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View Winners → Escape to Ventura Harbor Village
Arcadia Weekly Jul 05, 2018
Ventura Harbor is an all-in-one getaway, with hotels, restaurants, and entertainment all within walking distance. – Courtesy photo / Ventura Harbor Village
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Ventura Harbor is an all-in-one getaway, with hotels, restaurants, and entertainment all within walking distance. – Courtesy photo / Ventura Harbor Village
By Greg Aragon
I love a compact getaway where everything is within walking distance and I don’t have to worry about driving for dining, shopping, sightseeing, or activities. This is what I loved about my recent visit to Ventura Harbor Village, where restaurants, shops, and beach-front adventures are located in one charming spot, within a casual stroll of a great hotel.
My excursion to Ventura began at the Four Points by Sheraton Ventura Harbor Resort, where a friend and I checked into a comfortable second floor room overlooking a large lawn with the hotel jacuzzi sitting in the middle of it. The room was highlighted by two Sheraton Four Comfort queen beds, a large flat screen TV, office desk area with free high-speed internet, and a balcony with a table and chairs.
Located on 17 coastal acres, the Sheraton also boasts an outdoor heated pool and whirlpool, bicycle rentals, and a 24-hour fitness center. But its best amenity is its proximity to Ventura Harbor Village, where I spent most of my time.
Ventura Harbor Village features a marina with more than 1,359 slips, 35 unique shops and dockside restaurants, two waterfront hotels, sandy beaches and green spaces, water sports activities, and boating and cruising options.
I began my harbor visit with lunch at Copa Cubana, a waterfront restaurant offering Cuban-American fusion cuisine, classic favorites, a full bar, and live entertainment. Our meal began with a couple classic mojitos with Bacardi Rum, mint leaves, agave, soda water, and a twist of lime. I then enjoyed seafood creole with sautéed shrimp, scallops, and squid in a creole sauce, served over saffron rice. My friend had Cuban-Chinese fried rice; a blend of Cuban and Chinese spices with platanos maduros, carrots, cabbage, scrambled eggs, and rice.
After lunch we walked to Ventura Boat Rentals rented a paddle boat and peddled our way around the harbor, cruising near million-dollar yachts and old sea ships, waving at large curious sea birds, and looking for fish in the water. Our hour-long voyage was not only exciting, but it was also a great workout on the legs.
From Ventura Boat Rentals we strolled over to Channel Islands National Park Visitor’s Center where we learned about the fascinating Channel Islands National Park. Known as “The American Galapagos,” the park encompasses five remarkable and remote islands off the Ventura coast: Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara. The Channel Islands and encircling waters are home to over 2,000 plants and animals; of which 145 are found nowhere else in the world, including the Island Fox.
Established as a National Park in 1980, each of the islands is a fascinating world unto itself. The Channel Islands offers uninterrupted time with family and friends while relaxing to the soothing sounds of the natural world in addition to world class diving, hiking, kayaking, sea cave exploration, photography, snorkeling, camping, wildlife and wildflower viewing. To get to the islands, most people use Island Packers, the official company taking visitors to the islands.
Our next stop at Ventura Harbor Village was dinner at Milano’s Italian Restaurant. With waterfront dining and breathtaking views, Milano’s specializes in traditional Italian cuisine, East Coast style pizza, and healthy sandwiches and salads.
Our dinner at Milano’s began with roasted clams with applewood smoked bacon, artichoke, chopped tomato and red pepper, and a couple glasses of merlot. We followed this with Southwest salmon ceviche, marinated in citrus, tossed with cilantro, tomato, red onions, jalapeños, and spices and served with tortilla chips. We then split a memorable chicken parmesan with seasoned breaded chicken, topped with homemade marinara and mozzarella, baked and served with a side of spaghettini.
Back at the Sheraton, we ended the day with a soak in the jacuzzi. In the morning we walked back to the harbor village for breakfast, and then relaxed on a bench and watched the fishing boats come in and out of the harbor.
For more information on visiting Ventura Harbor Village, visit VenturaHarborVillage.com. For more information on staying at Four Points by Sheraton Ventura Harbor Resort, visit fourpointsventuraharborresort.com.
