Best Things to do in Ventura, CA

 I don't know about you, but Ventura LOVES to celebrate the holidays, so we have a lot more things to do around Christmas time!  For the arts and crafts type of person, there is a really fun Christmas wreath making workshop every year. This happens downtown on Main Street at the Doora Collective showroom. Admission for this is $95. It includes amazing wreath making, holiday cocktails, and appetizers.  It is instructed by Dulce Floral Design, and is a hands-on workshop. They teach basic techniques of designing with live plants. They also teach you how to embellish with textural things, such as berries, pine cones, and twigs. Not only is it a great craft for the holidays, but you also can learn a lot about art and creating centerpieces and such! There is also the annual Snow n Glow event. This happens on the Ventura County Fairgrounds. This event has faux snow,  snow tubing, private igloo parties, glowing lights, and hot chocolate. There is also a walk you can take t...

Since it is the holiday season, I thought it'd be the perfect time to show how Ventura gets into the holiday spirit! To show the true beachy spirit of Ventura, I have to include the annual Santa Paddle . This happens every year at the beginning of December. It is free for all ages and also free of cost. Everyone will get their best holiday costumes on, whether it be Santa, his elves, or just their best red and green vibes. Then people will take out their paddle boards, kayaks, pedal boats, etc. and paddle from the Ventura Harbor Channel Islands National Park. There is also a stop at the Harbor Cove Cafe where there are ukelele carolers. This year, it will take place on Saturday, December 9th from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. This tradition is always very fun to participate in or to just even watch to see what people show up in. People accessorize their boards, and even bring their dogs in costumes!  from:  https://www.venturaharborvillage.com/event/santa-paddle-2023/ There is also a ...

There are a number of guided tours in Ventura that are really fun and interesting! You can find a tour for anything and everything in Ventura, from the traditional guided tour, to a virtual smartphone tour. If you are looking for something to do with the whole family, there is a guided tour and scavenger hunt around downtown Ventura. It is about a two-mile stretch and takes place on Ventura's Main Street. Tickets for this tour are around $25 per person , and you will be in groups of 2 to 6 players. The hunt can be found on your phone, and has 22 places to find and learn about!  If you are looking for something to do without kids, Visit Ventura has published an informal Beer Trail Tour. While this isn't formally a guided tour, they have come up with a list of the best local breweries for the ultimate "beachy bar crawl". Ventura has become home to many craft beer breweries, most of which have amazing views of the beach! Most of these breweries are only a 10-minute walk...

As far as nightlife goes in Ventura, there's a lot of things to do with and without kids. If you're looking for something to do without children, you have many options. The first that I would recommend would be downtown places. The place that seems to attract the most people is Limón y Sal . This is a restaurant and bar, but it is most vibrant during weekend nights. It has a plethora of specialty drinks, a live mariachi band, and authentic Mexican food. It has indoor and outdoor seating, and high quality craft cocktails that give them a booming reputation in Ventura. https://www.tiktok.com/@oddzzzdry/video/7199785248173985066?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7297454129701897774   Another great option for amazing drinks downtown is the Ventiki Lounge & Lanai . This lounge is the ultimate tropical destination in Ventura. When you enter there are tikis, island music, custom art, and much more to make your experience as tropical as possible. They call their kit...

Ventura has a wide variety of restaurants that are top notch, but here are some of my favorites: 1) Finney's Crafthouse Finney's is a family-owned scratch house and craft bar built in one. It is located on Main Street in Ventura. It is two stories, so while you're waiting for a table, you can either wait at the bar, or go upstairs where they have seating and arcade games. Their bar offers 30 draft brews, a lot of them being from local breweries. You can take a look at their menu , but my absolute favorites are the crispy brussels sprouts, the black truffle burger, and the Finney burger.  From: https://visitventuraca.com/blog/iconic-ventura-landmarks-then-and-now/ 2) Spencer Makenzie's  Spencer Makenzie's is a family owned seafood restaurant. This is a really cool place with really cool owners, and it's a favorite among the locals. They have indoor and outdoor seating, and it is pretty close to the beach. They are known for their amazing fish tacos, being voted ...

If you're planning a trip to Ventura, there is no doubt you're going to the beach. Ventura, as I said in the introduction, is a hot spot for surfers. You will rarely find a local that has never been surfing. According to Surfer Today , some top spots in Ventura for surfing are Rincon, Mondo's, and Emma Wood. If this interests you, read more in the link that I provided. If surfing interests you but you don't know how, don't worry, there is a plethora of different surfing camps for all ages. The best experience I've had was with Ohana Surf Camp .  Rincon Beach If surfing isn't your jam, there's a ton of other things you can do on the water. If you go to Channel Islands Harbor, there are many places where you can rent out a tiny electric boat to drive around the harbor. My family always goes to Hopper Boat Rentals . Here, you can rent out a number of things, including electric boats, kayaks, pedal boats, paddle boards, and hydrobikes. Electric boats hold 1 ...