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Things to do in Ventura

Our most recommended things to do in Ventura

Santa Barbara: Sunset Kayak Tour

1. Santa Barbara: Sunset Kayak Tour

Discover the beautiful landscapes of Santa Barbara on a relaxing sunset kayak tour. You will watch a basic paddling demonstration and hear the safety talk before setting out on the water. Spend 2-hours on the water exploring the Santa Barbara harbor and the shoreline. Watch the sun as it settles over the sea, creating a gorgeous backdrop of the city and the Santa Ynez Mountain range. Enjoy paddling along the coastline and soak in the stunning surrounding views of the sea. Immerse yourself into a dream-like nature experience for all sea kayaking skill levels, including beginners to advanced.

Ventura: Scavenger Hunt Self-Guided Walking Tour

2. Ventura: Scavenger Hunt Self-Guided Walking Tour

Enjoy a guided walking tour of beautiful and interesting parts of downtown Ventura while following clues on your smartphone and solving interesting puzzles along the way. Play with your group as the game guides you through the city. Score points for correct answers as you try to get a high score on the leaderboard. See major attractions as well as less-known gems of Ventura on this unique interactive tour. Work together with your group to solve the 21 challenges on the scavenger hunt as you walk approximately 2 miles. Play any time that fits your schedule. There is no in-person guide you have to wait for. Explore downtown Ventura California at your own pace. See the bustling Main Street, the historic Mission San Buenaventura, some of the best-preserved Victorian Architecture in California, and many interesting and lesser-known sights. Enjoy fun challenges with family and friends that are perfect for all ages.

Santa Barbara: Santa Ynez Wine Country Shuttle

3. Santa Barbara: Santa Ynez Wine Country Shuttle

Explore some of the best wineries in the famous Santa Ynez Valley. Enjoy a tasting, glass, or bottle of wine with a pairing of various food options at each winery.Learn from discussions of local history and gain insights into the Santa Ynez wine region along the way with your knowledgeable guides. Sample Itinerary: 9:30 - 10:45 AM – pickup at hotel 11:15 AM – winery tasting 12:15 PM – winery tasting 1:15 - 2:15 PM – lunch at a winery 2:30 PM – winery tasting 4 - 4:30 PM – drop-off at your hotel

Santa Barbara: Wine Country Tour

4. Santa Barbara: Wine Country Tour

Your group will be picked up by an air-conditioned van in the morning. Travel then to the first winery in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley. Once there, begin wine tastings and sometimes are offered barrel room tours. On the weekdays, lunch will be served in the shade at a favorite winery or park. Your guide will pick up a delicious lunch sourced from local, fresh ingredients. Cold beverages will be provided. Visit 3 local favorite wineries in the area. Each has its unique vintages and award-winning selections. The winery staff will offer insight into specific blends and selections to our guests.

Ventura: 1.5-Hour Private Beginner's Surf Lesson

5. Ventura: 1.5-Hour Private Beginner's Surf Lesson

Learn to surf at Mondos Beach with a private 1.5-hour beginner's surf lesson. Take advantage of the more gentle waves and generous space at Mondos Beach as you pick up the techniques and etiquette of surfing. Meet your instructor at the surf van located on Mondos Beach and get suited up in a wetsuit. Grab a longboard and walk to the sand for beach instructions. You'll be briefed on water and surf safety, etiquette, and proper technique before jumping into the ocean to catch some waves. Follow your instructor as they coach and push you into waves to give you an experience that will last a lifetime. Enjoy the gentle long breaking waves of Mondo Beach lending itself to longer rides for you. Your lesson is private so you or your group can have their own instructor and a more personalized experience.

Santa Barbara: Guided Kayak Tour

6. Santa Barbara: Guided Kayak Tour

Meet your guides at the boat launch at Santa Barbara Harbor, where they outfit everyone in paddle jackets and PFDs. Guides will give a basic paddling demonstration and safety talk before setting out on the water. The launch is easy, right out of the boat launch. This is a great introductory lesson to kayaking or a nice relaxing kayak for more experienced paddlers. Once on the water, paddle approximately 1-2 miles along the coast surrounded by beautiful beaches and marine life. The group will continue through the harbor, paddling past boats, through the historic wharf, under the pier, out to buoys, and along the beach.  Keep a look out for wildlife along the way such as harbor seals, sea lions, brown pelicans, sea stars, cormorants, and seagulls.  Guides will offer insight into the history of the region as well as local marine ecology. Enjoy a relaxed pace and incredible marine life as well as taking in the views of Santa Barbara from the water.

