Oxnard Cali, what to do?

[RZG77]

I'll be going to Oxnard California for work from 28 Oct to 5 Nov... I'm not familiar with the area and neither are my coworkers, so what are some hot spots? Even some sight seeing. This should be a easy trip with plenty of free time to check things out.

Thanks, Ryan

[Rick Lee]

I haven't spent any time there, just passed through a few times. But it's a super location to get to other great stuff - Santa Barbara, Ojai, Channel Islands. Gorgeous area.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Outlet mall, pick up the pch over to zuma (great beach, usually unpopulated), go north to SBA, etc...

[5String43]

Hot spots? Oxnard? I don't think so. But you might want to go up into Santa Barbara to walk State Street, have lunch or dinner out on Stearn's Wharf, and drive on north a few miles to hang out in the Santa Ynez Valley, which is home to some well respected wineries - Bridlewood, Curtis and more. Just be watchful, if you make this drive, of the run over the San Marcos Pass and through SY Valley - the highway can be heavily radar-patrolled.

And if you have with you a significant other, lunch, or even better, Sunday brunch, at the Biltmore Four Seasons is one of life's great pleasures that will make you big points. Expensive but very much worth it, especially if you can scam a patio table. You must make reservations as far in advance as possible in order to do this, however.

[RWebb]

eat some lima beans

[maxnine11]

Oxnard Cali, what to do?

get a tattoo ....

[kevin993]

Oxnard - Mullin Museum (advance reservations required, but a phenomenal collection)
Mullin Automotive Museum: Celebrating the Art Deco Movement - Home

Camarillo - Kundensport (a working shop, but maybe they'll let you look at their current projects if you ask nicely)
KUNDENSPORT - Info | Facebook

Since you'll be there on Sunday, head down to Supercar Sunday in Woodland Hills. Featured marque on Oct 30 is Corvette, but there are always all kinds of goodies there regardless of the feature.
SuperCarSunday.com

If you're looking for a drive, the drive down PCH towards Zuma is great. That section of PCH shows up in countless television commercials. If you're adventurous, get a map and find Mulholland and some of the great roads in that area.

You can go the other direction and up into Ojai for some good roads as well.

[tevake]

Check out the Jim Hall go kart track and racing school. They have really strong karts, good instructors, and a fun little track. Call it a team build ing exercise.

Cheers Richard

[look 171]

Downtown Venture is ok for lunch and people watch. I go to Santa Barbara or drive to Solvang (really for tourists) just for kicks. I am not sure if you still can get a boat ride to the Channel Islands. Heck go out, rent a pole, buy day lic for a few bucks and get a half day deep sea fishing on a boat. Enjoy the ocean. when I was a kid, I use to go all the time there. Use to be pretty good fishing up there. Now I hate fishing. Venture sport fishing, look it up. You can even see the fish report. If you don't know what to do, tip the deck hand you have not done it before. He will take care of you like bait your hook and take your fishes off your hooks. $10-20 bucks will buy you a lot less grief if you have not done it before.

[Flieger]

Oxnard...

[daepp]

Mullin - +1000 (resv req)

You are 30-45 min from Santa Barbara - one of the 10 nicest places in Cali

Also - Ventura. The Mission. Great car store - Californiaclassix.com

Santa Inez - the Mission. Ojai - the wine.

Ever see the movie "Sideways"? You're probably only an hour from the Hitchin' Post.

[Flieger]

I would go to Kundensport. Very close. Then drive PCH or Potrero Road.

Originally Posted by kevin993

Oxnard - Mullin Museum (advance reservations required, but a phenomenal collection)
Mullin Automotive Museum: Celebrating the Art Deco Movement - Home

Camarillo - Kundensport (a working shop, but maybe they'll let you look at their current projects if you ask nicely)
KUNDENSPORT - Info | Facebook

Since you'll be there on Sunday, head down to Supercar Sunday in Woodland Hills. Featured marque on Oct 30 is Corvette, but there are always all kinds of goodies there regardless of the feature.
SuperCarSunday.com

If you're looking for a drive, the drive down PCH towards Zuma is great. That section of PCH shows up in countless television commercials. If you're adventurous, get a map and find Mulholland and some of the great roads in that area.

You can go the other direction and up into Ojai for some good roads as well.

[Baz]

I don't live there but from my previous visits here are a few thoughts....


Oxnard Shores has a nice beach if you are into walks and sightseeing....


I also enjoy looking at the neighborhood gardens:


And lots of boats:


And surfing:



Ventura is a great place to sightsee as well....a lot of history....

