Venture an hour north of Los Angeles, along the fabled Ventura Highway, and you’ll end up in Ventura, Calif. – a cool stop with plenty of shopping and nightlife options downtown. Ventura also has some of the best surfing in Southern California.
Here are a few things to add to your Ventura itinerary (courtesy of the Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau):
- Take in the tall ships, specifically Hawaiian Chieftain and Lady Washington as they sit in Ventura Harbor Jan. 29. They’ll be around through Feb. 11. The ships set out from the harbor for Battle Sails on Feb. 1 and 3, and again Feb. 9 and 10. This is a spectacular event. To watch it unfold, head to Harbor Cove Beach, Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center or Ventura Harbor Village.
- See the magnificent migration of Pacific Gray Whales from the Bering Sea down along the California coast to secluded Mexican lagoons. That’s where they’ll bear their young before journeying north. An outfit called Island Packers will take you out to sea for day-long or half-day cruises to watch the extraordinary creatures as they pass through. Cruises depart from Ventura harbor.
- Stay ashore for a while and revel in Carnavale Ventura’s Italian Renaissance Faire. It’s set for Feb. 9 and 10 at Mission Park downtown. Artisans, acrobats and people staging reenactments will be there.
(Image: Ken Lund)
