Oh gosh! I cannot believe I haven't written a review! I really like this hike. It's not too hard. 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! read more

Serra Cross Park - Parks Near Me - Ventura, California

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

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This is a beautiful place with stunning views. Just to see the cross up high looking over the ocean is breathtaking. There is a lot of history here, so make sure you read about it on the sign at the top of the stairs that looks down on the cross. There is also ample parking. The next time I come back will be at sunset! read more

Serra Cross Park - The stunning cross. Make sure you read about the history! The cross has been here since the 1700s! - Parks Near Me - Ventura, California

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Absolutely amazing! If you're in Ventura, this is a must visit. The views are so incredible. It such a tranquil space, filled with humming birds and beauty. We drove all the way up and found a parking spot in the small lot. We also saw some people walk all the way up, if you're looking for an intense workout. There are a couple of benches and we spotted a picnic table if you wanted to hang out for a bit and have lunch with a view. read more

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Breathtaking Views, Peaceful Atmosphere--Just a Short Drive from the Beach Serra Cross Park in Ventura is a truly special spot that captures the natural beauty and history of the area. The short drive from the beach makes it the perfect place to pair with a coastal stroll or sunset visit. Once you arrive, a gentle uphill walk takes you to the iconic cross, with sweeping panoramic views of the Ventura coastline, the pier, the city below, and the Channel Islands on a clear day. What I love most is how peaceful and open the park feels. There are plenty of benches thoughtfully placed throughout the area, offering quiet, romantic spots to sit and take in the view. It's ideal for couples, solo reflection, or even a laid-back photo session--especially around golden hour when the light is magical. There's plenty of parking and easy access, which makes it great for quick visits or spontaneous outings. The grassy areas are perfect for picnics--just keep an eye out for sprinklers, as they come on at certain times and could catch you off guard! One thing to note: the Ventura Raceway is nearby, and on race nights the engine noise can break the otherwise serene vibe. It's not a dealbreaker, but something to be aware of if you're hoping for total quiet. Overall, Serra Cross Park is a peaceful, scenic spot that offers some of the best views in Ventura without requiring a long hike or drive. Whether you're a local or just passing through, it's absolutely worth a stop--and one I'll keep coming back to. read more

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Perched high above the city, the park offers breathtaking panoramic views of Ventura, the coastline, and the Channel Islands on a clear day. Sunset is pure magic up here! The park is small and simple & parking can be a little tight, especially at sunset, so be prepared to park further down and walk up the hill. But honestly, the short hike is worth every step. I'd definitely recommend bringing a light jacket since it can get breezy, even on warm days read more

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The Cross is one of those places I always forget to visit, and every time I go, I remind myself that I need to come more often. I love walking to the cross straight from the trail end of the Ventura Botanical Gardens--it makes for a beautiful exercise walk, surrounded by nature, leading to a breathtaking ocean view at the top. One of my favorite parts of visiting is the hummingbirds. There are usually so many fluttering around, and I love finding a quiet spot to sit and watch them. Sometimes, they rest on a branch, and it feels like we're in silent communication, just observing each other. If you're in need of a refreshing, peaceful escape, I highly recommend taking this route. It's the perfect way to reset and soak in the beauty of Ventura. read more

Serra Cross Park - View of cross - Parks Near Me - Ventura, California

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Very beautiful overlook park w a great view. Came w my granddaughter whilst on a beach trip to Ventura. I hadnt ever been before. Im glad we did. Does not disappoint! read more

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This is a MUST visit in Ventura! My family loves coming here to study or just watch the sunset. Everytime we have family or friends that visit we always take them here. Seeing the cross after the Thomas fire is so powerful and beautiful. The plants along with the birds are breathtaking. It's a beautiful park to just sit and take in all the beauty. It's an easy walk from the botanical gardens too. read more

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Best view of the Ventura coastline year round, you enter this park through Grant Park via two different roads. Most locals know the way. The upper section of the Ventura Botanic Garden is along the way. A higher trail takes you to the top of the hill surrounded by wildflowers in March and April, but the view is easily accessed at the parking area above the cross. Picnic tables, benches. and trash cans are available. Replaced several times, the current historic landmark cross dates from the 1940s surviving recent fires and floods as it overlooks downtown Ventura, the Santa Barbara Channel, with Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands on the horizon on clear days. Pick up Johnny's Mexican food on the Avenue and feast on the view and delicious tacos, enchiladas, and burritos as we do at least once a month. read more

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Serra Cross Park is the traditional place to go for a nice view of Ventura. I've been coming here since I was a little kid. In fact, when I was small, I used to ride with my grandfather (he worked for the city) when he would take jail trustees up to collect trash and do repairs at the Cross and the adjacent Grant's Park. That was before 1969, when non-violent prisoners could be offered a day outside in exchange for their labor... Anyway, Serra Cross is now maintained by a foundation, not the city (separation of church and state). Gates close at sunset now, which rules it out for a lot of it's former appeal but it still has an incredible view down the coast! read more

The drive to the top is steep but offers plenty of parking. Certain areas are wheelchair accessible. Once you reach the summit, you'll be rewarded with stunning views in every direction. On the day we visited, the weather was perfect. read more

Serra Cross Park - Parks Near Me - Ventura, California

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This is the loveliest place to go to contemplate life and all of God's many blessings! The view is magnificent and the grounds are kept is great shape especially considering the amount of traffic that the little spot gets. My nephew and his bride held their wedding and reception here. Wow. What a gorgeous place to get married! All the photos are amazing. They hired chairs, catering, bar, DJ, dance floor, port-a potties and valet parking. It turned out smooth as silk. read more

