Page 91 - 2019 Travel Guide to California

HIKING IN CHANNEL ISLANDS National
Park, opposite top; Ventura County Fair at
Seaside Park, Ventura, opposite bottom;
sampling the wares at the California
Strawberry Festival in Oxnard, right;
Embassy Suites by Hilton Mandalay Beach
Resort in Oxnard, below.
region’s attractions, and duck into nearby
Paradise Pantry for a bite of seasonal dishes
featuring local farm finds.
Summer
The long days of summer are best spent at
the Ventura County Fair (July 31-August 11).
The “county fair with ocean air” is a blend
of traditional fair events—like carnival
rides, agriculture competitions and cute
livestock—with art exhibits, more food
than you can possibly eat, and weekend
fireworks. Voyage from either the Ventura
or Oxnard harbor to visit Channel Islands
National Park, where the “Galapagos of
North America” is revered for its endemic
plants and plentiful wildlife. Ventura
Harbor Village is an ideal place from which
to launch water adventures (by kayak, board
or boat) and land delights (like the carousel,
arcade games and numerous shops and
restaurants). Lay your head at the Crowne
Plaza Ventura Beach for front-row beach
views, as it’s right on the beach and just two
blocks from historic downtown Ventura.
Head to Lure Fish House to satisfy those
beach town seafood cravings.
Islands Adventure Company, where you can
dip your toes in the water and see the
Pacific from a different vantage point. Let
the whole family come along on a Gondola
Paradiso ride through the Channel Islands
Harbor in a Venetian gondola. Stay in a
sweet suite on the beach at the Embassy
Suites by Hilton Mandalay Beach Resort in
Oxnard, and wander over to the Waterside
Restaurant & Wine Bar to watch the sun go
down.
Autumn
Fall is time for bananas and farming on the
Ventura County Coast. First is the Port
Hueneme Banana Festival (September 28),
where you can delight in banana treats and
learn about the port. Next, Ventura County
Farm Day (November 2) embraces farmers
and ranchers, and shows you where your
food comes from, among the more than 100
types of crops in the region. Get closer to
the ocean on a sea kayak tour with Channel
Winter
Ring in the winter holiday season at the
Ventura Winter Wine Walk & Holiday Street
Fair (December 7), where revelers have the
chance to sample wine and beer, stroll
down Main Street surrounded by live enter-
tainment and beautiful holiday lighting,
and get the jump on your gift shopping. If a
cruise is on your wish list, check it off by
taking an Island Packers whale watching
cruise to spy California gray whales on their
annual migration. Some people just love to
shop, though, and kids often prefer to show
you exactly what they want. Give them an
option to do just that at the Camarillo Pre-
mium Outlets, and pick out something for
yourself for the trouble. Just in case you
decide to go back for more, stay in the Mar-
riott Residence Inn Camarillo, and settle
down for a hearty winter meal at nearby
Ottavio’s Italian Restaurant to keep the fes-
tivities going strong.
2019 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 89