A Day Trip to Ventura
This laid-back beach town is just 1.5 hours away from LA
Hi!
I hope you all got outside this weekend because we are in for some more rain this week - BOO!
I spent a little time in Ventura (full name San Buenaventura) this weekend and I’m excited to share everything I uncovered.
In case you’re unfamiliar - Ventura is a laid-back beach town wedged in between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. Not dissimilar from other parts of SoCal, Ventura is filled with beautiful Spanish & Adobe architecture and also houses some lovely beaches, of course!
Below, I’m walking you through every minute of our Ventura day trip, and I’ve added a little list of what I have saved for next time because there’s no gatekeeping here at TTS. This is an easy drive from LA, and even once you get to town - everything is within a couple miles radius and parking is plentiful. You can expect good coffee, wine & eats, top notch vintage shopping, and of course - a heavy dose of beach & sunshine!
TTS 1 Day Itinerary - Ventura, CA
Coffee at Singing Sun - The new location on Ventura Ave is so stunning & my capp hit the spot after our 1.5 hour drive up! And right next door to Muni… more on that later!
Breakfast burritos at Corrales Mexican Food - Walk-up window with top notch breakfast burritos. We recommend the chorizo or the bacon!
Shopping along Main St - Main Street is ~you guessed it~ the main street running through Ventura! There are tons of shops and restaurants, and a very cute farmers market on Saturdays. You can easily spend the whole day here.
Our favorite shops on and off Main Street - everything is close by!
Findings Flea - a mini indoor flea market featuring over 20 different vendors. Amazing prices!
Brooklyn Charm - a store filled with everything you could possibly need to make a charm bracelet, necklace, keychain, etc!! We had so much fun sifting through the trays and trays of charms
Les Mignot - women’s boutique
Findings Market - curated home goods
Calico Cat Bookshop - lovely bookshop
Out West - excellent curation of vintage but prices can be a little $$. Great place to find a special piece!
Poppies - the cutest vintage shop, also top tier curation + a more reasonable price point!
Original Patagonia store / HQ - Did you know Patagonia is headquartered in Ventura? Pay a visit to their flagship if you’re a fan!
Buddy’s Wine - This is my perfect bar. PERFECT! They have allll the natty wine, but they also have hot dogs and big slices of cake. The place is decked out in warm woods & zen green accents. It. Is. Perfect!! Grab a bottle of wine for the table and stay a little while. It’s a treat!
Muni Wine - Santa Barbara’s Muni Wine just opened a new location in Ventura! It’s a fun lil’ industrial space, great for an afternoon or evening hang + the wines are fab.
Ventura City Hall - such a pretty building! Wander!
Mission Basilica San Buenaventura / Mission Park - Pretty! Wander!
Sunset at the beach - San Buenaventura or Emma Wood State Beach - The beaches are so pretty, definitely make time for a stroll / climbing rocks & lifeguard towers before you go!
Plenty of restaurant options in Ventura but In-N-Out Burger for the ride home is kind of the only option if you want the authentic California road trip experience, y’know? Burgs & fries capped off our perfect day in VTA!
On my list for next time:
Midtown Wines - Midtown is very sadly closing at the end of March so quick, run! But good news is they’ll still be operating as a bottle shop going forward, more info here
Jolly Oyster - You may recognize Jolly from Citizens Market in Culver City - their oyster truck pops up at the beach every weekend!
Art’s Corner Cafe - I just have “CINNAMON ROLLS” in my notes on Google Maps
Urchin Sourdough - Sadly missed their pop ups this weekend but hope to catch ‘em next time!
Spencer Mackenzie’s - fish tacos
Palm & Boy - acai bowls
VenTiki Tiki Lounge - tiki drinks
Topa Topa Brewing Co - Topa Topa HQ!
Majestic Ventura Theater - must see a show here at some point!
I strongly encourage you to take a day trip to Ventura, especially as we enter spring and enter some warmer temps! Reply directly to this email or drop a comment on Substack for any questions or specific recs you may need <3 BYE!