Three days · Ventura from Los Angeles

Ventura from LA, with friends: C Street, a Rincon dawn session and brewery nights

Reviewed Oct 23, 2026How we verify

Three days on the Ventura coast: a first session on the cobblestone point at C Street, oysters and fish for dinner downtown, a dawn paddle-out at Rincon with Carpinteria’s gentle beach next door, and a last morning on the promenade before US-101 home.

Food & wine trips

3 days / 2 nights Best Oct–Mar Friends

Original illustration

Looking out under the wooden Ventura Pier from the promenade toward Santa Rosa Island on the horizon — **Under the Ventura Pier** · the view from the promenade out to the Channel Islands

The trip in 60 seconds

Trip at a glance

Who it’s for: Two to five friends who surf, or want to learn, and like a long breakfast, a fish dinner and a pint after the last session
Route: C Street, the Pier & downtown → Rincon Point & Carpinteria → the Promenade, San Buenaventura State Beach & the drive home
Best timing: October to March. Winter west and northwest swells wake up Rincon and the Ventura points; summer is often small. Bring a thicker wetsuit from November
Pace: Active: two or three sessions a day if the swell is up, with short drives and flat walks in between
Sleep: Two nights downtown or near the beach in Ventura, so the pier, the breweries and dinner are a short walk
Getting there: About 70 miles by car from downtown LA on US-101, about 1¼ hours with no traffic and closer to 2 on a Friday afternoon. Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner also stops in Ventura, but boards make the car easier
Rough budget: Rooms, dinners and board rentals are the main costs. The promenade, the pier and the C Street break are free; state beach lots charge a day-use fee per car
Good to know: Check the surf forecast and Caltrans QuickMap for US-101 before you leave, and the state park pages for closures

Reviewed Oct 23, 2026How we verify

Illustration: route map of the three days, an illustrated bird’s-eye view of the Ventura and Carpinteria coast looking north, with numbered pins at Surfers Point by the Ventura Pier (Day 1), Rincon Point near the county line (Day 2) and the beach along the promenade (Day 3) — The Ventura coast in three days · one base, short drives on US-101

Postcards from the trip

The decorated interior of Mission San Buenaventura, with wooden pews and the altar — **Mission San Buenaventura** · Step inside on a flat or rainy morning.

Small boats moored in rows in Ventura Harbor on a calm day — **Ventura Harbor** · Island Packers boats leave from here for the islands.

Rocks covered in green algae at low tide on Carpinteria State Beach — **Carpinteria’s rocks** · Walk the south end at low tide for tidepools.

The steep green hills and cliffs of Santa Cruz Island above the sea — **Santa Cruz Island** · Book a boat day if the swell goes flat.

The idea

Three days of surf in Ventura with friends: C Street, Rincon and the promenade.

Ventura is a surf town about 70 miles up US-101 from Los Angeles. The Ventura River meets the sea just north of the pier, and the cobblestone point there, Surfers Point at C Street, peels right on almost any west swell. Rincon, the “Queen of the Coast”, sits 20 minutes north at the county line.

Day 1 is the drive up, a first session at C Street and a fish dinner downtown. Day 2 starts in the dark at Rincon, with Carpinteria’s gentler beach next door for anyone still learning. Day 3 is one more paddle-out by the promenade, oysters on the sand and tacos on Main Street, then US-101 south.

Planning more weekends from the city? See Santa Barbara from LA, Ojai from LA or every weekend escape from LA.

Day-by-day summary

People fishing along the rail of the long wooden Ventura Pier over the Pacific on a clear day

Day 1 · Friday · car, then on footC Street and the PierThe drive up, a first session at C Street, the pier and a fish dinner downtown.

Lines of swell wrapping around Rincon Point on the coast at the Ventura and Santa Barbara county line

Day 2 · Saturday · early start, short drivesRincon and CarpinteriaA dawn session at Rincon, Carpinteria’s gentle beach, then a brewery on the pier.

A lifeguard tower on the sand at Emma Wood State Beach with the ocean beyond

Day 3 · Sunday · on foot, home by nightThe PromenadeA last session off the promenade, oysters on the beach and an early dinner before US-101 home.

