Thinking about living in Ventura, California? This fun and funky coastal city has a real surfer-beachtown vibe—friendly, creative, and full of local character. It’s different from anywhere else in Ventura County, with oceanfront trails and historic downtown filled with indpendent shops, restaurants, arts, and entertainment. But living here isn’t perfect—and in this guide, I’m sharing the brutal truths about Ventura as well, including what residents don’t love, along with the best neighborhoods, pros, and cons. 👇 Use the links below to explore everything Ventura has to offer.
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Ventura Living: What Locals Really Complain About
Here’s a sampling of what locals will complain about………..potholes and worn-out roads that need fixing. Homelessness brings concerns from both sides—some people think the city isn’t doing enough to help homeless people, while others complain about homeless people living in the city. The high cost of homes is another big issue, with the median home price around $850,000.
People worry about increased fire risk, especially those living in the foothills. Insurance costs have gone up because of this risk. There are also flooding concerns from past years due to king tides and heavy rains………..most of that flooding happened in the Pierpont neighborhood and downtown areas, which are closer to the Ventura River basin.
The on and off gloom in May, June and even July are a big local compaint as well.
Ventura’s Surfers Point in the downtown neighborhood, is a fun scene with lots of bikers, walkers, runners and dogs along the boardwalk. You can also watch the amazing surfers and kiteboarders. One memorable day there, I saw a pod of dolphins surfing waves and jumping right down the coast towards the Pier. It was amazing!
Ventura Neighborhoods: The Dreamiest Areas to Live
Westside (bright read)-Arts district and highly rated, locally owned restaurants. Historic homes and a variety of tract homes from the 50’s to 2000’s.
Midtown (light pink)– An urban and suburban lifestyle. Numerous, locally owned shops, the Community Hospital and the Pacific View Mall. Learn more about Midtown, CA.
-Pierpont (mustard yellow)– high end, dock and beach homes and locally owned shops and restaurants.
Hillside (dark green)high end homes with panoramic views of the Ocean and City.
College (peach)- dense suburban feel close to the community college, chain stores, the hospital, and the mall.
Thille/Montalvo- Suburban style homes and a busy area with lots of shopping, chain stores, activities and entertainment.
Poinsettia (lime green)– Estate living at its finest. An oasis tucked away from the city. Enjoy established trees, panoramic views of the mountains, ocean, Channel Islands and Ventura skyline.
-Juanamaria, Saticoy and West Saticoy Neighborhoods (olive,tan,light blue)– A very suburban feel with mostly newer homes. They are removed from the downtown and midtown bustle.
Best Places to Live in Ventura, California
No matter where you live in Ventura, your going to still be within 15 minutes to the beach. Downtown is the hub for nightlife, quick beach access, lots more people, restaurants, nightlife and the boardwalk.
Midtown is a popular hub for local shops, the Ventura Mall and the community hospital. As you move East from there, Ventura neighborhoods tend to become more spread out and suburban.
Ventura’s downtown neighbrohood (light green on map) features an eclectic mix of historic homes, new condos and lots of independent shops and restaurants on the pedestrian mall.
Ventura Location and Traffic: What to Expect
Ventura (lime green), is located at the intersection of three major highways. It’s convenient for commuting to Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Camarillo and the lovely mountain town of Ojai.
Traffic from tourism increases during the summer months and weekends, especially in the downtown areas. There is increased congestion in the downtown because of lots of new condo construction.
What It’s Really Like Living in Ventura
Beautiful, grassy parks are spread throughout the city, including the botanical gardens. There’s fantastic hiking at Arroyo Verde Park and Harmon Canyon Preserve.
Art galleries and locally owned restaurants and hangouts are plentiful. Ventura Raceway and the County Fairgrounds host swap meets, festivals, trade shows and concerts.
There are numerous, pristine beaches, some where you can park right next to the beach and enjoy beginner friendly surf like at Mondo’s Beach. Spend the day at Marina Park, a 15 acre, grassy park right next to the ocean, with volleyball, barbecue grills and outdoor yoga and exercise classes.