This cross was erected by the Ventura Chamber of Commerce to mark the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Mission San Buenaventura.
Mission San Buenaventura was founded on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1782 in Las Californias, part of the Spanish Viceroyalty of New Spain. Named for a Franciscan theologian, Saint Bonaventure, it was the last of the missions founded by Father Serra:



View from the park above Ventura:


Ventura Pier:


"C Street" Ventura:
("C" stands for California)
Classic point break just north of the Ventura Pier.


The Ventura Harbor Village:



Highway One going North along the coast:


(see next post for more...)

[Baz]

In Simi Valley The Reagan Library and Museum:




Then there's Morro Bay:


Santa Barbara, SLO, and lots of beautiful coastline along the way.....if you don't mind a few short drives.

[sammyg2]

Otis Chandler had the most incredible car collection in a museum up in Oxnard.

IIRC he had about 40 original, rare, unmolested hemi-cars and at least 6 of them were convertibles.
He had one of the Porsche 917s seen in the movie Le Mans, he had a 959, a 73 carrera RS, formula one cars, COPO cars, baldwin motion cars, yenko cars, factory light-weights, he had at least one of everything and in most cases more than one.
My favortite was a plumb-crazy purple hemi challenger with white interior and under original 4000 miles on the ODO.

He lost most of it in a de-vorce, and what was left was auctioned off in 2006 after his death, the 50 or so cars and 40 motorcycles were a fraction of what the collection once was still fetched $36 mil even after the ex raped it.

I believe that is where the mullen collection is now.

[Flieger]

I go to school in SLO (a few minutes from Morro Bay) but during break live in Thousand Oaks, which is on the border of LA and Ventura Counties, over the Conejo Grade from Camarillo.

I would NOT call Oxnard to Morro Bay a "short drive". It is about 170 miles. If there is no traffic you can (theoretically) average about 70 mph. I only miss traffic leaving SLO about 4:30 PM on a weekday. Sundays are not too bad.

I would say Kundensport and then head south to Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains.

To me Oxnard is just a construction zone on the freeway somewhere between Camarillo and Ventura. Never saw such nice pictures of Ventura before, but that is good to see.

[LSA]

One of my friends lives in one of the houses pictured above and they teach sailing at the yacht club just off to the right out of the picture of the boats in the harbor. Lots of options for sport fishing/whale watching/diving charters out of chanel islands or ventura harbor. I also recommend a trip to the Channel Islands and taking an all day hike if your into that sort of thing.

I live in the Nard and pretty much + to everything said above. Mullen museum and while your their the Murphy museum is just 2 blocks down and for a while had the worlds most expensive car sold at auction I believe.

I recommend going to the beach if it's nice, although it's been fairly cool the past couple weeks mid-low 60's and I don't really see it warming up anytime soon. Hollywood beach is very nice and at low tide you can walk out quite a ways on the sandbars.

I don't really like going to sb (the traffic is brutal is just one of the reasons) but the Zoo is quite good, and the pier has the marine museum (more kid oriented) and a few other things The babe watching however is superior in SB.

Downtown Ventura is really where the hotspot is I guess, main street has a bunch of bars/touristy places.

The drive from Ox to SLO is ~3 hours so not just a short trip although if your going to do that I would check out Hearst castle and possibly the elephant seals if they're around.

Lots of great restaurants in Ox and ventura. Andrea's, Cj,s Barbeque, Greek at the Harbor, Seafresh, Yolandas, Toppers(awesome pizza).

Potrero is great fun if you've got a nice car drive it sometimes when I have some time to kill before school since CSUCI is right on it.

[scottmandue]

If you are into boat rides get over to the channel islands.

Ventura is a few minutes away... walk down main st. lots of great food and shopping.

Ventura harbor/marina is great place (also for food and shopping)... technically closer to Oxnard than downtown Ventura.

Ojai, very cool artist town just up the canyon.

I vacation in Morro bay a lot... but plenty to do where you are unless you are looking for a road trip

[Seahawk]

I can tell you what NOT to do: Beat Oxnard High in football. Which I did playing for Newbury Park in the early '70's.

We barely made it back on the bus. The bus then became a fixture of attention.

Drive Potrero Road, then take the back road through Hidden Valley to Westlake. Head over the coastal mountains to Route 1, turn right and head back to Oxnard.

[scottmandue]

I think this place had a different name when I visited but had a great time:

Blackbeards BBQ
Restaurant/Food

Serving up great BBQ and Blues! Join us for Monday Night Football (seasonal), Live Blues Thursday to Sunday, Saturday Ribs off the grill and lip-smaking pulled pork sandwiches all week long! Open Weekdays 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Weekends 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
1591 Spinnaker Dr., 115
Ventura, CA 93001

Also a great Irish pub in Ventura... and a couple sushi bars... and a brewery...

There is also an old movie theater that has live concerts.