The route

Three days, one base, one coast highway

C Street and downtown, then Rincon and Carpinteria, then the promenade, with two nights in the same room and no drive longer than about 25 minutes once you arrive.

Illustration: a tray of fresh oysters on crushed ice with lemon halves and two hands reaching in, on a wooden table near the beach with palms and the Ventura Pier behind, illustrated day card for Day 1

01C Street · arrive

Base: Ventura, both nights. Drive about 70 miles from downtown LA on US-101 north, about 1¼ hours without traffic. The promenade, the pier and Surfers Point are free. Pace: active for a group that surfs: one or two sessions and about 2 miles on foot on flat paths, with the break at lunch downtown.

Out of LA, up US-101

Leave by 6:30 a.m. Beat the Valley. US-101 runs north through the Conejo Grade and drops onto the Oxnard plain, and from Ventura’s first exit you can see the ocean and the islands on a clear day. The car goes quiet when the pier comes into view.

Breakfast and boards

Where to eat: Frontside Cafe, a short walk from the surf shops, open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., for coffee and a hot breakfast to share.

No board? Ventura Surf Shop, open in the same town since the 1960s, rents boards and wetsuits; call ahead on a busy weekend to check what is in stock. Ask about the morning’s wind while you are there. Somebody always knows.

First session at C Street

Surfers Point, the cobblestone point at the mouth of the Ventura River just north of the pier, is the heart of Ventura surfing. On a west or northwest swell, rights peel down the point toward the pier. Paddle out. Sit wide. Watch two sets first, then pick a peak away from the main pack and take the inside waves while you learn the rhythm of the place. Expert tip: put booties on before you cross the cobbles, and paddle out in the channel where the waves are not breaking, never through the takeoff.

The bottom is round cobbles, so booties help, and the inside is shallow at low tide. Beginners do better on the softer sand-bottom waves down by the pier and San Buenaventura State Beach. You hear the cobbles roll back with every wave.

Lunch downtown and the pier

Where to eat: Paradise Pantry downtown, open from 11:30 a.m. Wednesday to Saturday, for sandwiches, shared boards and a glass of wine for whoever is not driving.

Then walk the pier, a long wooden pier out over the surf, and watch the lineup from above. The promenade runs south from its foot along the beach. Grab a coffee and sit on the seawall until the islands turn dark against the sunset.

A fish dinner and a pint

Where to eat: Lure Fish House downtown, for oysters, grilled fish and a long table for the group; check its hours and book ahead on its site.

Walk off dinner to Topa Topa Brewing’s Ventura taproom for a pint to close the night. Set the alarm before the second round. Rincon starts in the dark.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Frontside Cafe — coffee and a hot breakfast, open 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Why here: Near the surf shops, breakfast before picking up boards.
Lunch · Paradise Pantry — sandwiches and shared boards, Wednesday to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. Why here: Downtown, a relaxed lunch a short walk from the pier.
Dinner · Lure Fish House Ventura — oysters and grilled fish; book ahead for a group. Why here: Downtown, a seafood dinner for the group after a day in the water.
Quick stop (snack): Topa Topa Brewing Co. — a Ventura taproom for one pint before bed. Why here: A short walk from dinner, and the beer is brewed in town.
Quick stop (other): San Buenaventura State Beach — the sandy beach and promenade south of the pier, open 7 a.m. to sunset. Why here: The softer waves for anyone still learning, right beside the pier.

Watch two full sets before you paddle out. At C Street the takeoff zone shifts with the swell, and ten minutes on the cobbles shows you where the locals sit and where the open peaks are.

Downtown LA → Ventura: about 70 miles, roughly 1¼ hours by car on US-101, longer on a Friday afternoon. Downtown Ventura → Surfers Point: about 10 minutes on foot via the promenade.

Where to stay

A hotel or rental downtown or by the beach in Ventura — two nights downtown or by the beach, so the pier, the breweries and dinner are a short walk.

Dinner: Lure Fish House downtown.

Tomorrow: a dawn session at Rincon, then Carpinteria.

Bad-weather plan

Storm, or flat? Walk the pier and the promenade anyway, browse the surf shops on Main Street, and give the evening to the taprooms. A flat day is a good day to buy wax.

Stay: Ventura base · Anchor: C Street · check the surf forecast

Good to know: Surfers Point is a cobblestone beach with a shallow inside. Booties and a careful exit over the rocks save your feet.

