Ventura County, the southernmost county of the Central Coast, is a fascinating amalgam of California attractions. The region is home to beautiful beaches, sun-warmed coastal cities, matchless recreational opportunities on land and water alike, and glorious wildlife viewing. But it also offers a uniquely accessible glimpse into the region’s rich cultural and agricultural history. Ventura County offers attractions that pay off handsomely by giving the visitor a deeply satisfying sense of having discovered the place on one’s own.

The California Oil Museum in Santa Paula, where Union Oil was born, chronicles the fascinating history of the area’s oil industry, so crucial to the development of the region. Mission San Buenaventura was the last mission established by Father Junipero Serra, in 1782. Fillmore, located in the easternmost part of the county, showcases a fully operational antique train, which features vintage equipment, antique 1920s-style Pullmans, and restored dining cars (there are even shops located on the cars). Oxnard, the county’s largest city and home to the annual Strawberry Festival, is vigorously devoted to outdoor recreation, and is home to Channel Islands Harbor, the jumping-off point for aquatic activities including sea kayaking, whale watching
and SCUBA diving.

Yes, anyone who’s done it will tell you that Ventura County is well worth exploring.

For complete visitor information contact the Oxnard Visitors & Convention Bureau at (800) 2-OXNARD or the Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau at (800) 333-2989.