoping more from the Old Town Goleta, being close to Santa Barbara and all…read more The main street seemed like a dusty area, old, tired, just a few stores and restaurants that we browsed, nothing appealing here. Pretty laid back, but it has no charm or appeal. I give it a higher score because of the area with the cool butterfly reserve, the bluffs, beaches and the South Coast Railroad Museum, all great places to visit. The main street? I'd skip it!

Great little city. Surrounded by some interesting history. A nice Main Street with ample options…read morefor food and stuff to do.

The places to shop down on main have never disappointed, from antique stores to trinket shops, well…read moreknown brands and a few local ones in between, I always leave with a bag full of goodies. They also have cute coffee shops and cafes throughout main street and full on restaurants too!! (some of them have gluten free and vegan options, just read the menu) Parking: free public parking spots around downtown, some pay to park on the street closer to main. They also have free events throughout the year, farmers markets, car shows and more.

Ending our weekend getaway, we took a stroll down Main Street in Downtown Ventura to do a little…read moreshopping. On a Sunday most stores open at 11am. So, it's best to grab brunch or visit nearby sites like Serra Cross or the Ventura Pier before you shop. There are free parking lots in the area, but by the time we headed over around 11:30 am, all the free spots were taken, so we used the metered parking which was pretty reasonable. Mission San Buenaventura is located on Main Street and offers services. The church is beautiful and Sunday service was very well attended. You'll also find many thrift and antique stores with reasonable prices. I loved that Main Street included a variety of stores and restaurants without including the cheesy and touristy gift shops. We had an enjoyable lunch at Immigrant Son caffe, purchased some sodas at a really cool candy store called Rocket Fizz and visited Very Ventura, a gift shop with a nice collection of Ventura related gifts. I purchased some stickers for my Yeti and a hat.

This monument to the St. Francis Dam Disaster pays homage to the motorcycle officers that alerted…read moreSanta Paula residents that a massive wall of water was headed their way. Over 400 people were killed in the dam failure; it may have been worse if the dedicated police had not warned people to move to higher ground. It's fitting that the City of Santa Paula has invested in this memorial to educate and honor folks who cared about public safety and saved so many lives.

Amazing Tour of one of Johnny Cash's first homes with first wife Vivian and four daughters . Our…read morehostess and tour guide Lisa was amazing!!! Knowledgeable warm interesting and inviting .. loved the whole experience. Highly recommended.

Perfect!! Amazing!!!! Coolest place ever!!! It's just the way interior is so cool. How about the…read morepink room??! Wow!

I absolutely LOVE Santa Barbara and this wharf/pier area. We have been coming here for years and…read moreenjoying the beauty and tranquility of the ocean and its surroundings. My son and I came here yesterday around 5:30pm and found street parking about a 10-15 minute walk away from the entrance. It can get very crowded during the day with no parking spaces available, but luckily we found one. Even the walk there was beautiful, with the ocean in the distance and the smell of seawater in the air. There are restrooms right at the entrance which were pretty dirty, as expected from a beach restroom. Once you walk up the pier, there are several shops, restaurants and relaxation areas where you can just chill and enjoy the stunning views of the ocean. You can come here solo, on a date, with your kids, dogs, anyone! It's a perfect place for anyone who enjoys the beach/ocean. We didn't see anyone swimming, but there were plenty of people walking around. After some walking around and chatting with fellow tourists ourselves, we went to the back corner of the pier where we watched the sunset. It was such an extraordinary sight to see, right on one of my favorite beaches. I forgot to mention you can of course park on the pier itself. The first 90min are free and it's $4 per hour after that. Thank you, Santa Barbara, for another beautiful trip.

This is a strollers paradise, an ocean viewers' delight, a sun soaking pleasure, a snack food…read moreentrepreneur's joy and a beverage sipper's blissful promenade. This is most definitely a pier walk you don't want to miss while visiting Santa Barbara! Stearns Wharf is the oldest operating solid wood wharf in California, and it lends to its beautiful aesthetics. This is one of the best 2,000-foot stroll you'll ever have. We were amazed at just staring into the vast rippling waves of the ocean - which relaxes you within minutes. Give yourself a minimum of 1 hour, preferably more, you'll enjoy every step!

If you are looking for a low key beach, in a sleepy town, then this may just be your place. Often…read morethis beach is not too crowded un-like its neighboring beaches. And there is plenty of parking at this beach. The beach features both metered parking lots and street parking. Also there is a lovely pier, that is quite long, to walk down. And as your gaze into the horizon, you can watch the cargo ships in the ocean. One other positive thing about this beach is that is pretty clean, no littered with all the trash that you see other beaches. Lastly, there is a seafood restaurant on the beach in case you get a little hungry or thirsty. Come check it out if you seek relaxation at the beach.

A bit biased as I grew up between here and Oxnard! Love both cities! Cute little beach towns!…read more If you enjoy a chill vibe and clean beaches then you'll like PH. There are a few restaurants and cafes in town but for the most part ... Oxnard has better restaurants/cares and night life. I enjoy festivals in PH like the Banana Festival !!! So fun!

We love visiting Ojai. As it was Shangri-La in the movies, we can say that this driving route is…read more"The Road to Shangri-La". We usually enter the Ojai Valley via this direction, instead of coming around on the 101 to the 33. The Ojai Santa Paula Road aka Route 150 surrounds us in back country beauty and pastoral serenity. Passing through the outskirts of Santa Paula there are many interesting sights. The terrain becomes more rugged, and there's just so much to take in visually. From the KOA campground area (with ziplining we'll have to try one day!), and then Steckel Park, it's a short jaunt to the Saint Thomas Aquinas College campus. With it's impressive building towers peaking out behind tall trees and the mountainous backdrop, it has a spectacular setting. Santa Paula Creek runs nearby, with large rock outcroppings that add to the rugged scene. Then the road turns northward, passing through a rural area with several businesses including Painted Pony and Camp Bartlett. It's a windy section of road, climbing to the Upper Ojai Valley. Stay sharp and don't overdrive the curves! The first glance of the horizontally striated Topa Topa Mountains can take your breath away. You'll have better views as you continue the drive once you reach the Upper Ojai Valley. If you are nearby at sunset time you can view the magical "Pink Moment" when the light from the setting sun bathes the Topa Topa peaks with a pinky-lavender glow. At the summit there's a small grouping of places to stop, including Summit Drive-In and Stagecoach Station grocery store. The next section of the journey passes through the "Upper Ojai", home to vineyards, working ranches (including the spectacular Black Mountain Ranch - one of the largest privately owned ranches in SoCal), private schools, the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, and more. Once you reach Dennison Park, be ready for a quick, winding descent. Before you drop all the way down to the valley, take a few minutes to pull off for the scenic overlook of the Ojai Valley. It offers a magnificent view / photo op stop. Take in the peacefulness of the expansive valley, and marvel at the mountain peaks to the north that seem to stretch forever. From here, descend down some additional twists and turns and you're there - in the Ojai Valley. Once on the valley floor you'll have a whole other small town world to explore, set in a magical, lush, and fertile basin. Citrus, succulents, and lavender set the tone for botanical diversity here. Known as a haven for artists, private schools, museums, unique lodging, fabulous food, and independent businesses, it's a rare place to visit and refresh. The road that takes you there helps you shed your city skin and be ready for the Ojai experience. Enjoy!