Illustration: one surfer pulling on a wetsuit at the open tailgate of a pickup truck above a cobblestone point at dawn, lines of swell wrapping around Rincon Point, illustrated day card for Day 2

02Rincon · dawn session

Base: no packing; you sleep in Ventura again. Rincon Point is about 20 minutes north on US-101 at the Ventura and Santa Barbara county line; Carpinteria State Beach is about 10 minutes past it and opens sunrise to sunset. Watching from the cobbles is free. Pace: early and hard for intermediate surfers: first light at Rincon, then the break comes at breakfast and on the sand at Carpinteria in the afternoon.

Dawn at Rincon

Leave by first light with boards on the roof. The lot fills fast. Rincon is a long right-hand point built of cobbles, and on a winter west or northwest swell its lines wrap in through the gap between the Channel Islands and Point Conception. In the half-dark you hear it before you see it: a low roll, a pause, the cobbles clattering back. Fins on, wax on, then a cold first duck-dive. Expert tip: sit on the inside shoulder, not at the peak, for your first half hour; you get the waves the pack lets go, and the locals see you waiting your turn.

Rincon is for intermediate surfers and up, and it is always crowded. Wait your turn, never drop in on the surfer closer to the peak, and paddle wide of the takeoff on the way back out.

Breakfast in Ventura

Where to eat: Immigrant Son Caffe on East Main Street, open weekends from 8:30 a.m., for Italian-style breakfast; order the breakfast lasagna to split after the cold water.

Lunch on Main Street

Where to eat: Corazón Cocina on Main Street, open Saturdays from 8 a.m., for aguachiles and tacos on a sunny patio.

Carpinteria State Beach

Drive back up US-101 to Carpinteria State Beach, a long white-sand beach with rock outcrops and tidepools at its south end. Smaller west and northwest swells reach it as gentle peaks, so it suits the learners in the group and tired arms. Lie on the sand between sessions. Watch the late light on the water and you will want one more wave.

Dogs are allowed in the day-use area but not on the beach, and the lot charges a day-use fee per car.

Dinner downtown, a taproom on the pier

Where to eat: Paradise Pantry, back downtown, open until 8 p.m. on Saturday, for shared plates and boards.

Finish at MadeWest Brewing’s taproom on the Ventura Pier for one more pint over the water. The swell report for tomorrow is the only topic.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Immigrant Son Caffe — Italian-style breakfast, weekends from 8:30 a.m.; the breakfast lasagna. Why here: On East Main, a big breakfast after a dawn session.
Lunch · Corazón Cocina Ventura — aguachiles and tacos, Saturday from 8 a.m. Why here: On Main Street, a patio lunch with friends between sessions.
Dinner · Paradise Pantry — shared boards and plates, Saturday until 8 p.m. Why here: Downtown, a relaxed dinner a short walk from the room.
Quick stop (snack): MadeWest Brewing — a taproom on the Ventura Pier. Why here: A pint over the water after dinner, a short walk from downtown.
Quick stop (other): Carpinteria State Beach — white sand, rock outcrops and gentle peaks, sunrise to sunset. Why here: Ten minutes past Rincon, softer waves for the learners in the group.

Surf Rincon at dawn, not at noon. The wind is usually lighter early and the lineup is thinner, and by late morning the crowd is at its peak.

Ventura → Rincon Point: about 20 minutes north on US-101. Rincon → Carpinteria State Beach: about 10 minutes. Carpinteria → Ventura: about 25 minutes south.

Where to stay

A hotel or rental downtown or by the beach in Ventura — the same room; a hot shower and wetsuits on the balcony rail.

Dinner: Paradise Pantry downtown.

Tomorrow: a last session off the promenade, oysters, then home.

Bad-weather plan

Big storm swell or onshore wind? Skip Rincon and watch from the cobbles, or swap the day for a boat to the Channel Islands with Island Packers from Ventura Harbor; book ahead, and expect cancellations in rough seas.

Stay: same base · Anchor: Rincon Point · go at first light

Good to know: Rincon is intermediate and up and always crowded; the learners in the group get more waves at Carpinteria.

