Free Free Free! Donations generously accepted!…read more Great spot if your at the Ventura Harbor. Great educational experience on how important it is to keep our oceans clean and learn more about the local islands creatures and climate. Lots of parking but never enough parking spots during great weather. However the parking is free. You can find by driving all the way to the dead end and it's on the right hand side. There is a store to buy souvenirs. Lots of picture ops. Great views to have a picknick and sightseeing. Most importantly this is a great spot to educate our children the importance on a eco friendly environment for our sea creatures and the local islands. There's a auditorium and a short clip constantly running, That's also free. There's a great sight seeing tower that you can walk up and get your stair climb on. There's also an elevator to get to the top as well.

These are 60 foot boats. They have benches all around for sitting along the way over to the…read moreChannel Islands. There are some protected seats on the inside. Boat has a snack bar, and restrooms. The trip over depends, of course, on the weather. The channel can get rough, so I recommend you go during the morning when you have the chance for less bumps. We did have some whitecaps, and the ride was very bumpy at times. Be sure to take your seasick medicine, if you are prone, as this can be one ride with lots of motion. The boat worked, got us there, and came back to pick us up. What more could you ask for?

This had been on our bucket list for years, and for Father's Day I finally surprised my husband,…read moreson, and his girlfriend with a trip. It was absolutely worth the 1 hour and 45 minute drive from our town! Parking: Free, plentiful, and conveniently close to the train station. Check-In & Service: We arrived early, and the check-in process was quick and easy. The staff were friendly and welcoming. After choosing our carts and loading our belongings, we had time to use the restroom before the ride began. It's easy to drive and if you don't feel like pedaling, the motor will do it for you -- no steering is required! Pro Tips Bring a Small Pillow This was a game-changer! We brought small pillows and placed them behind our backs, which significantly reduced vibration and made the ride much more comfortable. Thank you to the reviewer who suggested this--we had zero complaints. Bug Spray & Sun Protection Bring bug spray or insect repellent. The bugs weren't too bad during our visit, but it's nice to have. An umbrella can also provide extra shade if desired. Bring Water There is a cup holder on each cart, so staying hydrated is easy. Secure Loose Items Be careful when placing items in the cup holder. There's a small opening on one side, and smaller items can slip through. My bug spray fell out during the ride. Fortunately, there's also a basket available for purses and other belongings. Hair & Helmets If you have long hair, wear it down or in a very low ponytail so it fits comfortably under the helmet. Shoes Closed-toe shoes are highly recommended. Since you may be pedaling at times, it's possible to lose a loose-fitting sandal or flip-flop. Sunglasses Definitely bring sunglasses to protect your eyes from dust, wind, and the occasional bug. Restrooms & Snacks There is an opportunity along the route to purchase snacks and use the restroom (outhouse). Overall We had a fun time. One of our favorite parts was taking in the scenery, spotting native plants, and simply enjoying being outside. This was a unique experience and a memorable Father's Day outing that we'd happily do again

This was a unique fun diversion. A small group of us rented these rail bikes and went a few miles…read moredown a track with views of orchards and farmland. They're fairly easy to pedal since they're electric. A highlight was stopping at a farm stand and farm animal petting area, where we got to buy fresh produce. I'd do this on a mild weather day and make sure to book in advance.

We had a fabulous time with Manuel, he was very knowledgeable in the history of San Buenaventura…read more We stopped at six local historical restaurants to taste the amazing food & drink items. If you want to do something fun, this tour is a MUST. We shared the tour with an amazing retired couple The Hanks they where great and fun! Until next time Ventura, much love!! Shout out to my company Waterton Property Management for this amazing experience in honor of my 3 year anniversary with the company.

I took the Taste of Santa Barbara Tour in late February 2024. I am 38 and I took my wife and my…read moremother along with me. We all had a great time and learned a lot. The food was delicious and was filling, none of wanted or needed to get more after the tour was over. The amount of walking and sitting time is well balanced, it was probably like walk for 15 and sit for 20. Our guide was a long lime local, very knowledgeable and had answers to just about every question asked. What we really liked is that the tour was small only 6 people, and by the end of the last stop we were sipping wine with our new tour friends and the whole tour enhanced our visit to SB.

