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VENTURA
Tucked
away on the south Central Coast is an emerging destination
that has managed to embrace revitalization while maintaining
an authentic connection to California’s coastal past. Indeed,
the city of Ventura (officially named San Buenaventura,
or the City of Good Fortune) today offers a wealth of downtown
attractions, recreational adventures, and historic sights.
Ventura’s
city center charmingly combines vintage architecture with
much that is new—great contemporary dining, wine bars, art
galleries, and antique shops—to create an updated version
of the classic California beach town. True to that heritage,
the city remains relaxed and decidedly eclectic.
A
visit to Ventura can feel like a step back in time. In fact,
city-sponsored history walks, led by a local historian,
highlight Ventura’s colorful and exciting past—including
the ghosts who allegedly still haunt certain city buildings.
And
if some of the classic sights in Ventura feel familiar to
the first-time visitor, there is a reason. Many of the city’s
buildings, locations, and characters were used in the Perry
Mason novels, which Erle Stanley Gardner began writing while
he lived and worked in Ventura as a lawyer before earning
literary fame as a mystery novelist. Some of these same
locations were later copied for use in the Perry Mason radio
show and television series, which starred Raymond Burr.
One
historic fixture is the 121-year-old wooden San Buenaventura
Pier,where, in the 1880s, the world’s first oil tanker burned
and sank. The pier was restored in 1993, and locals and
visitors alike now enjoy strolling along its planks, eating
seafood at Eric Ericsson’s, and taking in the gorgeous views
of the city and the Pacific Ocean from the pier’s end.
The
city’s rich past is also evident in our historic inns, which
are now complemented by many new and refurbished accommodation
options ranging from intimate bed & breakfasts to luxurious
resorts, full-service hotels to beachfront inns.
Just
14 miles offshore, the eco-system of Channel Islands National
Park makes whale watching out of Ventura Harbor a uniquely
accessible experience. It’s not uncommon for whale watching
boats to find themselves surrounded by hundreds of dolphins
of the common, bottlenose, and risso varieties as well as
whales, seals, sea birds, and even orcas. The five Channel
Islands off Ventura are home to a number of plants and animals
found nowhere else on earth; sea caves perfect for kayaking
and diving; and pristine beaches that hint at what California’s
native ecology was once like. Gray whale watching season
officially begins December 26 and continues through the
end of March, as the Pacific Gray Whale makes its six-thousand-mile
trek from Alaska to the warm waters of Mexico. Visitors
to Ventura may see these majestic creatures for themselves
thanks to Island Packers, a local boating concessionaire
that offers both full- and half-day excursions and even
dinner cruises through the waters of Channel Islands National
Park.
Ventura
Harbor is also home to a waterside promenade offering spectacular
views; opportunities for sport fishing, diving lessons,
sailing, harbor cruises, and rental paddleboats, kayaks,
and bicycles; and more than 35 shops and restaurants. A
short drive or bike ride away from downtown, Ventura Harbor
is a lively center of activity with weekly concerts, festivals,
and children’s activities such as an arcade and pony rides.
Expect
to see festive yellow umbrellas along Ventura’s beaches
in summer—they’re a famous city landmark inspired by the
look of the beaches of Italy.
Ventura
is also home to an impressive 13-mile coastal biking and
walking trail that offers truly breathtaking views. And
the Ventura River Bike Trail links the ocean to Ojai as
it follows the old rail system along the Ventura River,
winding inland to Foster Park. Other cycling and strolling
options include a paved path through serene coastal orchards.
Hallowed
ground is Surfer’s Point—a legendary surf spot for boarding
buffs up and down the state. Beloved throughout the local
surfing scene, the Point is also used for a variety of regional
surfing contests.
In
addition to the extensive biking trails, expansive beaches,
wonderful surf, and just general outdoor orientation, arguably
the most important factor in Ventura’s reputation as a superb
outdoor recreation destination is the city’s excellent year-round
weather.
Looking
for wildlife? With all the expeditions, expert speakers,
field trips, and other birding adventures in Ventura, it’s
tough to keep up with all the avian activity. This scenic
California beach town lies along what is known as the Pacific
Flyway and the Central Coast Birding Trail. From birds at
Channel Islands National Park to nearby wetlands and the
birds of Ventura’s ocean environs, the area is rich in natural
settings for both resident and migratory creatures.
Ventura’s
increasingly dynamic arts and culture scene is showcased
by tri-annual ArtWalks, colorful extravaganzas that span
the city’s entire Cultural District—ten city blocks of historic
downtown Ventura. Attendees, who typically number up to
10,000, take self-guided walking tours that include works
from more than 150 artists exhibited throughout 75 merchant,
studio, and gallery locations.
The
Ventura Music Festival is also a popular event for both
artists and patrons. Ventura continues to draw talent of
national and international stature to the festival’s intimate,
historic venues. The festival typically runs 10 days and
includes 14 concerts featuring talent such as violinist-composer
Mark O’Connor, whom the New York Times credits for “one
of the most spectacular journeys in recent American music,”
and the Colorado String Quartet, which is recognized on
four continents as one of the finest string quartets in
the world.
Ventura’s
Rubicon Theatre Company continues to attract prominent talent
from both Hollywood and Broadway. Using the Laurel Theatre
as its home base, the Rubicon players and patrons enjoy
the intimate setting of this 180-seat historic 1920s former
church. Close enough to Los Angeles to draw gifted artists,
yet distant enough to offer visitors refreshing, small-town
charm, the Rubicon has attracted artists such as Jack Lemmon,
Joe Spano, Stephanie Zimbalist, and many more. A growing
fan base of regulars is also discovering the renaissance
of Ventura’s cultural district. Theatergoers before and
after shows enjoy the city’s revitalized streets and expanding
selection of gourmet bistros, coffee houses, wine bars,
and boutiques.
Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau
800-333-2989 • 805-648-2075
www.ventura-usa.com
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