Page 54 - 2025-2026 Travel Guide to California

SCENIC,
SURPRISING,
COOL, CULTURAL
VISIT OXNARD
VisitOxnard.com
TWISTED GYPSY at Rock the Collection Summer
Concert Series, above; Caitlin Moore of Moore
Misadventures at Tacos La Bonita in Downtown
Oxnard, below.
52 OXNARD
Move to the Beat of Your Own Drum in Oxnard
B Y L I S A K A D A N E
With a sunny climate, stunning
beaches and natural wonders just
offshore, Oxnard—located 60 miles
north of Los Angeles—draws travelers
year-round. What sets this small city
“a beat apart” from its coastal neigh-
bors, though, is the music scene, which
traces its roots back to the 60s, when
Sonny and Cher bought property on
Mandalay Beach.
This musical legacy—combined with
rich Mexican heritage, beach culture and
scenic beauty—makes Oxnard a dream des-
tination for audiophiles, taco lovers, water
babies and nature lovers.
Here are some ways to explore this city
with soul.
Rock Out at Festivals or Experience
a Vinyl Revival
The city’s love affair with music spans
genres. Feel the beat at festivals or dive
into vinyl. Oxnard’s music scene spans
genres, from the raw energy of “Nardcore”
punk to the Grammy-winning hip-hop
beats of hometown hero Anderson .Paak.
Catch live music at events like the Her-
itage Square Summer Concert Series,
where Latin jazz, classic rock, and R&B fill
the air on Friday nights.
For a deeper spin into the industry,
Fidelity Record Pressing offers behind the
scenes tours (by request) where record afi-
cionados can watch plastic get pressed
into albums, and learn about the vinyl
revival. Over at Drum Workshop, the HQ
for the famed DW Drums (Mick Fleetwood,
Don Henley, Glen Sobel and Dave Grohl are
fans), you can salivate over drum sets
in the showroom, or join a factory tour by
appointment. visitoxnard.com/things-to-
do/culture/music/
Try Hip Hops, or Handmade
Tortillas on The Taco Trail
Margaritas pair with Mexican food on the
Taco Trail. Find dozens of restaurants,
taquerias and food trucks serving every-
thing within the city limits from trendy
birria tacos at Birria Mi Rancho to spicy
shrimp tacos at El Dorado and barbacoa
tacos at Tacos La Bonita.
Prefer hops over tequila? Oxnard’s craft
breweries elevate brewing into an art form.
Experience the new tasting room at Wagon
Wheel Brewing Co., sample a West Coast
IPA at Casa Agria Specialty Ales or sip a
malty Belgian dubbel at Red Tandem
Brewery—three local hangouts for hop- and
yeast-driven brews. visitoxnard.com/food-
drinks/tacotrail/
Get Carried Away by The Rhythm
of The Waves
Since music and food combine to get you
moving, dive into Oxnard’s beach culture
on the city’s coast or just offshore. Take a
surf lesson at beginner-friendly Silver
Strand Beach, or rent a Surrey bike from
Wheel Fun Rentals and pedal along Man-
dalay Beach’s scenic paths.
For a wilder outing, book the Epic Sea
Cave Combo trip with Channel Island Expe-
ditions to explore Anacapa Island in
Channel Islands National Park. Spot whales
and dolphins during the boat ride, paddle a
sea kayak along the island’s rocky shoreline
to see an astonishing variety of seabirds,
and have the opportunity to snorkel in a
kelp forest teeming with marine life. visitox-
nard.com/things-to-do/outdoor-adventure/ch
annel-islands-national-park/
Whether you come for the beats, the eats
or the waves, you’ll find your rhythm in
Oxnard.
2025-26 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
DAVE LION; CAITLIN MOORE