We love taking our dogs there for long walks along the beach.
Ventura’s Downtown Pedestrian Mall and Local Scene
The pedestrian mall offers eclectic boutiques, free parking lots, music venues, historic movie theatre and restaurants with outdoor/patio seating. A large Farmers Market happens on Saturdays right next to the San Buenaventura Mission and goes several blocks up the pedestrian mall.
A gorgeous and flat, seaside trail runs about 12 miles from the Pier and boardwalk to the gorgeous Rincon State Beach Park.
The pedestrian mall is in jeopardy though due to pending litigation, which may force it being reopened to traffic. The vast majority of locals love going to the pedestrian mall to shop, eat, walk, congregate…….basically enjoy some of the best that Ventura has to offer.
Ventura Harbor Village: Coastal Shops, Dining, and Fun
- A fantastic harbor for kayak/paddleboard and sailboat rentals, guided fishing tours and whale watching. A large live-aboard boating community with over 50% of those docked at a slip living on their boats.
- Lots of sea life including dolphins, sea lions, seals and lobster diving.
- Includes a big beautiful swim beach, with no waves, and a protective seawall.
- 30 unique shops, art galleries, and restaurants.
- Live music, The Ultimate Escape Rooms, the 805 Copa club with authentic Cuban food, a wine tasting room at Deep Sea and belly dancing at the Greek Mediterranean Steak and Seafood.
Ventura’s Thriving Arts and Culture Scene
There are many historical sites, antique stores, art exhibits and you can also take classes from local artists at many of the galleries. You can also catch theater at the Rubicon.
The Bell Arts Factory is a fantastic non profit that provides classes and studio space for local artists. They host a monthly art walk as well which is a real fun way to see exciting new art and also connect with the artists.
You will see art murals on buildings, which is a big pro for living in Ventura. There are lots of galleries to visit in particular in the Westside neighborhood of Ventura. Many artists are being priced out of the area and some venues are losing their locations due to rent increases.
Shopping in Ventura: Beyond Downtown and the Harbor
You’ll find larger businesses such as Target, Trader Joe’s, Vons, Lowes and Barnes and Noble. Oxnard’s Collections Shopping Center, Costco and Sam’s Club are also real close. This makes Ventura and Oxnard destinations for residents coming from nearby cities (including Santa Barbara). However, it’s really the small businesses that bring Ventura to life, and locals make it a point to support those businesses.
Cons- Arts and Lifestyle
When there is a festival many locals avoid downtown because it is bumper to bumper with little to no parking. Ventura is still a smaller town and most locally owned shops close earlier and have unusual hours as compared to a bigger city.
On the flip side…….there is a pretty thriving music scene. The Ventura Music Hall and the Majestic Theatre, for example, showcase fantastic bands.
- During weekends and holidays, parking spots are limited for beach access. The beach can get crowded but not as crowded as LA and Santa Barbara.
- You usually will have to pay for parking near the beach on weekends. And the lots fill up quickly.
Ventura Weather: Mild, Sunny, and Surprisingly Varied
There’s fabulous, sunny weather ranging from 65-80. It gets up to 10 degrees hotter as you go North and up the hill in Ventura in the Summer. The Winter months and May and June can have quite a few cloudy, cooler and misty days.
There is an increased risk for fire danger as you move into the Foothills sections of Ventura, as it backs up to vast open spaces.
Cost of Living in Ventura, California
Entry-level homes start at around $750,000 in most neighborhoods. Comparable homes in Santa Barbara and LA sell for $50-100,000 more and without being as close to the beach. Homes in nearby Oxnard and Port Hueneme are roughly 50- to $75,000 less than Ventura.
- Overall cost of living in Ventura is 34.9% higher than the national average.
- The estimated cost of childcare annually is around $12,000 which is some of the most expensive in the country.
- The cost of living has priced out many younger professionals and people just starting out in their working careers. They are having to find other places to live.
Is Ventura Safe? Access Local Crime Map
For more information on crime, check out the city of Ventura crime map.
Ventura Schools and District Overview
Get more info at the Ventura School District.
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