Santa Barbara: Cupcake and Wine Tour

7. Santa Barbara: Cupcake and Wine Tour

Your group will be picked up by an air-conditioned shuttle in the morning and head up to the Santa Ynez Valley. Once there, you will enjoy wine tasting at some of the area’s best wineries. Your group will visit beautiful Los Olivos and enjoy an incredible cupcake and wine tasting. Your guides will cover local human history and insight into the wine region along the way. On the weekdays, lunch will be served in the shade at a favorite winery or park. Your guide will pick up a delicious lunch sourced from local, fresh ingredients. Cold beverages will be provided. Each winery has its unique vintages and award-winning selections. Winery staff offer insight into specific blends and selections to guests.

From San Francisco: Highway 1 Self-Drive Audio Tour

8. From San Francisco: Highway 1 Self-Drive Audio Tour

Hop in your car and enjoy this self-guided audio tour along the Pacific Coast Highway. Start in San Francisco or LA, and simply follow the GPS guide to explore one of the most beautiful stretches of coastal road in the world. Take your time driving through Monterey Bay, artsy Carmel and more. Your virtual audio guide will share interesting facts and insights as you drive. Admire views of rocky headlands, jewel-like coves, waterfalls and the famous bridges of Big Sur as you explore California’s coastal highlights. Your downloaded guide will give you plenty of opportunities to pull off the road and explore local beaches, wildlife and towns on foot. Wander through San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, Santa Barbara, Ventura & Malibu before wrapping up the tour in Los Angeles. You will receive an email with the audio tour app link and a unique password from the local supplier within 1 hour of booking. Once the app is downloaded, take the tour whenever you would like. Just head to stop number 1 and begin exploring.

Santa Barbara Surfing Lesson

9. Santa Barbara Surfing Lesson

This is a simple introduction for a first-time surfer or someone who has tried surfing a few times and needs some pointers. The instruction starts with beach lesson reviewing: how to position yourself on the board, paddling techniques, and proper stance. Once in the water students will get pointers on maneuvering waves, balance techniques, and surf etiquette. Santa Barbara Adventure Company’s surf lessons offer students a great foundation for this exciting sport. Our knowledgeable instructors have over 25 years of combined experience and will use their skills to point out the finer points of catching waves. Instructors choose surf sites based on the current swell and tide conditions, finding the best breaks for successful learning. Lessons require a minimum of four students.

Santa Barbara: Haskell's Beach Kayaking Tour

10. Santa Barbara: Haskell's Beach Kayaking Tour

Join us on an exploration of the Gaviota Coast, home to more than 1,500 species of plant and animal life. This is our most popular coastal trip and offers a perfect day of kayaking, swimming and fun in nature. We will meet at Haskell’s Beach, a secluded icon in the Santa Barbara beach scene. Your guide will outfit the members of your group and offer a thorough kayaking lesson onshore. Once on the water, we will tour a total of 3 miles, stopping in pristine kelp beds to learn about marine ecology and the Santa Barbara Channel (and hopefully kayak with dolphins and sea lions!). If you want to pack a sack lunch, we can stop mid-way through for a beach picnic for an hour or so or you’re welcome to picnic at the conclusion of your tour. As the trip progresses, your guide may offer a fun series of kayak challenges and games. This unforgettable trip will provide great opportunities to swim, play or just float. It’s perfect for all ages of adventure seekers!

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What people are saying about Ventura

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 29 reviews

This was a really great adventure- especially for those with out much experience. My group and I had kayaked a lot before but our guides we so helpful in making the excursion memorable and unique to us all. We talked a lot about the harbor in Santa Barbara and when we went out into the open ocean for a little bit we saw sea lions!! It was a really awesome trip and would recommend to people of any ability :)

The tour was great. Our driver Sunny was very nice. She kept everything running smoothly and was informative. My friends and I were celebrating a work anniversary and it was a perfect day. Would definitely recommend to anyone who wants a relaxing day of wine tasting in Santa Barbara.

It was great though we did have Google maps on one phone and this app on another. V informative. I had a technical issue whicb support sorted out within minutes via chat. Only annoyance is hearing the instruction to go back to the map and follow the route for 150 times.

The GPS functionality worked very well and the tour was quite interesting. I wish the additional points of interest feature worked without Wi-Fi or service and was more imbedded into the tour. Definitely worth the money!

Johannes was an excellent guide. Knowledgeable and friendly, while giving us space to explore and do our own thing.