A very beautiful place just to go and take some time to reflect and thank God for all the beauty he has bestowed upon us. A place to sit and pray and just talk to God. The view from here is amazing. The day was as perfect and beautiful as it could be. All in all a great place just to sit and reflect. read more

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What a view of the Ventura beach and the city. This vantage point also has the best view of the sunset in Ventura. Erected by Mission Buenaventura, one of several Missions planted by Father Junipero Serra in the 1700's, this highly visible cross served as a road sign for travelers in search of the Mission. The cross has been lost to elements many times, but it is always replaced and continues to stand above Ventura. Today, this Cross is still a land mark in Ventura city and the land where the cross sits was dedicated as Serra Cross Park within Grant Park recently. We had passed by this area many times on our way to Santa Barbara but never had a chance to visit here. Today, being the weekend, we finally decide to come to Venture to visit the pier and the Serra Cross Park. After, finished walking on the pier and had lunch, we drove about 10 minutes to reach the Cross Park. What a view!! From the park, we had a panoramic view of the city and the beach. Since this is part of Grant Park, we hiked to take advantages of many great trails at Grant Park. We planned that we would hike first before coming back to the Cross Park to enjoy the sunset in the evening. There are several hiking trails at Grant Park. We chose the one that goes up from the Cross Park. Once we reached the top, we had another magnificent view of the mountains and the beach. That view was just awesome. After the hike, we came down to the Cross Park around 7PM just in time to see the sunset. With the amazing white scale-like clouds, the sunset view from this vantage point was just spectacular with red and orange colors splashed all over the hills surrounding the Cross. We saw many people were just sitting around the benches over the Park, rejoicing and totally emerging in the beauty of the sunset scenery. What a way to end a day! There are many parking spots at the Park and you can park your car along the road as well. read more

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A short drive up some steep slope led us to this summit attraction. The simple, solemn wooden cross was a spiritual, thought-provoking sight. The informative signage provided good background history of this famous landmark, most interestingly the 2010 stonework project. Of course, the breathtakingly gorgeous panoramic view of Ventura old town down below, the distant beaches and ocean stole the show. A group yoga session just finished on the lawn surrounding the cross. read more

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This is the best seat in the house. I've read that it gets even better at sunset. There are sweeping views of the coastline with Channel Islands off in the distance. There's a wooden cross located at the site that is historically significant. It was first placed here in 1782 by Junipero Serra when Mission San Buenaventura was established. The cross has served as a navigation landmark for travelers. Over the years it has had to be replaced a few times. The current cross has been in place since 1941. There is also a 2-mile (round trip) urban hike that you can do with the vista point being the grand finale. The "trail" takes you uphill on both a dirt and cement path. You'll travel through Ventura Botanical Gardens. The trailhead is located at Grant Park behind City Hall. The park can also be rented out for weddings. There's a small parking lot that tends to get full on the weekends. You can combine the trip with a visit to the nearby mission to complete the Serra experience. read more

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Very crowded But beautiful Great view of the ocean Ppl were quiet and peaceful place Great for photos and ppl around to take pictures of you and your party Limited parking read more

Serra Cross Park - Front view - Parks Near Me - Ventura, California

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Magnificent Views from on top of this Mt. a Great Monument looking over Ventura! It's a very simplistic park dedicated to the Franciscan Father Junipero Serra who raised a wooden cross on the mountain overlooking his newly established Mission San Buenaventura! Personally I went looking for something interestingly out of the typical things to see in Ventura! I couldn't have asked for a better place to soak in the beauty of the Pacific Coast! read more

Such a beautiful spot to overlook Ventura. While searching for wedding venues, we were reminded of the multiple dates we had at this location. We wanted a spot that wasn't too costly and that had meaning to us. Since the cross is a staple in Ventura, for us it signifies a piece of home. We decided to have our wedding at this location. The ease of requesting and paying for this location was very easy. The price was reasonable and the funds go towards keeping the land and botanical gardens up and running. We love that in the future we can visit this spot for years to come read more

I feel sorta bad posting yet another five star review as the others kinda nailed it, but it bears repeating... visit this place!! What a special location with an interesting history and amazing views any time of the day. Even when cloudy it's epic. The easy drive up, free parking, and easy walk to the cross make this a experience anyone, young or old, should make. Stay an hour or five minutes, but please make the effort to visit, sit, and reflect. There are plenty of seats and I even spotted a picnic table. There are a couple little walking paths around the park with very nice gardens. There were a few people there taking pictures of all the pretty plants and flowers. I didn't spot a bathroom so think about that before heading up. Enjoy! read more

Serra Cross Park - Parks Near Me - Ventura, California

It's a beautiful quiet spot to enjoy the view. Have a picnic, take some pictures and enjoy the moment. read more

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Quite possibly one of the best views in Ventura County. You have to drive up some pretty windy roads to get here, and there's usually someone leaving or a couple of spots available at the main parking lot toward the top. People are likely going to be sitting around the cross and walking around the park adjacent to it. Plenty of room for some beautiful shots of the coast and incredible photo opportunities! read more

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The best spot for an entire view of Ventura! The parking is limited but very doable. The park itself offers a view point and grassy areas for sitting. There's also trails there perfect for hiking around. I do not know if pets are allowed and I have never seen any. read more

Serra Cross Park - Serra Cross Park - Parks Near Me - Ventura, California

Beautiful park if you enjoy a recreational stroll. Just moved here recently and I think I found my new spot. Great place to take your kids and enjoy the scenery. Very safe and spacious environment. I recommend coming around sunset! read more

Spectacular views and a space and place that has been restored. Blessed to be able to come here to say a quick prayer and enjoy the Cross, spectacular views , and a beautiful garden. Fresh air and birds soaring above your head is just a few perks to visiting the cross . read more

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Amazing views Free parking Worth the drive up Views of the ocean & mountains Walking trails read more