Ventura County, CA Beach Secrets
Though Ventura County’s population isn’t small, it’s still only a fraction of L.A.’s. And what’s true of the county as a whole is also true of its beaches. Even at the height of summer, they’re seldom as crowded as those of their neighbor to the south.
I like approaching them from Highway 1 if I can. This is the Pacific Coast Highway, which travels the length of California and is famous for it’s often spectacular scenic vistas. Once past Malibu, the traffic starts to thin out and by the time I reach the first of the county’s beaches, I’m generally moving at freeway speed.
This is Sycamore Canyon which, along with its neighbor Thornhill-Broome, offers picnicking and camping as well as access to the beach. Hiking trails in Sycamore Canyon run into the hills behind the beach and offer a taste of some of Southern California’s unspoiled natural scenery. Thornhill-Broome also has its claim to fame. A large sand dune climbs up the very steep hill behind it. I’m told the view from the top is worth the hike but you need to be in real good shape to make it.
A few miles to the north is Point Mugu with its famous Rock and one of my favorite beaches. Mugu Beach has no identifying signs so you have to look sharp for the parking lot entrance which is a few hundred yards north of the Rock. Largely deserted most of the time, this is one of Ventura County’s best-kept secrets. The beach itself shelves rather steeply so it’s no good for surfing and a strong undertow makes swimming a little dicey too. I often make good catches of perch fishing in the surf there but that’s not the big secret either. It has to do with something much larger. Point Mugu is one of the places where the gray whales make their closest approach to shore during their annual migration. From late December through January the gray whales pass as little as Ã?¼ mile off shore on their way to Baja California. From late January through April they’re headed the other way. If you can’t get on a boat, this is the next best place to be. From the parking area above the beach you pretty much have a ringside seat and, even when the whales aren’t around, the waters abound with dolphin and sea lions so there’s always a show. Bring some bread too. The ground squirrels there are very tame and they’ll love you for it.
For the more actively minded, there’s always surfing. While Ventura County is not that famous for it, there are a few spots where a surfer can find some action. The best known of these is Surfer’s Point, an area about a mile north of the Ventura Pier. Surfers can be found there at all times of the year so it must be a pretty good place. Silverstrand Beach and “The Wall” at Rincon are a couple of other hot spots.
Rincon, which is just north of the City of Ventura, includes Emma Wood State Beach and a few miles of gently curving beach above it. If you don’t want to pay for parking at the state beach, you can park along the roadside and climb down to get to the water. That’s what most of the surfers do and what I do as well. I sometimes surf fish this area and, contrary to popular belief, get along just fine with the surfers.
I don’t know that my favorite place for surf fishing has a name though. It’s where 5th Street in Oxnard meets the sea. A beautiful sandy beach stretches miles to the south with access by many streets that pass through residential areas. The boundary to the north is marked by a swift-running creek that’s used to cool the local power plant. It’s about Ã?¾ of a mile above where I park. The bathers and surfers congregate mostly to the south so the area has a wilderness feel despite the nearness of the city. This is especially true on early morning jaunts and seasons other than summer.
A great variety of fish can be caught in the waves too. There’s perch, of course, but also corbina, yellow fin croaker, sharks, rays and even, occasionally, a halibut. Even if you’re unfamiliar with surf fishing, there’s always some garrulous fisherman around willing to give you advice. I know. I’m one of them.
I’ve only touched on a few of Ventura County’s many beaches here. I’ve skipped by some great attractions too, like the marinas and piers of Ventura and Port Hueneme. Perhaps, though, I’ve enticed you to come up and do a little exploring of your own. Try it. I think you’ll like it.