Illustration: three small friends seen from behind carrying longboards along a seaside promenade with tall fan palms and surf breaking beyond the seawall, illustrated day card for Day 3

03The Promenade · last day

Base: bags go in the car before breakfast, since checkout comes first today. San Buenaventura State Beach and the promenade run south from the pier; the walk is free, and the state beach lot charges a day-use fee per car, 7 a.m. to sunset. Pace: easy for tired arms: one last session on soft sand-bottom waves and about 2 miles on foot, with the break at lunch on the beach.

Breakfast on Front Street

Where to eat: Frontside Cafe again, from 7:30 a.m., for a fast breakfast and a coffee to carry to the beach.

A last session off the promenade

Paddle out at San Buenaventura State Beach, the sandy beach south of the pier, where the waves break softer over sand. It is the place for longboards and for the friend who stood up for the first time yesterday. Short rides. Lots of them. The whitewater hisses up the sand, and nobody wants to be the first to paddle in. Expert tip: share one soft-top among the beginners and swap every three waves, so everybody rests between rides and nobody sits out the session.

Emma Wood State Beach, just west of the river mouth, has had its north beach closed for construction, so check the park page before you drive there.

The promenade and oysters on the beach

Rinse off and walk the promenade back toward the pier under the fan palms, boards under arms.

Where to eat: The Jolly Oyster, on San Buenaventura State Beach on weekends and holidays, for farmed oysters and clams eaten at outdoor tables.

The harbor, or a nap on the sand

Drive 10 minutes south to Ventura Harbor Village for a walk on the docks and a look at the Island Packers boats that cross to the Channel Islands, or stop at Patagonia’s Ventura store downtown, where the company began. Or just sleep on the beach. Nobody will judge.

An early dinner, then home

Where to eat: Corazón Cocina on Main Street, open Sundays until 8:30 p.m. Eat around 5 p.m. and you are back in LA by about 7:30 p.m. on a good traffic night.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Frontside Cafe — coffee and a fast breakfast, from 7:30 a.m. Why here: Near the beach, breakfast before a last session.
Lunch · The Jolly Oyster — farmed oysters and clams at outdoor tables, weekends and holidays. Why here: On San Buenaventura State Beach, lunch a few steps from the last session.
Dinner · Corazón Cocina Ventura — aguachiles and tacos, Sunday until 8:30 p.m. Why here: On Main Street, an early dinner before the drive back to LA.
Quick stop (snack): Ventura Coffee Company — a coffee for the drive home. Why here: Downtown, a last cup before US-101.
Quick stop (other): Ventura Harbor Village — docks, shops and the Island Packers boats. Why here: Ten minutes south, a slow walk before the drive.

Pack the car before the last session. Wet suits go in a tub in the trunk, and nobody has to drag gear back to the room after lunch.

Downtown Ventura → San Buenaventura State Beach: about 5 minutes by car, or 15 minutes on foot on the promenade. Ventura → Ventura Harbor: about 10 minutes. Ventura → downtown LA: about 70 miles, roughly 1½ hours on a Sunday evening.

Where to stay

A hotel or rental downtown or by the beach in Ventura — check out this morning and keep bags and boards in the car.

Dinner: early at Corazón Cocina, then south to LA.

Home: back in Los Angeles by night.

Bad-weather plan

Rain or onshore mess? Skip the water. Walk through the Mission San Buenaventura, browse the surf shops on Main Street, eat oysters if the stand is open, and leave for LA early.

Stay: check out · Anchor: the Promenade · check Sunday traffic

Good to know: Sunday afternoon traffic on US-101 south can add an hour; one person who skips the pint drives, and the rest sleep.

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Plan & pack

Pack for the trip

The right wetsuit. A 4/3 full suit from about November to March, a 3/2 in early fall.
Booties. C Street and Rincon are cobblestone points, hard on bare feet.
A leash and spare wax. Cold-water wax for winter; the shops in town sell it.
A tub for wet gear. Wetsuits go in the trunk, not on the seats.
A warm layer and a beanie. Dawn at Rincon is cold even when the afternoon is warm.
A towel or changing poncho. You change in the lot at most breaks.
Sunscreen. The glare off the water is strong all year.
A plan for the driver. Agree who drives home on Sunday before the Saturday taproom.