Holy moly what can I say....? Captain Sean far surpassed my expectations, he is literally a…read moremachine. He saved me from my office prison for the last 3 days and it was by far the best experience of my life. We had so many premium spots to anchor in, it was like a private resort. We went diving, snorkeling, kayaking, spear fishing, you name it. You better believe I am coming back to Sean for round 2. Captain Sean thank you!!!

We chartered a memorial at sea with Captain Sean and he was so kind and compassionate. He was very…read moresensitive to our families event and made the time enjoyable and personable. He was very easy to work with to book the sailing journey. We highly recommend Captain Sean and Channel Islands Charter!

We visited the Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center and we definitely weren't disappointed!…read moreThere was so much for our nine-year-old to enjoy. He received a Junior Ranger packet with activities to complete, and once he finished, he was officially sworn in as a Junior Ranger. He even got a little wooden badge, which was such a cute touch! The visitor center is also in a great location, right by the Ventura Harbor, with plenty of places to grab ice cream, eat, or do a little shopping. The whole area was clean, nice, and easy to walk around. Such a fun and family-friendly stop, especially if you have kids who love adventures and earning Junior Ranger badges!

As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six-week road trip. I…read morehave a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and truly experience it. On this trip, we visited 14 national parks, and Channel Islands National Park was one of the most unique adventures. Unlike most national parks, getting there is part of the experience. There are no roads leading into the park, you have to take a ferry from Ventura across the Pacific Ocean. Just boarding the boat and watching the mainland disappear behind you makes the trip feel like an expedition to somewhere special. We visited Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the Channel Islands, and immediately understood why these islands are often called the "Galápagos of North America." Thousands of years of isolation have allowed unique plants and animals to evolve here, including the adorable island fox, found nowhere else on Earth. Seeing one of these tiny foxes wandering near the trails was an unexpected highlight. The hiking was beautiful, with dramatic coastal cliffs, sweeping ocean views, wildflowers, and peaceful trails. One of the things we appreciated most was the feeling of solitude. Unlike many of California's more famous parks, Channel Islands feels wonderfully wild and uncrowded. The absolute highlight of our visit, however, was kayaking through the sea caves. Paddling into enormous ocean caves carved by the Pacific was an unforgettable experience. The water changed from deep blue to brilliant turquoise as the sunlight reflected inside the caves, and every turn revealed another incredible rock formation. It was exciting, peaceful, and just a little adventurous all at once. It became one of the most memorable experiences of our entire six-week trip. Because there are no restaurants, hotels, or stores on the islands, you need to come prepared with food, water, and everything you'll need for the day. That lack of development is exactly what makes the park so special. It feels wild, protected, and beautifully untouched. Channel Islands National Park is unlike any other national park we have visited. Between the ferry ride, spectacular coastal scenery, abundant wildlife, wonderful hiking, and unforgettable sea cave kayaking, it was an experience we will never forget. If you're willing to plan ahead and make the journey across the water, you'll discover one of America's true hidden gems.

DO NOT BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY -- TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE- Location in Tracy- Northern CA…read more We booked a mountain ATV ride with Enjoy the Mountain ATV in July 2026, and unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing. The first red flag was that the company did not provide a phone number, making it difficult to get help or clarification when we needed it. We followed their directions exactly and arrived 30 minutes early. We parked in the designated lot as instructed by the person at the gate, but our guide never came to meet us. We eventually had to drive into the park ourselves and locate the guide, who was parked on the side of the road. There was no clear signage identifying the company or where customers were supposed to check in. Once we finally found the guide, the intake process took approximately 40 minutes. After all of that, we paid approximately $700 for a ride that lasted only about 20 minutes. We were also promised pictures from the experience, but no pictures were ever provided. What made the experience even worse was the customer service afterward. Rather than taking responsibility for the poor communication, unclear instructions, lack of signage, and failure to provide what was promised, the company provided little to no accountability. For the amount of money we spent, this was absolutely not the experience we expected. Poor communication, poor organization, inadequate customer service, and failure to deliver what was promised. Based on our experience, I would not recommend this company and would strongly encourage others to consider other ATV companies before booking.

