VENTURA VISITORS & CONVENTION BUREAU. THE REAL CALIFORNIA.

What To Do

Fun For All Fun For All If you are looking for a child-friendly, stress-free destination for a family holiday, Ventura offers many opportunities for recreation and entertainment that appeal to all ages.

 

Ventura Family Fun

At Ventura Harbor, kids can take a spin on the delightful carousel or a cruise around the harbor. Families can also rent kayaks or paddle boats to explore the nooks and crannies of the harbor, nearby keys and shore on their own. Mom, dad, grandparents, and kids alike will enjoy the Channel Islands Visitors Center, which presents films and fascinating exhibits. We highly recommend a trip to the Channel Islands to experience dolphins, whales, and all the wonders of these magnificent islands firsthand. 

Make a selection from the dropdown to learn more about what Ventura has to offer in the way of family fun.

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Amtrak
Have fun on the train and arrive refreshed and ready to enjoy your visit! Traveling along California's coastline aboard Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner is the relaxing and stress-free way to go.

Platform located at Harbor Blvd. and Figueroa Street
Ventura, CA 93001
800-USA-RAIL

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Amtrak
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Channel Islands National Park Visitors Center
Learn about the spectacular islands which lie just off of Ventura's coast. Features include a tide pool, museum, lectures and helpful park volunteers!

1901 Spinnaker Dr.
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 658-5702

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Channel Islands National Park Visitors Center
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Island Packers
Island Packers Cruises operates year round to the Channel Islands National Park. Half day and all day nature tours, camping, kayaking and hiking on Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel Island.

1691 Spinnaker Dr.
Ventura, CA 93001
805-642-1393

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Island Packers
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Ventura Harbor Village
Restaurants - Specialty Shops - Special Events - Year-Round Harbor & Seaside Fun Ventura Harbor Village is 33 acres of authentic Southern California exactly how you've imagined it. Enjoy Waterfront Views...

1583 Spinnaker Drive, suite 215
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 477-0470

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Ventura Harbor Village
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Arroyo Verde Park
Arroyo Verde Park
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Arroyo Verde Park
Foothill and Day Roads
Ventura, CA 93003
http://www.cityofventura.net/files/public_works/parks/resources/Arroyo_Verde_Trail_Map.pdf

Is a beautiful and important natural preserve and recreational resource. The park consists of 132 acres of relatively rugged land - featuring 14 acres...

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Camino Real Park
Camino Real Park
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Camino Real Park
Dean Drive
Ventura, CA 93003

38-acre complex including eight tennis courts (lighted), two softball fields (lighted), a regulation softball/baseball diamond (lighted), two youth ba...

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Channel Islands National Park (14 miles off coast)
Channel Islands National Park (14 miles off coast)
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Channel Islands National Park (14 miles off coast)
Visitor Center: 1901 Spinnaker Dr. (Ventura Harbor)
Ventura, CA 93001
Phone: 805-658-5730
http://www.nps.gov/chis

One of Ventura's most wondrous attractions, often refered to as the American Galapagos is accessible for multi-day camping trips. (14 miles off coast)...

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Ciscos Sportfishing
Ciscos Sportfishing
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Ciscos Sportfishing
4151 S. Victoria Ave.
Oxnard, CA 93035
Phone: 805-985-8511
http://www.ciscos.com

Ocean fishing. Whale cruises out of the Channel Islands Harbor....

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City of Ventura, Leo Robbins Community Sailing Center
City of Ventura, Leo Robbins Community Sailing Center
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City of Ventura, Leo Robbins Community Sailing Center
Located at Marina Park
2950 Pierpont Blvd.
Ventura, CA 93001
Phone: 805-643-3612
http://www.ci.ventura.ca.us/depts/comm_serv/sailing_kayak/

The Leo Robbins Sailing Center is a U.S. Sailing National award winning facility and has been a community sailing facility for over 35 years. The Sail...

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Cory Kruseman's Sprint Car Midget Driving School
Cory Kruseman's Sprint Car Midget Driving School
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Cory Kruseman's Sprint Car Midget Driving School
10 W. Harbor Blvd.
Ventura, CA 93001
Phone: (805) 649-1243
www.kruseman.com

Our Goal at Cory Kruseman's Sprint Car and Midget Driving School is to give the Fan or Race Car Driver some safe seat time and instruction in a Sprint...

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Emma Wood S.B. Group Camp South
Emma Wood S.B. Group Camp South
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Emma Wood S.B. Group Camp South
West end of Main St., Ventura
Ventura, CA 93001
Phone: 800-444-7275

Reservations required. 120 sites for tents or self-contained RV sites -10 or more people per group- (non-groups accepted upon availability). Maximum ...

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etc. ~ Emily Thompson Creative
etc. ~ Emily Thompson Creative
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etc. ~ Emily Thompson Creative

Ventura, CA
Phone: 805-258-2467
e-mail
www.emilythompsoncreative.com

Art classes....

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Explorer Ocean Adventures
Explorer Ocean Adventures
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Explorer Ocean Adventures
1583 Spinnaker Dr.
Ventura, CA 93001
Phone: 805-646-0836
e-mail
http://www.explorerdiveboat.com

Charter year-round, & seasonal twilight fishing...

