Visiting Ventura Harbor Village in Ventura, California

My wife and I had the chance to visit the Ventura Harbor Village during a getaway weekend at the Sheraton resort. It's just over an hour drive from Pasadena - depending on the traffic. Ventura Harbor and the village shops has both the fascination of the sea bustling with local fishermen, restaurants and shops of all varieties in the 33-acre complex.

We ate dinner at Andria's Seafood Restaurant that is a local favorite. We had lunch the next day at a French restaurant which was tasty but we felt it was overpriced. There are additional Mexican, Greek and seafood restaurants in the Harbor Village.

An informational and attractive visitor center offers information about the Channel Islands National Park.

While at the Sheraton, I enjoyed morning runs along the harbor and the marina. On early Saturday morning, the fishermen had brought in their catches and were selling fresh fish to the locals and anyone passing by.

Kayaking is a favorite way for us to unwind and we rented a kayak, paddled past the yachts, Coast Guard boats and toward the breakwater. Sitting on a kayak while looking at the massive amount of rocks protecting the harbor from the open ocean is a way to feel quite small. Kayak rentals are typically $ 15 per hour.

We turned around and paddled on in to the canals lined with homes and private docks. The water is often quite smooth so it's easy to move swiftly and quietly.

Harbor cruises are available and so are row boats and canoes to rent.

The mountains rising above Ventura in the background add a special, beautiful dimension to the surf climate and make the beach quite distinct from the other more commercial beaches in southern California.

Ventura's climate is quite mild along the beaches and downtown area.

The Ventura Harbor Village is only about a 10-minute drive from downtown where there are local historic museums, the mission and a "bohemian" style shopping area.

My wife had fun shopping at a few of the thrift stores.

Ventura Harbor Village is located on US-101 approximately 30 miles South of Santa Barbara and 65 miles North of Los Angeles. For visitors staying in Los Angeles, the region is an easy drive. A picturesque journey starts with driving up the Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu and north through Oxnard and then on to the 101 freeway.