Ventura County - 68 Attractions You Must Visit

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About Ventura County

Historically inhabited by the Chumash people, with their presence dating back 10,000-12,000 years. Known for their rock paintings and for their great basketry, the Chumash were hunter-gatherers, fishermen, and also traders with the Mojave, Yokuts, and Tongva Indians.

Types of Attractions in Ventura County

Activities Around

List of Attractions in Ventura County

America's Teaching Zoo

America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College, is also home to the Exotic Animal Training and Management program. This is the living, breathing classroom for the Exotic Animal Training and Management program. Explore to learn more about starting your animal care career and become a student OR explore to learn more about America's Teaching Zoo as a community resource

Anacapa Island

A small volcanic island composed of a series of narrow islets 6 mi long, oriented generally east–west and 5 mi (8 km) east of Santa Cruz Island. Anacapa is the smallest of the northern islands of the Channel Islands archipelago, and is within the Channel Islands National Park.

Anacapa Island Lighthouse

A majestic lighthouse in California, United States, on the entrance to Santa Barbara Channel. Constructed in 1912, it was the last major light station built on the west coast. Now fully automated and unmanned, the light house still operates, but the National Park Service (NPS) is responsible for Channel Islands National Park.

Arroyo Verde Park

Arroyo Verde Park

Outdoors- Other

Arroyo Verde Park is a beautiful and important natural preserve and recreational resource. The park consists of 132 acres of relatively rugged land - featuring 14 acres of tree lined open grass areas, individual picnic/barbecue sites, three group barbecue areas, a nature center, several miles of hiking trails, restrooms and two children's play areas.

Backbone Trail

Backbone Trail

Outdoors- Other

1 Day Treks

The Backbone Trail is a long-distance trail extending 67.79 miles across the length of the Santa Monica Mountains in the U.S. state of California. Its western terminus is Point Mugu State Park, and its eastern terminus is Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades. The trail is open to hikers throughout its length. Dogs, mountain bicyclists and horseback riders are only allowed on portions of the trail as posted.

Big Sycamore Canyon

Big Sycamore Canyon

Outdoors- Other

Sycamore Canyon is situated in the northernmost region of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area below the 3,000 feet peaks of the Boney Mountain State Wilderness Area. The canyon in the park is one of the riparian woodlands along the California coast. It contains a number of California sycamore trees. Big Sycamore Canyon Trail is a popular trail. The sycamore-lined canyon is close to numerous trailheads, including the Backbone Trail.

Boney Peak

Boney Peak

1 Day Treks

Mountain Peaks

A majestic peak of the sandstone Boney Mountain formation, in Circle X Ranch Park of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. you can have views of the Pacific Ocean, Channel Islands, and Mount Baldy. Plus Camarillo, Oxnard and Ventura city, Newbury park and some parts of Simi Valley.

California Oil Museum

The California Oil Museum highlights the history and inner workings of the state's "black gold" industry through hands-on, interactive exhibits, videos, models, photographs, and memorabilia. A separate building holds a working 1900s oil rig.

Camarillo Ranch

Camarillo Ranch

Iconic Buildings

This is a Queen Anne-style Victorian house in Camarillo, California. Built in 1892, the 6,000-square-foot house was designed by architects Herman Anlauf and Franklin Ward. Adolfo Camarillo operated the ranch for 78 years, changing the operations from mostly cattle to crops. It is a historical and recreational hotspot for city events, fundraisers, weddings, and educational tours.

Channel Islands Harbor

Channel Islands Harbor

Man-made Structures- Other

Channel Islands Harbor is a small craft harbor and shore-protection project in Oxnard, California at the southern end of the Santa Barbara Channel. It is the fifth largest harbor for small-craft recreation in the state of California[4] and is a waterfront resort, recreation, and dining marketplace. Recreational activities include diving, boat charters, sea kayaking, sportfishing, and whale watching.

Chumash Indian Museum

A historical site and living history center dedicated to restoring and preserving an awareness of the Chumash people and their historical, cultural, material and present-day influence, as well as the natural environment and historical significance of this site.

Chumash Wilderness

Chumash Wilderness

Outdoors- Other

2-5 Day Treks

Forests

A 38,150 acres of Wilderness is situated in the Mt. Pinos Ranger District and is also near the town of Frazier Park. It includes Mt. Pinos which was an integral part of Chumash life and is still extremely important to the local Chumash residents. The vegetation is mainly pine forests in the northern portion and a combination of badlands and chaparral in the south. Hiking and camping are among the many recreational opportunities. Snow in the winter provides opportunities for winter recreation.

Conejo Valley

Conejo Valley

Outdoors- Other

The Conejo Valley is a region spanning both southeastern Ventura County and northwestern Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States. Conejo Valley's two largest tourist attractions are the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Conejo Valley Botanic Garden

The Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is 33-acres of natural terrain encircled by the city of Thousand Oaks. From the the sweeping vistas at the peak of the Garden through fifteen unique, hillside specialty gardens, and onto the hiking trail along the riparian steam. It consists of a vast variety of endemic plants, water-conserving plants, oak trees, and indigenous wildlife.

Corriganville Park

This park was once the Corriganville Movie Ranch and was the filming site for over 3,500 movies, TV programs and commercials. Today, this park is home to 4 different trails that wind around the 246 acre property owned by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District.

County Line Beach, Malibu

County Line Beach is beach park located in Solromar, an unincorporated community of Ventura County. This stretch of sandy beach is easily accessible from the adjacent Pacific Coast Highway. This popular surf spot is administered as part of Leo Carrillo State Park. The beach lies within the south coast portion of the Ventura County amidst a mostly rugged coastline that is some of the most striking and diverse coastal terrain in the County.

East Anacapa Island

This is a small volcanic island located about 11 miles off the coast of Port Hueneme, California. It is the smallest of the northern islands of the Channel Islands archipelago, and is within the Channel Islands National Park.

Emma Wood State Beach

Emma Wood State Beach is a beautiful beach located on the Santa Barbara Channel on the west side of the Ventura River estuary and south of the railroad tracks of the Coast Line. Its campground has 90 beach-front primitive campsites and all have beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands. At the eastern edge of the beach, the Ventura River estuary attracts a variety of wildlife, including great blue herons. A total of 300 plant species and 233 species of birds.

Fillmore & Western Railway Co.

Fillmore & Western Railway Co.

Man-made Structures- Other

The Fillmore and Western Railway is a railroad owned by the Fillmore and Western Railway Company. The company operated on track owned by the Ventura County Transportation Commission. Visitors to Fillmore would see filming activity as well as sets and support equipment at the company's rail yard and along the tracks between Santa Paula and Piru. They stopped operating on the line in 2021.

Frazier Mountain

Frazier Mountain

1 Day Treks

Mountain Peaks

Frazier Mountain is a broad, pine-forested peak in the Transverse Ranges System, within the Los Padres National Forest in northeastern Ventura County. The summit of the mountain is a Forest Service lookout area with radio tower facilities as well as an abandoned fire lookout tower. The highest point is accessible by a forest road that is open when there is no snow present on the mountain.

Map of attractions in Ventura County

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For more information about Ventura County, visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ventura_County,_California