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Fillmore & Western Railway Co.
Fillmore & Western Railway Co.
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Fillmore & Western Railway Co.
351 Santa Clara Ave.
Fillmore, CA 93016
Phone: (805) 524-0330
Fax: (805) 524-1838
e-mail
www.fwry.com

Antique train offering scenic rides between Fillmore and Santa Paula. More than 200 feature films, television commercials and music videos have celebr...

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Golf N' Stuff
Golf N' Stuff
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Golf N' Stuff
5555 Walker St.
Ventura, CA 93003
Phone: (805) 644-7148
Alt. Phone: (805) 644-7131
Fax: (805) 644-7151
e-mail
http://www.golfnstuff.com

Miniature golf and arcade games for kids. With two fun and entertaining 18-hole courses to choose from, Golf N’ Stuff in Ventura prides itself in pre...

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Gull Wings Children's Museum
Gull Wings Children's Museum
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Gull Wings Children's Museum
418 West Fourth St.
Oxnard, CA 93030
Phone: 805-483-3005
http://www.gullwingsmuseum4kids.org

Interactive hands-on museum for children ages 2 to 12 featuring exhibits and art activities, model trains, rock and mineral displays, optical illusion...

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Jim Hall Racing
Jim Hall Racing
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Jim Hall Racing
1555-G Morse Ave.
Ventura, CA 93003
Phone: 654-1329
Fax: 654-0227
e-mail
www.jhrkartracing.com

High-performance Race Driving Learn the skills and feel the thrills of competitive race car driving in 80-mph racing karts, the training ground of th...

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Jim Hall Track Time
Jim Hall Track Time
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Jim Hall Track Time
2600 Challenger Place
Oxnard, CA 93040
Phone: (805) 654-1329
Alt. Phone: (805) 988-4520
e-mail
www.jhrkartracing.com

Southern California's Coolest Track! Open to the public. Come Race your family and friends! The new Jim Hall Track Time gives you real kart-racing-f...

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Lake Casitas Recreation Area
Lake Casitas Recreation Area
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Lake Casitas Recreation Area
11311 Santa Ana Road
Ventura, CA 93001
Phone: 805-649-2233
http://www.lakecasitas.info/

Beautiful Lake Casitas offers activities for the entire family - camping, boating, fishing, Family Water Park & picknicking with special events featur...

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Los Padres National Forest
Los Padres National Forest
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Los Padres National Forest
The entrance to the forest is 30 minutes North of Ventura
Ojai, CA 93023
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres/

Offers a vast network of more challenging trails for experienced hikers. Los Padres National Forest encompasses approximately 1.75 million acres of c...

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Los Padres Ranger Station
Los Padres Ranger Station
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Los Padres Ranger Station
1190 E. Ojai Ave.
Ojai, CA 93023
Phone: 805-646-4348
http://www.r5.fs.fed.us/lospadres

Stop in for free trail maps and info about the Las Padres National forest...

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Maps available at Pacific Ironworks
Maps available at Pacific Ironworks
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Maps available at Pacific Ironworks
235 W. Santa Clara St.
Ventura, CA 93001
Phone: 805-643-6074
http://www.patagonia.com

The world famous Patagonia store....

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Marina Park
Marina Park
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Marina Park
South end Pierpont Blvd.
Ventura, CA 93001

This 15-acre beachfront park at the south end of Pierpont Boulevard is a great place to watch boats cruise out of the harbor, fish off the launching d...

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Mary Osborne's Surf Retreats
Mary Osborne's Surf Retreats
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Mary Osborne's Surf Retreats

,
Phone: (805) 794-1481
e-mail
http://www.mosurfcamp.com

Learn to surf with professional surfer Mary Osborne! Mary and her surfing instructors specialize in youth and women-based classes.  (Don't wor...

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Matt's Cycles
Matt's Cycles
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Matt's Cycles
Corner of Seaward & Harbor, next to Vons
Ventura, CA 93001
Phone: 805-477-0933
http://www.mattscycling.com/

Bike sales and rentals - Welcome to the oldest bike shop in Ventura County! We specialize in family-oriented service in a friendly, no-pressure env...

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Family Fun  

Bring the Family! 

Families can spend lots of quality time together on the mainland, too. See monarch butterflies roosting in the trees at Camino Real Park, or go for a hike in Ojai or in the Los Padres National Forest. You can also relax at nearby Lake Casitas, where you can rent flat-bottom boats, fish, and, in the summer months, frolic in a children's waterplay-ground.

Ventura's beaches are a great place to take the family.  Many areas have playgrounds on the sand.

Local theater companies regularly run theatre camps for kids as well as featuring children's programming.  

Don't miss a trip to Skating Plus or at Golf N'Stuff kids can choose from activities including miniature golf, bumper boats, bumper cars, Lil'Indy race cars, arcades, and more.

Just a  short drive from Ventura, you can take the kids for a ride on the Fillmore & Western Railway in Fillmore and learn about their famous Hollywood trains.