Is there a special place in your heart for the great outdoors?
Do you love the feel of sunshine on your skin and the wind in your hair?
Ventura County Coast (VCC) has the perfect road trip for you. In five days, you’ll see everything our spectacular region has to offer from the land, air and sea. Grab some sunscreen, a bathing suit, and a good pair of hiking boots. VCC is calling!
Ventura County Coast is accessible from both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Coming from the north? Flip the itinerary!
Start: Ventura
End: Camarillo
5 Days, 50 Miles
Don’t forget to tag your photos with #VCCVIBES and #VCCOUTDOORS
Day 1: Ventura
Stop 1
San Buenaventura State Beach
901 San Pedro St., Ventura, CA 93001
San Buenaventura State Beach is an outdoor lover’s dream. Not only does it have a gorgeous beach, like its name suggests, it also has a picturesque pier, picnic area, and small lagoon overflowing with wildlife. Spend the morning swimming, surfing, or kayaking and then have a picnic lunch before playing some beach volleyball or cornhole. Want a little wind in your hair? Jump on a beach cruiser? Wheel Fun Rentals is there on the weekends and holidays renting bikes!
Stop 2
Beach Fish House and MadeWest Brewing Company Taproom
Ventura Pier, 668 Harbor Blvd., Ventura, CA 93001
You can’t go to Ventura without seeing the historic Ventura Pier and Beach. Enjoy the sunset reflecting on the waves while sipping award-winning craft beer at MadeWest Brewing Co. Taproom on the pier. A local (and not-so-local) favorite is the Standard Blonde Ale, which won gold at the Great American Beer Festival in 2018. It pairs well with any of the seafood dishes from the taproom’s next-door neighbor, Beach Fish House, which serves food in both locations.
Day 2: Oxnard
Stop 1
Silver Strand Beach
2517 Ocean Drive, Oxnard, CA 93035
Experience a California beach like it used to be decades ago. Oxnard’s pristine, uncrowded Silverstrand Beach offers a long list of sunshine-soaked activities, including world-renowned surfing, paddle boarding, kayaking, or peddling a four-wheel surrey along the coast. The year-round good weather promises you’ll have a beautiful, relaxing day on the sand. Looking for extra thrills? Take to the sky with Oxnard’s Channel Islands Parasail!
Stop 2
Squidly’s Coffee, Sandwiches & Acai Bowls
2929 Ocean Drive, Oxnard, CA 93035
Take your board or kayak across the harbor to this local gem of a restaurant, which serves flavorful sandwiches and acai bowls made with the freshest ingredients. And don’t forget Squidly’s famous coffee, served hot or cold for whatever suits your mood!
Day 3: Port Hueneme
Stop 1
Port Hueneme Beach Park and Pier
East Surfside Drive, Port Hueneme, CA 93041
Continue your epic Ventura County Coast adventure with a barbecue at Port Hueneme Beach Park. The local scenery simply can’t be beat as you’re sunning strolling along the beach or boardwalk. If you’re looking for a little more excitement, try casting a line at the Port Hueneme Pier. Fishing is considered one of the area’s most popular year-round activities. Those who have had their fill of the beach can take advantage of Port Hueneme’s 12 miles of walking and biking trails or head over to Moranda Park for a game of tennis, pickleball, basketball or softball.
Stop 2
Surfside Seafood
550 East Surfside Drive, Port Hueneme
End your day with a generous serving of that beloved seaside classic, fish and chips, at Surfside Seafood located right on Port Hueneme Beach. Their menu also includes a long list of other locally caught fish and seafood, so the world is your oyster!
Day 4: Channel Islands
Stop 1
Island Packers
Channel Islands Harbor, 3550 Harbor Blvd., Oxnard, CA 93035
Ventura Harbor, 1691 Spinnaker Dr #105B, Ventura, CA 93001
If you’re looking for an out-of-this-world adventure, hitch a boat ride with Island Packers from either Channel Islands Harbor or Ventura Harbor to Channel Islands National Park. Known as the Galapagos of North America, the Channel Islands have some of the world’s most breathtaking sea caves, which can be explored on a kayak. You can also get a gorgeous, underwater view of the local sealife by snorkeling! If you’re more interested in the islands themselves, take in the rugged landscape and thriving wildlife on a hike unlike any other. Guests on the islands are allowed to bring food, so more sure to pack a picnic lunch before you go!
Day 5: Camarillo
Stop 1
Skyrider Ultralights
865 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010
You’ve experienced Ventura County Coast by sea—now it’s time to get a bird’s-eye view! Take a flight you’ll never forget with Skyrider Ultralights, Southern California’s finest ultralight and light sport aircraft flight training center. One of the center’s certified pilots will take you soaring, “low and slow” over the Camarillo mountains or the Pacific Ocean for thrilling views of the local landscape.
Stop 2
Waypoint Cafe
325 Durley Ave., Camarillo, CA 93010
After coming back to Earth, fill up on a delicious, all-American breakfast or lunch (or breakfast for lunch) at the Waypoint Cafe located at the Camarillo Airport. Watch planes land and takeoff while enjoying a buttery Belgian waffle or breakfast burrito with homemade enchilada sauce. Now that’s a meal with built-in entertainment!
Plan Your Trip
Learn more about Ventura County Coast.
Stay the night in Ventura County Coast.
Image provided by Ventura County Coast.
Download or Request a Central Coast Visitors Map here.
Discover all of California’s Central Coast here.
Feb 2021
