Ventura - Best Places to Visit (Oxnard, Simi Valley: high crime, home, living in)

[Cyanna]

What are your recommendations for a nice/fun day in Ventura County?

I remember having a great time at Solvang when I was growing up and stopping at Andersons on the way home for a meal

[jkbatca]

Really depends upon what your idea of "nice/fun" is... Need to be more specific.

I like Solvang too, and I think probably Ventura (city) would kind of be a place to "hang around" in like Solvang. Another quaint place to hang out is Ojai.

Mostly, there are beaches, hiking, and other activities to do in Ventura County. There are not any "big attractions" in this area, but LA and SB counties cover that and all are within driving distance!

BTW, Solvang and Anderson's is in Santa Barbara county...

[Adriatica]

Solvang is in Santa Barbara County, but you're right that it's not too far away.

Ojai is a fun place to check out. Be sure to go to Bart's Books (an outdoor bookstore!) and see the shops on the main drag. The beaches right in Ventura can be fun and Ventura has lots of neat shops and restaurants that are very walkable downtown.

You can also ride boats from Ventura's harbor out to the Channel Islands.

[Cyanna]

Yeah, I realized after I made the post that I should have titled it "Tri-Counties of V, SB and SLO,

I've been away from home for a long time, so thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it, LOL! Been living in the UK for 7 years and before that was in Arizona for 9 years.

I always loved a drive through Ojai. I remember when growing up that boyfriends would take their girlfriends for drives there at night and scare them with tales of "Char Man."

[flashinthepan]

Stay away from Riverpark in Oxnard. Infested with gangbangers who have migrated from EL Rio. Drugs and hookers next? What a shame.

[Cyanna]

I always had an aversion to Oxnard, probably because of its name. Makes me think of "Bull Testicles." Other than that I don't have much personal knowledge of the place as my family always just went through it on the way to somewhere else.

Are there some decent areas to live in Oxnard?

[Humanoid]

Are there some decent areas to live in Oxnard

Yes, most of it. Oxnard isn't a high crime area.

[Cyanna]

We will be settling in the Simi Valley/Moorpark area, but Oxnard has looked very promising for setting up our office. Any advice on the best areas to focus on for this?

[Cyanna]

For anyone visiting the Simi Valley area I recommend a visit to the Strathern Historical Park and Museum. They have some lovely old buidings there which give a taste of what life in Simi was like over a century ago. There is also the old Santa Susana Depot, which is well worth a quick visit.

[macsret]

Originally Posted by Cyanna

We will be settling in the Simi Valley/Moorpark area, but Oxnard has looked very promising for setting up our office. Any advice on the best areas to focus on for this?

Cyanna,

Have you settled down yet, if so which did you select, Simi Valley/Morepark or Oxnard? Sorta hoping it was/is Oxnard. We are planning to move there, Oxnard Plain, in 2012. I/we just can't wait.