My two brothers and I spent the long Thanksgiving weekend in Solvang and decided to end our trip…read morewith an ATV tour in the Santa Barbara mountains before heading back to L.A. Best decision ever! Although getting to the meeting point was a bit scary as we drove 15 mph through winding roads next to steep cliffs, the views were nice and the ATV experience was totally worth it! We gave ourselves plenty of time to get lost and it took us about 1.5 hours to get to the checkpoint. Luckily Google Maps was on the entire time and we even had an hour to kill on top of the mountain before our 12:30pm appointment. (Also had screenshots of the directions in case we lost service). Upon arrival, we met with the two girls who were wearing face masks and face shields so we felt safe. They had all the sanitizing stuff. They checked us all in, gave us each a mesh covering for our head, pairs of gloves, goggles and helmets. They offered different insurance plans (just like a rental car company), each ranging in price. Then, they walked us over to the ATVs where Jorge was our tour guide. He asked us if we've ever rode before and taught us how to use the automatic ATVs and made us feel comfortable and safe. (Throttle was on the right handle bar and brakes on the left. Second brake was a foot pedal). We drove on wide and narrow trails, over some fun rocky areas, kicking up lots of dust, and he took photos of us the entire time. This was a great family bonding experience and we're all still talking about how fun it was and want to do it again. Know Before You Go: It gets dusty so wear clothes and closed toe shoes that you're ok getting dirty. Give yourself plenty of time to drive to the location because the last thing you want to do is rush through the scary mountain roads. 10/10 would definitely do this again!

My wife and I had an amazing two-hour sail in Oxnard with Captain Dan and Nico. Honestly, the…read moreentire experience hinged on whether they'd be great company--and they absolutely were. Captain Dan's quiet 20 years in the Navy made us feel in expert hands, and the conversation was just as enjoyable as the sailing. We laughed, learned a bit about the sea, and left wanting more time out on the water! (J&N)

We took the ASA 101 Sailing Course with Capt. Dan and it was absolutely superb! Wiley is a lovely…read moreboat and the perfect vessel to train on. Capt. Dan was incredibly thorough, communicated directly, and is an excellent teacher. He also did a terrific job of tailoring the lessons to the skills of his students. Any day out on the water is a good one, but the four days we spent with Capt. Dan were truly some of our best on the water to date! Can't wait for the 103!

I'm in Ventura all the time and for some reason I've never stopped by, until now! It was my…read moremother-in-laws birthday and she really enjoys George Stuart. The museum entry was free. They have the front lobby (staff was extremely friendly!) and to the left, they have a store with unique items made by locals; you can explore after you make your way through the museum. During our time there, they had the following exhibitions: Parallel Histories: Ventura County during the US Revolution, Patriotic Threads: Textiles, Tapestries, & T-Shirts, The Changing Faces of Abraham Lincoln, and In Focus: Mexican Indigenous Voices of Ventura County. You can get through the museum roughly in a 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Definitely worth stopping by!

We just happen to be driving to Ventura for the day and found parking right in front. While paying…read morefor parking the music they had playing drew my attention. It so happens the day we went it was free admission. We come to the area every now and then from the valley (near studio city ) but never really noticed this place. I enjoyed seeing different artists woks. They had some parts where you had to guess which image is Ai out of three pictures. It was fun trying to figure it out. I could see myself coming back again.