A surf check parking sign at the lot above Surfers Point in Ventura — **Check the surf before you park: the C Street lot sits right on the point.** **Surf check parking** · the short-stay spots above the point at Surfers Point

The wide sandy beach at Carpinteria State Beach with low waves and hills behind — **Pack a softer board for the learners: Carpinteria’s waves are gentle.** **Carpinteria State Beach** · gentle waves and wide sand for the learners in the group

Illustration: a folded black wetsuit, neoprene booties, a coiled leash, a bar of surf wax and a wax comb, a striped towel, sandals, a steel water bottle and a car key on a wooden table, original illustrated plan card for 3 days in Ventura — **Original illustration** · a wetsuit, booties, a leash and surf wax on a sun-bleached wooden table

Ventura in one frame

The plan card lays the weekend out on one table: a wetsuit for cold water, booties for the cobbles, wax and a leash, and a key for the dawn drive to Rincon. Every stop and meal is in the day-by-day above.

Illustration: a brewery taproom at dusk, a long wooden communal table with pints of golden and amber beer and a basket of pretzels, hands raising glasses, steel tanks and a roll-up door open onto a street with palms, original illustrated recap card — **Original illustration** · a long taproom table with pints raised at dusk

Where the day ends

The recap card ends the weekend the way most Ventura surf days end: salt in your hair, a long table, a round of pints and the next swell already on everyone’s phone. The day-by-day has each stop and meal.

The Anacapa Island lighthouse on its cliff-top above the ocean — **North and offshore** · Carpinteria’s rocks, the Anacapa light and Santa Cruz Island

Postcards

Ventura, in frames.

The cobblestone beach and rebuilt dunes at Surfers Point at the mouth of the Ventura River — **Surfers Point** · the cobblestone point at C Street where the river meets the sea

The Ventura Pier stretching out to sea under an orange sunset sky — **Sunset at the pier** · the last light over the water from Ventura’s promenade

Ventura City Hall, a domed historic building on the hill above Main Street — **Ventura City Hall** · the domed old courthouse on the hill above downtown Ventura

Quick answers

Planning notes

When is the best time to surf Ventura and Rincon?

Plan a Ventura surf weekend from October to March, when west and northwest winter swells reach Rincon and the cobblestone points at C Street. Ventura picks up some surf in most seasons, but summer is often small. Go early in the day, when the wind is usually lighter. See the Rincon day for a dawn session plan.

How far is Ventura from Los Angeles?

Ventura is about 70 miles from downtown Los Angeles on US-101, roughly 1¼ hours by car without traffic and closer to 2 hours on a Friday afternoon. Leave before 7 a.m. to miss the worst of it, and check Caltrans QuickMap for closures. See the three-day route for the drives once you arrive.

Where can you rent a surfboard in Ventura?

Ventura Surf Shop, near downtown and a short drive from C Street, rents surfboards and wetsuits; call ahead on a busy weekend to check what is in stock. Rent a soft-top or a longboard if anyone in the group is still learning, since the gentler waves at San Buenaventura State Beach and Carpinteria suit them better.

Is Rincon good for beginners?

No, Rincon is a point for intermediate and advanced surfers: the waves are fast, the bottom is cobblestone and the lineup is crowded with locals on every good swell. Beginners get more waves at Carpinteria State Beach, about ten minutes north, or on the sandy beach south of the Ventura Pier. Watch Rincon from the cobbles instead.

Can you visit the Channel Islands from Ventura in a day?

Yes, Island Packers runs day boats from Ventura Harbor to Anacapa and Santa Cruz Island in Channel Islands National Park. Book ahead, bring food and water because the islands have no stores, and expect cancellations in rough seas. On a flat surf weekend it makes a good swap for Day 2.

What wetsuit do you need to surf Ventura in winter?

Bring a 4/3 full wetsuit for Ventura from about November to March, plus booties for the cobblestone points at C Street and Rincon. A 3/2 is usually enough in early fall. The dawn sessions are the coldest part of the day, so pack a warm layer and a towel or changing poncho for the lot.

Is Ventura or Santa Barbara better for a surf weekend?

Choose Ventura for a surf weekend: it is closer to LA, the cobblestone points at C Street sit in town, and Rincon is a 20-minute drive. Santa Barbara has more museums, the Mission and the wine bars of the Funk Zone. For that version, see Santa Barbara from LA.

