A Day in Ventura, CA
Today's blog entry is focused on adopted hometown of Los Angeles, with a visit to the City of Ventura, a beachside community 70 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.
My journey on a recent summer morning began at the Glendale Amtrak station with a late-morning departure.
Glendale is an inner suburb of Los Angeles, with a bustling business district and charming homes, with a population of 196,000. It is the 4th largest city in Los Angeles County, and is located 7 miles north of downtown Los Angeles.
Built in 1923, the Metrolink/Amtrak station is an example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style station built by the Southern Pacific Railroad during the early 1920's. The station is busy, handling about 30 Metrolink arrivals and departures each day, as well as 5 daily Amtrak train stops in each direction.
The waiting room is open to the waiting passengers, though there is no ticket agent. Metrolink and Amtrak tickets can be purchased from a machine near the platform, and of course online. There is also a shaded waiting area adjacent to the waiting room and restrooms. I have always found the station to be clean and safe.
I boarded the train around 11:30 am. The Pacific Surfliner train traveled northwest through suburban San Fernando and Conejo valleys, arriving at the Amtrak Ventura Station 90 minutes later.
I wish I could say more about the Ventura Station, but it is only a bare concrete platform,
1 block from the Pacific Ocean. There was once a station building about half a mile to the east that was torn down in 1970, probably to make room for I-5. How sad. However, it is a busy platform with a total of 12 daily round trips, 10 Amtrak and 2 Metrolink.
The platform is almost adjacent to the city promenade and pier along it's beach front, and directly next to the summertime location of the Ventura County Fair.
I left the platform and walked south, crossing a large parking lot to reach the beachside promenade, passing by the Players Casino. I crossed Shoreline Drive and strolled along the promenade that runs parallel to East Harbor Blvd. The view was quite picturesque, as the path follows the ocean. I continued walking to the Crowne Plaza Hotel, covering a distance of half a mile. Afterward, I went north, uphill, on South California Street to Main Street, which runs parallel to the beachside promenade and is about four blocks north of it.
There are many choices for food and drink along Main Street.
I dined at Finney's Craft House, located at 494 East Main Street, within a century-old bank building featuring high ceilings and a mezzanine that overlooks the dining area.
The delicious burger and fries, refreshing beer, and welcoming staff made the lunch experience enjoyable.
Palm and Boy Coffee and Acai.
This shady cafe, set back from the street, is a great place to rest and people watch from the El Jardin Courtyard, located at 451 E Main Street #8, open daily from 7:30 to 4:00 pm. Menu items range from the usual assortment of coffee to acai bowls and Avocado Toast.
Sites
There are a few historic sites on and off of Main Street.
City Hall
Overlooking the city is San Buenaventura City Hall[add details] built in 1913, former county house is a very graceful-looking building with a dome and Greek columns.
The interior is open to the public. See the website for city hall hours
Mission Basilica San Buenaventura is a
Catholic parish and basilica. The church was founded in 1782 by Father Junipero Serra as the 9th Spanish mission in the province of Alta California. There is a tranquil garden and a small, informative museum adjacent to the church.https://www.sanbuenaventuramission.org/Museum
The Museum of Ventura County is open Wed to Sunday, 11 to 5 {add web link] 100 East Main Street. Exhibits on the history of Ventura County starting with the local Native American Chumash tribe.
Present offerings for Summer 2026 include photo exhibits on President Lincoln and on Indigenous Mexican communities in Ventura County. Admission is free during August.
So, If you are looking for a low-key day in Ventura, this could be your literal ticket! Spend a few hours enjoying the ocean breeze, getting in a few steps, seeing a few historic sites, and drinking a
beverage of your choice.
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