 | Downtown Ventura |
| Ventura, CA Print Leave a comment |
Description
Downtown Ventura, or Main Street, has great appeal, with its palm-lined casual streets. The 19th century architecture, painted in pale pastels, is so lovely! There are an abundance of attractive cafes as well as a variety of ethnic restaurants: South American food, Thai food, Peruvian food.
Zoey's Cafe is a particularly gorgeous little eatery. It's located in a delightful paseo off of Main Street. You can sit upstairs under their red and white umbrellas on a tiny, Spanish balcony and look out over the rooftops covered in vines with vibrant red flowers. Young people hang out upstairs, tuned in to their laptops. Zoey's is a mix of a cafe with great food, a coffee shop for hanging out, and a live music venue at night.
A great thing about historic downtown Ventura is that it is completely walkable! Park along Main Street for free, and then walk to your heart's content! There are some beautiful buildings to take in, such as the Erle Stanley Gardner Building on the corner of Main and California. City Hall is a gorgeous Beaux Arts building- you can't miss it as you look uphill on California Street. It was Ventura's courthouse until the 70s. Main Street also has a groovy art-deco theatre that is lit up in neon at night. In fact, the whole of Main Street looks very cool at night, with neon lights twirled around the palm-tree trunks.
Walk west on Main Street and you will come to the prettiest part of Ventura, the mission and plaza. Don't miss this romantic spot.
Walk east on Main Street and you will find a lovely mix of Victorian houses turned into cafes and shops. There is a shop called Rosie Lee Imports that sells everything British: biscuits (cookies), chocolate bars, meat pies, and vegemite.
For some reason, there are also a little too many second-hand and other dowdy-looking stores on Main Street.
Main Street, because it is parallel to the beach, is sheltered, warm, and not windy, so enjoy the sunshine.
Things To Do Nearby
For a lovely new playground in a gorgeous setting check out Plaza Park. For some colorful mini-golf in a garden setting, check out Golf N Stuff. For a hip little beach area check out Seaward Avenue and the Seven Jetties.
Photo Gallery
Click on photo to see large versionThe art deco theater on Ventura's Main Street. |
The art-deco theater and the trees lit at night with lights that spiral down their trunks. |
Thai and Peruvian food, plus an Irish pub next door! The choices are endless in Ventura! |
California Street, looking up toward City Hall. |
The pretty Earl Stanley Gardner building, and fancy lightposts, on Main Street. |
Ventura's City Hall, as seen looking up the hill from Main Street. |
Historical buildings redone- Ventura's main street has lots of flair! |
You have to go to Ben and Jerry's Icecream (by the movie theater) while in Ventura! It's the nicest one I've been to, with fresh-made waffle cones! |
Cute little cafe east on Main Street- Bernadette's. |
Bernadette's Pub and Cafe, a live music venue. |
Directions
Exit Highway 101 southbound at Main Street. Once you get to around Oak Street, park along the road. Exit Highway 101 northbound at California Street, turn right on California Street, right on Main Street and park along the road.
Zoey's Cafe, 451 East Main Street, Ventura CA 93001, call (805) 652-0091.
Bernadette's on Main, 701 E. Main Street, call (805) 643-6749.
Rosie Lee Imports, 673 E. Main St. call (805) 643-5832.
This is an interactive map, you can zoom and move it.
Visitor Ratings
Overall Visitor Rating: 
meow mixer 12/09/2011 11:22 | its off dah charts mang! | |
Rob 02/25/2011 08:26 | Like a touch of Cambria nearby. Downtown Ventura is nearly perfect, if they could just flush out the bums and the smokers it would be perfect! | |
Phil 07/07/2010 12:44 | I love the photos! | |
Stu 02/24/2010 13:54 | RE: \"For some reason, there are also a little too many second-hand and other dowdy-looking stores on Main Street.\" Hey! EVERYthing doesn\'t have to look like some city planner\'s sterile dream book. Those \"second-hand and other dowdy-looking stores\" serve an economic and a social purpose and obviously keep a lot of otherwise empty buildings occupied and useful. Wake up and enjoy the VARIETY of lively, downtown Ventura! | |
Tina 10/15/2009 14:37 | Without a doubt, my favourite place in cali to go. I loved it because where I stayed was walking distance to everything the beach, the shoppoing, the great dining, the bars, only place I drove to was the miniature golf place | |
Abby 09/20/2007 21:50 | Gorgeous weather!!!! A very chilled, relaxed place!!! |