Ventura Community Information
Ventura's convenient location and budget-saving amenities give you easy access to all Southern California attractions. But many visitors fall in love with Ventura once they've experienced the idyllic atmosphere and don"t want to venture too far away. This is a land blessed by year-round sunshine, with miles of uncrowded beaches, pristine offshore islands and rugged mountains waiting to be explored, and outstanding opportunities for sightseeing, insights into history and culture, entertainment, sports, and recreation.
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The City of Ventura is located on the
Southern California coast within Ventura County just one hour north of
Los Angeles. With Ventura River at its northern boundary and the Santa
Clara River at its southern edge, Ventura is oriented toward water. It
has the feel of a classic California beach town with a temperate
Mediterranean climate to match.
There are a myriad of recreational
opportunities in Ventura, from miles of beaches, tennis courts, golf
courses, and the Los Padres National Forest, to surfing, sailing, scuba
diving, camping, and fishing. The Ventura Harbor has marinas,
restaurants, shops, galleries and the Channel Islands National Park
Visitor Center, a
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great place to spend a relaxing afternoon. There is truly something in this area to please everyone.
History buffs will love Ventura as well. The city is home to the ninth California mission-Mission San Buenaventura, founded in 1782 by Father Junipero Serra and now beautifully restored. The Ventura County Museum of History's displays on the lives of the Chumash Indians, Spanish explorers and early Ventura settlers is also of interest.
Its warm climate and seaside location makes Ventura a popular tourist spot. The city welcomes well over a million visitors a year and tourism is its major industry. High tech firms are also moving into the area. Ventura manages its growth and so still has acres of orchards and fields, hillsides and clean, clear waves. There is, however, a very active downtown area and many choices of housing - from condominiums to large homes.
History of Ventura
Welcome to the City of Ventura, one of America’s most livable communities, located between Malibu and Santa Barbara on the blue Pacific Ocean, overlooking Anacapa and Santa Cruz islands.
People have lived along this stretch of the California coast for at least ten thousands years. San Buenaventura was founded in 1782 by Father Junipero Serra, the ninth of the California missions. He named it after the Italian St. Bonaventure, hence the nickname that Ventura is the “city of good fortune.”
The City of San Buenaventura was incorporated in 1866. The minutes of the first City Council meetings were recorded in Spanish, which was still the pre-dominant language of its time. Ventura became the County seat when Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties split in 1873. That same year, a courthouse and wharf were built, a bank was opened and the first public library was created.
An oil strike in 1914 fueled rapid growth. In the years following World War II, farmland gave way to outward suburban development. Growth has slowed in recent decades as Ventura has matured into a seaside community known for its scenic coastline and hillsides, rich culture, revitalized historic Downtown and environmental stewardship.