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An unexpected bevy of oases are hidden under tree canopies and behind hedges in the small but wondrous Big Rock Preserve. While the paths are pristine and carefully delineated, you…

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The shrubby, duney, jungled wild space between Emma Wood State Park, Ventura River’s estuary, the freeway, and the ocean is etched with footpaths. There are two jumping off points from…

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See those things sticking up over there on the beach between the cobblestones and the mini jungle to the south of the pier? You should definitely take a closer look!…

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Just across from the Children’s Beach, this sweet little garden tucks neatly into the little triangle beside the Visitor Center entrance. Signage and boxes at the start describe the flora…

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A fire road forges the main path through Harmon Canyon, alongside and across the creek to a lookout, ostensibly 3.5 miles in – and up. But we got happily distracted…

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Draped with endless strands of loops and switchbacks connected by steep, sculptural stone stairways, the hillside garden reveals exquisite plant life and a breathtaking view at every bend. From the…

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If Ventura’s Marina Park were an amusement park, this would be its adventure ride. Past the big lawn, beach, sand dunes, playground and marooned “pirate ship,” the first part of…

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Don’t let the chain link fence keep you from exploring this wonderland; the gate off of Angler Court is unlocked daily between 9am and 5pm. Sandy pathways loop around the…

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On their iconic hilltop, “two trees” watch over Ventura, the inspiration for the many logos and business names meant to reinforce their hometown identities. In 1898, the original hilltop grove…

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A cross has stood in the spot on the hill overlooking Ventura since the late 1700s, roughly since Junipero Serro founded the San Buenaventura Mission. Surrounded by a beautifully maintained…

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Wedged amidst Ventura’s foothills, Arroyo Verde Park is the launch pad for trails of various lengths and climbs, though a lovely view with fragrant, pretty flora is guaranteed. Trails start…

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This mini adventure along the boardwalk through the dunes at Surfer’s Point feels like an elongated viewing platform. Of course, the ocean looks beautiful from the bike path, too –…

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Stone sculpture studios meld one into the next along this otherworldly mini footpath, open to the public Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. Classical alabaster nudes, rustic Buddhas, monolithic towers, exquisite pebbly jellyfish and…

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