After a morning and afternoon of surfing, Ventura County, CA offers plenty of places to relax and unwind.
With botanical gardens, parks, beaches, harbors and a vibrant downtown, there are endless possibilities. We asked a group of prominent local residents to give us their recommendations on where to go when you want to relax.
- Audrey Walzer, the owner of the Camarillo Yoga Center, enjoys the art galleries in Old Town Camarillo and the fresh produce at the Camarillo Farmers' Market on Saturday mornings. On Saturday nights, she heads to Ventura Boulevard to take in some local musicians at Sessions at the Loft.
- Since Walzer is a yoga teacher, she finds her spiritual center among the flora of the Hartley Botanica. Even if you're not going to a yoga class or a wedding there, you can walk around and admire the scenery.
- Comedian and club owner Randy Lubas suggests that wives can enjoy the day of shopping at the Camarillo Outlet Malls while the husbands play golf ... or the wives can golf and the men can go shopping.
- At Port Hueneme Beach, you'll find local food expert Michael Ramirez and his family enjoying a daily vacation as a resident. He enjoys the affordable food options and watching his children build sand castles on the beach.
- Our favorite surfer Mary Osborne likes to switch from swimsuits to street clothes for a night out at Downtown Ventura, where she enjoys all the funky shops, bars, and eateries. Her favorite shop is Betty Belts, where you can get custom-made, ocean-inspired belts, jewelry, and accessories. Being a woman of the water, she checks out the latest surf gear and fashion at WetSand.
- Vineyard owner Karen Stewart of Four Brix Winery endorses the eateries along the Ventura Harbour. She told us to grab a table at The Greek, Andria's Seafood or Brophey Bros. When Lubas isn't yucking it up on the comedy stage, he'll head over to 805 Bar & Grilled Cheese for beer and cheesy delights.
- Our friend Randy Lubas is the proud owner of the Ventura Harbor Comedy Club, where we can catch stars like Dana Carvey, Dave Coulier and Christopher Titus perform stand-up. He also organizes the Ventura Comedy Festival, taking place August 1-7, where you can laugh it up with Adam Carolla, Jay Mohr, and Tommy Davidson.
- For a zen-like experience, hike or drive up to Grant Park for a 360-degree view of Ventura at sunset. You'll thank us later. After that, head down to San Buenaventura State Beach, where you can set-up a bonfire at night or enjoy oysters from The Jolly Oyster.
