Bells Art Factory is one of Ventura's true gems. Located in a beautifully repurposed former…read moremattress factory, this nonprofit community arts center is deeply rooted in creativity, accessibility, and community care. The space is home to 30+ local artists working in painting, ceramics, photography, jewelry, and more. In addition to artist studios, Bells offers youth art classes, artist-led workshops, and cultural programming including Ballet Folklórico, Aztec Dance, and yoga (Monday-Friday) with a suggested donation, making wellness and movement accessible to everyone. I've personally attended donation-based sound baths and their Día de Muertos event, and both were thoughtfully organized, welcoming, and grounded in community and cultural respect. The value here is undeniable. You are getting high-quality programming, meaningful cultural experiences, and direct support of local artists and educators, all without high price barriers. Parking is available in a small lot on site, though spaces are limited. Street parking is also available in the surrounding neighborhood. They also host First Fridays, which are always a great way to experience the space, meet artists, and support local creativity. Everything here feels intentional and community-driven. If you're looking for an affordable, enriching space that truly invests back into the community, Bells Art Factory is absolutely worth visiting and donating to.

Checked out a free Zumba class tonight! I had a blast! It was only 45mins but I really got a…read moreworkout!! Lots of smiles and so much fun!!! I think they also offer free art classes. I had never been here before and I'm so happy my friend recommended this place. What an maxing community center. I was told there is a Day of the Dead event November 2,2023. Not sure if I will be able to make it but will try :)

We were so fortunate to visit the Gardens during their wonderful hummer exhibition. Hummingbirds…read moreand informative displays are located throughout the Garden. There are new paths to explore, interesting displays to enjoy and of course, the amazing views when you get to the top. Benches are strategically placed throughout the Garden for rest if needed, shade if desired and simply to enjoy the moment. Bring water as you'll be glad you did on these warm days. Remember to wear your sunscreen and enjoy. Ample free parking in the lot out front.

Heads up to local seniors who may want to build up their aerobic fitness in the foothills above…read moreVentura Harbor with a perfectly maintained path, gentle rise, and fabulous scenery. For a $45/year membership you can train all year on a 2.5 mile loop through the plants native to Chili, South Africa, Mediterranean, Australia and CA with blooms that change through the seasons. There's no gym that can provide the meditative immersion in nature that the botanical garden gives you. The path's surface is amenable to walkers. There's only an outhouse -so that may be a problem. Coming from out of town? Got children? Perfect place to take them for breathtaking views of the harbor, fun exhibits (like the one on hummingbirds going on now) and a place to eat your bagged lunch. Kids under 18 free. Adults $7 without a membership.

Such an attractive building and has good and friendly people that work there. In front of the…read morebotanical gardens. Nice location. If you need to go there, it is a nice experience.

I walked alongside the front of San Buenaventura City Hall recently. I enjoyed my visit. The…read morebuilding has beautiful architecture. There are some great landscape views from it. I would recommend taking precaution when venturing to or from the city hall on foot as there are some steep streets surrounding it.

Mission Basilica San Buenaventura is the 9th of the 21 California missions. While going up to San…read moreFrancisco, we made a stop at MBSB to stretch out our legs. This is one of the smallest missions I've visited but one of the prettiest and most peaceful. Come visit this mission!

We stumbled upon Mission Basilica San Buenaventura by chance and didn't even realize it was right…read morein downtown Ventura! Unfortunately, we didn't have time to see the whole place, but we did get to step inside the church, and it was absolutely beautiful -- peaceful, historic, and full of charm. We're definitely planning to come back to tour the entire mission next time. A lovely hidden gem in the heart of Ventura!

The places to shop down on main have never disappointed, from antique stores to trinket shops, well…read moreknown brands and a few local ones in between, I always leave with a bag full of goodies. They also have cute coffee shops and cafes throughout main street and full on restaurants too!! (some of them have gluten free and vegan options, just read the menu) Parking: free public parking spots around downtown, some pay to park on the street closer to main. They also have free events throughout the year, farmers markets, car shows and more.

