Hollywood Beach, Oxnard
805-641-3733
Are you a couch potato trying to break out of your routine or perhaps you are an athlete with a couch potato family? Why not sign up the family for a private surf lesson? You’ll start out learning to handle the board on the beach before progressing to the water. Lessons are 2.5 hours and include all the gear you’ll need.
Perhaps an adventure sounds fun…on dry land. Then sign up for some indoor or outdoor rock climbing lessons. Don’t let your fear of heights prevent you from doing something you’d love. Safety always comes first with Lead Instructor Sandy Fee.
Jim Hall Kart Racing
Vroom! This is no little racetrack. Motor Trend Magazine stated it’s one of the "49 COOL CAR THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE" along with the most prestigious motorsports events in the world. Learn to race the way Andretti and Schumacher got their start. Winner of more than 250 First Place trophies, racer Jim Hall has been offering adrenaline rushes to leisure racers like you for more than 20 years at his Ventura racing school. Sign up for half-day or full-day lessons. All gear provided, but wear long pants, closed toe shoes and lots of suntan lotion because you’ll be racing on the only paved beachside road coarse in America. Ages 10-83. Reservations are recommended two weeks in advance. In early 2005, they relocated to Challenger Place near Sturgis and Rice Road.
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The Yellow Umbrella Company
805-648-9792
Just looking for a quiet day at the beach but you don’t feel like packing up the beach chairs and paraphernalia along with the kids? No problem. The Yellow Umbrella Company has taken care of all the details. For a mere $20 a day you can rent a station complete with two chairs, umbrella, table, and fresh towels. (Extra chairs are provided to families at no additional cost.) Parking validation is included and you’ll be located near the snack trailer, offering everything from pizza to suntan lotion and the rental of Frisbees, boogie boards and horseshoes. Just head for San Buenaventura State Beach and look for the yellow and black umbrellas. Ventura Pier, Ericson Restaurant and downtown Ventura are all within walking distance.
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Bay Queen Harbor Cruises
805-642-7753
If the kids get bored at the beach, why not head over to Bay Queen Harbor Cruises and rent a paddleboat or kayak? The boats are new, the environment is safe, and life jackets are provided.
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OXNARD
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Channel Islands National Park
805-658-5730 (Recorded Information)
805-658-5711
Island Packers Cruises
805-642-1393
As close as Oxnard Harbor you can hop aboard an Island Packer’s boat, the official concessionaire for Channel Islands National Park. Take a day trip out to the islands and watch the dolphins and whales frolic in the waters as you travel to the islands. Once you arrive at the islands, you can sail, snorkel, surf, kayak, or dive off the long stretches of white sandy beach.
Every Tuesday and Thursday from Memorial Day through Labor Day, rangers conduct a live underwater video program from Anacapa Island. This unique program features an interpretive dive through a kelp forest. Visitors may view this program through the landing dock at Anacapa Island or the mainland visitors center—without getting wet.
Be sure to stop in at the Channel Islands National Park Visitors Center at the end of Spinnaker Dr. in Ventura. Kids will love the fascinating exhibits and the open tank for observing sea creatures. Every day, 8:30-5, Free.
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Whale Watching
The Blue and Humpback whales can be seen in July and August, and the Gray whales from the end of December through early April. Cruises depart from Channel Islands Harbor and Ventura Harbor.
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Outdoor Summer Concerts
Every Friday from 6-8 pm free concerts are offered at Heritage Square (corner of 7th & A Streets). Saturday evenings from 4-6 pm head over to Peninsula Park (adjacent to the Casa Sirena Hotel & Marina) for free waterfront concerts.
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Gull Wings Children’s Museum
Sign up for space camp where kids can try on a flight suit, conduct mission simulations, and launch rockets. Or just spend the afternoon at this awesome museum and let the kids play with a puppet theatre, treat patients as a doctor in the ER, ‘work’ as an ocean biologist and touch sea creatures, dig fossils as an archaeologist or watch themselves on TV.
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Harbor Hopper Water Taxi
805-985-4852
Oxnard’s local water ‘limousine’ transports passengers between shopping and dining excursions. No reservations, just look for the smiling face painted on the boat. Harbor tours are also available.
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Farmers’ Market
Every Thursday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at Plaza Park (5th & “C” Streets) and every Sunday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Channel Islands Harbor (adjacent to Marine Emporium Landing Shopping Center) you’ll find flowers, produce, baked goods and gourmet items. Sunday’s market includes live music, entertainment and even a rock climbing wall and face painting for kids.
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Channel Islands Harbor - MAP IT!
