Beaches, Surf & ShopAcross Ventura County

Iconic right-hand point break with a small-town downtown literally three blocks away.

C Street is the long cobblestone right that peels along the rivermouth at Surfer's Point, anchoring the Ventura coast. It's one of the most consistent point breaks in Southern California and the beating heart of Ventura surf culture. The paved promenade and bike path along the bluff make it as much a spectator beach as a surf spot — locals jog, walk dogs, and post up with coffee to watch the lineup go off.

Mellow, friendly, and uncrowded — the easygoing point break locals use to teach the kids.

Mondo's sits along the curving stretch of PCH between Ventura and Carpinteria, where the hills come right down to the ocean and the surf rolls in slow and clean. It's the most beginner-friendly point break in the county and the spot Ventura families bring soft-tops and kids to. The cobblestone bottom and gentle right peel make it a longboarder's dream — and the crowd reflects that mellow energy.

Rugged, quiet, and authentically VC — a pebble-cobble beach with the train tracks running just behind.

Emma Wood stretches along the coast just north of Ventura, where old PCH, the railroad tracks, and the Pacific run side by side. It's not a soft-sand beach — it's pebbles and cobblestones, with kelp piled up and shorebirds working the tide. There's a state beach campground tucked along the bluff, and the bike path from downtown Ventura runs right to it. On a winter swell, the local boys break out the boards at the lesser-known peaks here.

Calm, protected, and easy — the antidote to the rest of the Ventura coast.

Harbor Cove is the small sheltered beach tucked behind the Ventura Harbor jetty. Because it's protected by the breakwater, the water is almost still — making it the easiest beach in the county for little kids, nervous swimmers, or anyone who just wants to wade. It sits right next to the Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center and the Island Packers ferry terminal, which makes it the perfect first stop before a Channel Islands day trip.

Sheltered, sunny, and pure family beach magic — basically a giant ocean swimming pool.

Mother's Beach (locally called Kiddie Beach) sits inside Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, tucked behind the jetty so the water stays mirror-flat. It's the most family-friendly beach on the entire VC coast — soft sand, no waves, lifeguards in summer, picnic tables, BBQs, and easy paddle-rental access. The Harbor View shops and restaurants are a five-minute stroll around the marina.

Wide-open, dune-backed, and surprisingly empty — a beach-town strand most LA visitors never find.

Silver Strand and Hollywood Beach connect a long uninterrupted stretch of Oxnard coast — soft sand, low dunes, beach cottages painted pastel, and a real sleepy-California feel. The surf is consistent (decent peaks in the right swell), but it's better known for long beach walks, kite flying, and lazy weekends. Some of the most charming beach-cottage neighborhoods in the county sit just one street back.

Sleepy, small-town, and wonderfully unhyped — the kind of beach where you can hear yourself think.

Port Hueneme's beach and pier sit south of Channel Islands Harbor and rarely show up on anyone's tourism map. Which is exactly the point. The beach is wide and clean, the 1,200-foot pier is one of the most peaceful sunset walks in the county, and the surrounding Bubbling Springs Park makes for an easy bike-and-beach combo. Locals jog the boardwalk; weekends are calm even in summer.