I had to create a travel guide on Ventura, California after taking Kai on his first road trip for Labor Day Weekend. I was pleasantly surprised at how fun this little city actually is! It’s closed to some of the more popular destinations like Santa Barbara and Ojai, but a whole lot cheaper! On top of it, the city itself has some sweet hidden gems. We went during Labor Day, which just happens to be a busy and expensive weekend. If you are looking to plan a trip to Santa Barbara, I suggest booking months in advance. Otherwise, book yourself a fun, family trip to Ventura! My dad found a VRBO that was a couple blocks from the beach and it ended up being a really relaxing weekend. Since there isn’t much information on this city itself, I decided to write a quick travel guide on Ventura, California!
Where to Stay:
I suggest booking an airbnb or VRBO if you’re coming up here for a weekend. I wasn’t too impressed by the VRBO we stayed at, hence why I’m not linking it. However, finding a place near the beach shouldn’t be an issue! We brought 2 dogs along with my baby, so staying at a large airbnb with plenty of space was a necessity!
Day 1: Day Trip to Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is about an hour north of Ventura. Traffic can be cumbersome, but most of the drive is on Highway 101, which has the best views of the ocean. If you’re good at navigating maps, there are roads that parallel the freeway and allow you to bypass a ton of traffic. We happened to find a parallel road randomly while looking for a gas station, and we probably shaved off a good 20 minutes of the commute.
Our first stop in Santa Barbara was this cute coffee shop called Caje. We hung out on the patio and enjoyed some iced coffee and tea. The dogs people watched and Kai sat in his stroller nicely!
After coffee, we decided to head to State Street for lunch. Parking can be difficult, but we found a good spot a few streets away, which also happened to be in front of a pretty flower bush and ya girl had to take a photo (which is the cover photo of this post)!
We ended up eating lunch at Goat Tree, which had a large patio space and a great spot to tie up the pups. We ordered hummus and pita to share and I got myself a bunless cheese burger. Balance right?
Since having a baby and 2 dogs is exhausting, we spent most of our time just drinking wine and relaxing on the patio before heading back to Ventura. However, if you’re baby and dog free, I suggest roaming down State Street and bar hopping! I would also make a pit stop at Funk Zone which has a ton of wine tasting rooms. Some photo spot opportunities would also be Santa Barbara Mission, Santa Barbara Courthouse, the botanical gardens, and Stearns Wharf.
Day 2: Day Trip to Ojai
I had no idea it would be so so hot on the day we decided to do a road trip here. It was 100 degrees and super dry, so it made being outside incredibly uncomfortable. However, I suggest coming to this town when the weather is better. Ojai is very small and very cute! They’re also very strict when it comes to babies and alcohol being in the same vicinity, so if there’s a specific place you’re looking for, I suggest calling beforehand.
We made our way to Tipple & Montgomery, but were turned away due to the fact that minors are not allowed. The county had fined them in the past, so they couldn’t take any chances. Surprisingly, the dogs were allowed! I would understand the concern if this was a club or bar setting, but it was literally an outdoor space. Anyway, we decided to go somewhere else since it didn’t make sense to split up the group. However, if you are kid free, this place is so cute and decorated very well! I would love to come here in the future!
We stopped at a sandwich shop called Marche Gourmet Delicatessan before going to our next destination, Topa Mountain Winery. The shop had an assortment of sandwiches, entrees and fresh baked goods available, but to be completely honest, the owner of the shop was pretty rude and abrasive. She even told my sister to refill her water bottle with a hose outside! The food was decent and convenient, so just be forewarned you won’t get the best customer service.
We drove a quick five minutes to our final destination, Topa Mountain Winery. While this place does not offer a food menu, they do have mini picnic boxes you can pre-order. Ojai is very diligent with Covid protocol, so you must make a reservation in advance or you will not be seated. They have wine tastings where you can try their whites, reds, or a mix. I stuck to just ordering rosé though! I even treated myself to a frozé after! I definitely recommend this winery! The service was great as well.
Day 3: Visit Ventura Beach and Harbour Village
My mom and I decided to start our morning with a walk to the beach near our VRBO. It was a bit cloudy that day but we enjoyed taking Hazel and Kai on a long walk.
This was our last day in Ventura, so we decided to take a peek at Harbour Village before making the drive back to Orange County. We ended up eating at this café called Le Petit, which was dog friendly and had a huge patio. My mom, sister, and I split a croissant French toast, bread pudding, and a veggie quiche. The side of potatoes were chef’s kiss. Honestly, everything on the menu was BOMB! I highly recommend checking this place out for brunch if you’re in the area.
All in all, Kai was such an adventure baby–so curious in all the spots we took him. I can’t wait to take him on more trips like this and can only hope that he will appreciate travel and discovering new places the older he gets!
I hope you enjoyed this travel guide on Ventura, California and found the tips helpful!
