Ventura’s Spanish-colonial roots go back to this last mission founded by Junípero Serra in California in 1782. A stroll around the mellow parish church leads you through a garden courtyard and a small museum, past statues of saints, centuries-old religious paintings and unusual, unique wooden bells.
Mission San Buenaventura
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.29 MILES
This next-gen science museum is an interactive treasure trove of exhibits and experiences related to sound, technology, speed, light and color that are…
Santa Barbara County Courthouse
25.15 MILES
Built in Spanish-Moorish Revival style in 1929, the courthouse features hand-painted ceilings, wrought-iron chandeliers and tiles from Tunisia and Spain…
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29.46 MILES
Arguably Malibu’s most stunning beach, where you park on the bluffs and stroll down a trail to sandstone rock towers that rise from emerald coves. Topless…
26.12 MILES
California's ‘Queen of the Missions’ reigns above the city on a hilltop perch more than a mile north of downtown. Its imposing Ionic facade, an…
23.88 MILES
Santa Cruz, the Channel Islands' largest at 96 sq miles, claims two mountain ranges and the park's tallest peak, Mt Diablo (2450ft). The western three…
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23.07 MILES
The Channel Islands is an eight-island chain lying off the coast from Newport Beach to Santa Barbara. The four northern islands – San Miguel, Santa Rosa,…
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18.71 MILES
Actually three separate islets totaling just over 1 sq mile, Anacapa gives a memorable introduction to the Channel Islands’ ecology. It's also the best…
23.11 MILES
Small (so it's perfect for young kids) Santa Barbara Zoo has 146 species covering all creatures great and small, including several not found in many other…
Nearby attractions
0.09 MILES
This tiny downtown museum has an excellently eclectic collection that includes exhibits on the local Chumash people and rotating exhibitions of local…
2. San Buenaventura State Beach
1.44 MILES
Along the waterfront off Hwy 101, this long white-sand beach is ideal for swimming, surfing or just lazing on the sand. A recreational cycling path…
11.84 MILES
Tiny museum in a beautiful restored church on Ojai's main street. The rotating exhibitions are usually related to the town, and there's a small tourism…
11.87 MILES
Inside downtown’s historic firehouse, Ojai Vineyard pours tastes of its delicate, small-batch wines. It's best known for standard-bearing Chardonnay,…
13.95 MILES
Ojai is famous for the rosy glow that emanates from its mountains at sunset (some days) – the so-called ‘Pink Moment.’ The ideal vantage point for…
13.98 MILES
Outside town, family-owned Ojai Olive Oil Company has a tasting room open six days a week, and offers free talks and tours on Wednesdays (1pm to 4pm) and…
14.42 MILES
This part of California is renowned for its fresh produce and the Agriculture Museum looks at the machinery that helped the state become the vegetable and…
14.51 MILES
Tells the story of Santa Paula’s ‘black bonanza’ with modest historical exhibits that include an authentic 1890s drilling rig. It's free though a donation…