Before you set off — the official checks

Surf, hours and park closures change. Confirm current details on the sites listed under official links.

US-101 — Check closures and traffic before the drive up and back. Caltrans QuickMap ↗
State beaches — Emma Wood’s north beach has been closed for construction; check the alerts. California State Parks ↗
Island boats — Book Island Packers ahead; trips cancel in rough seas. Island Packers ↗
Weather — Check wind, high surf and rain before sessions. National Weather Service ↗

Plan with confidence

Official Links

Official sites to plan and verify the details in this guide.

San Buenaventura State Beach ↗Hours, fees and the promenade beach

Emma Wood State Beach ↗Closures and alerts

Carpinteria State Beach ↗Day use, fees and dogs

Rincon Beach Park ↗Santa Barbara County parks

Channel Islands National Park ↗Islands, trails and rules

Island Packers ↗Boats from Ventura Harbor

Ventura Harbor Village ↗Harbor shops and docks

Caltrans QuickMap ↗US-101 conditions

National Weather Service Los Angeles ↗Coastal forecasts and alerts

Reviewed Oct 23, 2026How we verify

Conditions and prices can change.

References

Research behind this guide

The reporting and research that shaped this itinerary.

Surfing at Rincon Point ↗The Surf Atlas

Ventura Point spot guide ↗Surfline

Photo credits

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, resized and converted to WebP. The illustrated cover, day cards, plan card and recap card are this guide’s original itinerary artwork, illustrated from the credited photos listed here.

Ventura Pier — photo by Chris English, CC BY-SA 3.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0); it is also the basis of the Cover and Cover web illustrations, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Ventura Pier — photo by Tuxyso, CC BY-SA 3.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0); it is also the basis of the Day 1 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Rincon Point — photo by snapper, CC BY 2.0; it is also the basis of the Day 2 card illustration
Emma Wood — photo by DillyLynn, CC BY-SA 3.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0); it is also the basis of the Day 3 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Surf check sign — photo by Fettlemap, CC BY-SA 3.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0); it is also the basis of the Packing card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Carpinteria State Beach — photo by Myrna Litt, CC BY 2.0
Surfers Point — photo by Cranberrydavid, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Pier at sunset — photo by Busition, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Recap card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Ventura City Hall — photo by Cbl62, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Anacapa Island Light — photo by Holly Cheng, CC BY-SA 3.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mission San Buenaventura — photo by Daderot, CC0
Ventura Harbor — photo by Rennett Stowe, CC BY 2.0
Carpinteria rocks — photo by Myrna Litt, CC BY 2.0
Santa Cruz Island — photo by Mx. Granger, CC0
Route map — original illustrated route artwork for this guide; stop locations from OpenStreetMap

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The trip in 60 seconds

Postcards from the trip

Three days of surf in Ventura with friends: C Street, Rincon and the promenade.

Day-by-day summary

Three days, one base, one coast highway

Day 1 · C Street and the Pier—Out of LA before the traffic, breakfast on Front Street, boards from a local surf shop, a first session at C Street, lunch downtown, the pier at sunset, a fish dinner and a pint at Topa Topa.

Day 2 · Rincon and Carpinteria—A dawn session at Rincon Point, breakfast back in Ventura, lunch on Main Street, an afternoon at Carpinteria State Beach, dinner downtown and a nightcap at a taproom on the pier.

Day 3 · The Promenade—Breakfast on Front Street, a last session off San Buenaventura State Beach, a walk on the promenade, oysters on the beach, the harbor or a nap, and an early dinner on Main Street before US-101 home.

A plan that knows how you travel.

3 full itineraries in every plan

Art & photos

Planning

Your plan, your way

Art & photos

Planning

Your plan, your way

Art & photos

Planning

Your plan, your way

Our promise

Who is Earth Adventure Travel?

Plan & pack

Pack for the trip

Ventura in one frame

Where the day ends

Ventura, in frames.

Planning notes

Before you set off — the official checks

More of the Pacific coast and beyond.

Bend with Friends

Carlsbad

Cannon Beach for Two

Kauai Couples Escape

Official Links

Research behind this guide

Photo credits

Choose the landscape. Then choose the pace.

No exact match—yet.