Had the most amazing time out in the sun at the Oxnard harbor. Rented kayak for one hour and…read moreexplored the marina with my partner in crime! Very dog friendly and check-in process is VERY fast and easy! Highly recommend for a fun summer activity

Don't count on them for kayak rentals. I had organized a 3 day trip to go kayaking out of Scorpion…read more Was bringing my personal kayak and then renting one until I received a call the night before we took off telling me the conditions weren't any good with 7 ft swell and 25mph gusts forecasted. I was told the only window would be for arrival day which I had already booked a tour so I was advised to not bring my personal kayak. Huge mistake! Second day and there was a little wind but not too bad, bit of a swell but plenty of kayaking to be had without caves. All the boats and tours went out all day. I had called the Kayak Center to see if they could send two singles out for next morning for us as there was still room on boat. I was told there was no way they would send out any kayaks due to the conditions and swell and out of safety. The guy kept going on and on about what happens when you go around a bend. It was ridiculous as I kept telling him I know exactly what happens. No matter how many times I told him that I am a very experienced paddler, certified rescue diver, live in Laguna, and am on ocean about 3 days/week and understand ocean conditions and forecasts, the guy wouldn't hear it. I have my own RIB with a 50hp motor I take out all the time. I'm not a newbie. What really got me was they ended up sending out several kayaks for other people in the morning boat yet nothing for us. I asked him why was he not letting us have any and he then started back peddling saying those people signed waivers about not taking kayak for that day. The kayaks they delivered weren't going to be used until next day. What a lie that was. You couldn't have asked for a calmer more gorgeous day to be on water which again, every boat was including the kayaks they had taken over on ferry. I've kayaked scorpion several times when I used to frequent islands on private boat. This time was much different and a lot of coordination going into it. After much work, I had 3 days planned out with my daughter, 17, and also an experienced paddler, surfer, and certified advanced diver. Our trip was ruined because of these guys. I can guarantee if I had been a male, there wouldn't have been any problems. Instead we got to sit on the beach and watch all the kayakers enjoy a gorgeous glassy day on the water with no way to get out ourselves. Profilers.

Well, I do have to say, the marketing for this "excursion" is very well written. Too bad the actual…read moreevent wasn't nearly as exciting. Our loading time was 12:00, waiting for about 5 minutes to see if anybody else was going to join us. Captain Dave then took all boarding passes, payments, vouchers, etc. Also tried selling some Pirate gear for an additional $5.00 each - things that you can get at the Dollar Tree--all which took another 5 minutes or so. All the kids received pirate stickers though. While leaving, (12:10) the narration started - "see the seal", umm yeah-he's been swimming around for the last 30 minutes. Didn't narrate anything else, other than tell 3 pirate jokes and pointed out the fishermen on the rocks and what could possibly be caught. Rode up to the the break water, blew the horn to scare the birds so they could fly, the Captain says it's like being in the movie "The Birds". Turned around and floated by the kids beach, Coast Guard Station, the fueling dock, then he let the kids drive the boat for about 45 seconds each. Not really narrated much of anything - mainly because he was on the phone most of the time. We got back to the dock at 12:37. So--with leaving late and coming back early - I would say we were shorted 15 minutes. This company either needs another person go along on the rides or stay at dock to answer the phone and actually write down who and how many are coming for the next trip. Dave took about 6 business calls, pretending to write down the name and how many in the party; took 2 personal calls and made additional calls. Too busy to narrate anything that way. This 30 minute tour was nothing like what we were expecting. Captain Jack Sparrow would be embarrassed. AAARRRRRRRGH!

This was a great first boat ride for our baby boy. It's only 40 minutes so we didn't have to worry…read moreabout bringing anything or about the kiddo being on the boat longer than he would want. It was really laid back and chill; no scary pirates, only a funny one. While we were waiting to board, we saw fish, crab and a small octopus, about 15 inches long- so cool! The captain was really nice- even helped me on the boat with my baby. He told some really cute pirate jokes and pointed out birds and dolphins as we slowly cruised the harbor. Then he let the kids take turns at the wheel, letting them wear his pirate hat. Wasn't too cold, as the front windows are covered. Would do this again for sure!