Ending our weekend getaway, we took a stroll down Main Street in Downtown Ventura to do a little…read moreshopping. On a Sunday most stores open at 11am. So, it's best to grab brunch or visit nearby sites like Serra Cross or the Ventura Pier before you shop. There are free parking lots in the area, but by the time we headed over around 11:30 am, all the free spots were taken, so we used the metered parking which was pretty reasonable. Mission San Buenaventura is located on Main Street and offers services. The church is beautiful and Sunday service was very well attended. You'll also find many thrift and antique stores with reasonable prices. I loved that Main Street included a variety of stores and restaurants without including the cheesy and touristy gift shops. We had an enjoyable lunch at Immigrant Son caffe, purchased some sodas at a really cool candy store called Rocket Fizz and visited Very Ventura, a gift shop with a nice collection of Ventura related gifts. I purchased some stickers for my Yeti and a hat.

A laid-back art gallery with lots of blowups of local photographs. Friendly staff, with a…read moreconstantly changing variety of art and reasonable prices compared to other upscale galleries. When walking Main Street, this is a pleasant place to wander in and check out the local art scene.

Great place to find unique & unusual pieces of art. There are some touristy items here. But it's…read moremostly about the art. Prices vary due to what you pick and the sizes you pick and framing. Staff are friendly and willing to give you advice and answer your questions. Very nice layout and displays.

Great location for comedy. I don't know how it is for other entertainment. Also: Ventura is…read moredelightful

What a disaster of a venue. As many reviewers have stated, the security outside is WAY overbearing…read moreand rude. They make TSA seem charming. They give you the "guilty until proven innocent" vibe. Full pat downs with attitude. Once inside, we were met with huge industrial-sized fans that sound like you are sitting next to a jet. The venue smells like a cross between armpits and urinal cakes. The only reason I'm still here is because I love the band and paid close to $150 for two tickets. The sound is as horrible as other reviews have stated. It sounds like you are listening to music inside a tin can. Also, they keep the industrial fans blowing while the performance is happening and they are so loud they are competing with the music. Stay away.

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.

There is no food served here, but if you want an excellent drink with a laid back atmosphere and…read morefriendly service with some great live music, this is the place to go! We really enjoyed our time here and the live jazz music at the bar and hope to come back for some live shows in their stage room when we're back in the area.

We went to the Mike Garson - Carmine Rojas, Music of David Bowie show October 10th 2026. The show…read morewas amazing, Mike is incredible on the piano. He played Life on Mars on took it to 11. I want to call out both Adam and Cash Dollar. The Grape is lucky to have you both on the payroll, you both exceeded my expectations. Thank you.... Adam on such a wonderful audio mix and taking the extra time with me and Cash had the door running smoothly and both were very pleasant people. My only complaint was the moronic woman who was the only one in the entire club talking extremely loud! She was the only one in the club completely oblivious that Mike Garson was playing his heart out on Life on Mars and she couldn't have cared less. There is bar 15 feet behind her she could have gone in and flapped her gums and no one would care. Some people are completely clueless. First I gave her the stink eye and she continued to talk very loudly, then I turned around and gave her the hand swipe across my neck and she continued like she was the only one in the room who mattered. I finally turned around and shushed her. She finally acknowledged someone else in the club other than her own mouth. She stood up and shouted "I am not a dog and I will not be shooshed". She was 100% correct. My hound dogs are very well behaved and have enough common sense to not BLAB loudly during an intimate concert. This woman was completely clueless. IT IS RUDE TO THE MUSICIANS ON STAGE. IT IS RUDE TO EVERYONE ELSE IN THE CLUB, but she was so self-absorbed she could care less. Two different people came up to me after the show and thanked me for shooshing the cretin. Her parents did a very poor job rising her as they never taught her basic manors.