Ventura

Ventura (officially San Buenaventura) grew up around the 1782 Mission San Buenaventura and is the county seat. It has the feel of a classic California beach town: a walkable historic Main Street, a wooden pier and promenade, surf breaks at Surfers Point, and hillside neighborhoods looking out toward the Channel Islands.

Housing ranges from early-1900s bungalows and Spanish-style homes near downtown, to beach-close neighborhoods like Pierpont and the Ventura Keys, to post-war and newer tracts across the east end. It is a natural fit for buyers who want the coast and a downtown without Santa Barbara prices.

• Downtown Main Street has independent shops, thrift and antique stores, restaurants and breweries, with the Mission at its center.
• The Ventura Pier and beachfront Promenade link downtown to the coast; the Ventura County Fair runs each summer at the fairgrounds by the beach.
• Ventura Harbor Village has waterfront dining and boat departures for Channel Islands National Park, whose visitor center is in the harbor.
• Ventura College and an active arts scene round things out.

Beaches run the length of the city, from Emma Wood State Beach and Surfers Point in the west to San Buenaventura State Beach and the harbor beaches. Hillside parks include Grant Park with Serra Cross and the Ventura Botanical Gardens, and Arroyo Verde Park on the east side. The Ventura River Trail connects to the Ojai Valley Trail for a car-free ride to Ojai.

• Ventura Unified School District serves the city, with comprehensive high schools Ventura High and Buena High, plus Foothill Technology High School (a choice school) and continuation and independent-study options.
• The district offers a range of elementary and middle schools, including choice and dual-language programs.
• Ventura College is on the east side; CSU Channel Islands is about 25 minutes south-east.

Confirm the school assignment for a specific address with the district.

• Downtown, Midtown and the Hillside: older bungalows, Spanish-revival and craftsman homes near Main Street, some with ocean views.
• Pierpont: beach cottages and newer rebuilds steps from the sand.
• Ventura Keys: waterfront homes on channels off the Ventura Harbor.
• East End (Montalvo, Saticoy and the hills above Telephone Road): post-war through 1990s tracts and newer planned neighborhoods.
• Ventura Avenue (the Westside): an older, eclectic area along the Ventura River.

• Freeways: US-101 runs along the coast; SR-126 heads east to Santa Paula, Fillmore and Santa Clarita; SR-33 goes north to Ojai.
• Rail: Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner stops at the downtown Ventura station; Metrolink serves the East Ventura station.
• Approximate drive times (light traffic): Santa Barbara 35-40 min, Ojai 25 min, Camarillo 20 min, Thousand Oaks 30 min, downtown Los Angeles about 1 hr 15 min (longer at rush hour).

Electricity: Southern California Edison (SCE) owns the lines, reads the meter and sends the bill (sce.com, 1-800-655-4555). Ventura is a member of Clean Power Alliance (CPA), so homes are enrolled in CPA for the power supply by default; the default tier is 100% Green Power. Customers can switch tiers or opt out at cleanpoweralliance.org or 888-585-3788.

Natural gas: Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) (socalgas.com, 1-800-427-2200). Some rural and hillside homes use propane instead, so check the listing.

Water and sewer: Ventura Water, the City's water and wastewater department, serves most of the city. A few edge areas are served by mutual water companies or neighboring districts.

Trash and recycling: E.J. Harrison & Sons holds the exclusive City franchise (805-647-1414 or 1-800-418-7274).

Internet: Spectrum (cable) is the most common wired option; Frontier or AT&T offer DSL or fiber depending on the neighborhood, and fixed-wireless (T-Mobile, Verizon) and satellite services fill gaps. Look up the exact address on the FCC National Broadband Map.

Providers can change from one street to the next. Before you close, confirm each service for the exact address with the provider (or ask us and we will help).