Call/Text 805-256-2813
Dreamy Ventura Neighborhoods: Video, Maps, and In Depth Guide
Ventura is famous for its amazing beaches, surf and coastal mountains. But there's so much more!
We'll provide you detailed real estate insights, lifestyle tips and cons for each neighborhood.
Video On Ventura Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods Map of Ventura
Westside Neighborhood (bright red on map)
The Westside is an undiscovered gem as compared to many other Ventura neighborhoods.
Artsy types and foodies alike love living in the Westside: with highly rated, local restaurants, older architecture, artist studios, galleries and colorful murals.
The long Westside neighborhood , runs parallel to the Ventura River and is right next to the downtown. There is a fantastic walking and biking trail that runs from the neighborhood all the way down to the beach.
There is a strong sense of neighborhood identity and community. involvement.  For an in depth look at the Westside, click here.
Westside Homes
There's a diverse mix of architecture including:
- Spanish style condos, mixed use commercial/residential condos and tiny homes.
- Single family tract homes from the 1950’s-80’s.
- Hillside homes (some of these with fantastic mountain views).
- Newer high end and semi custom communities (on the North end of town in a section called "The Avenue."
- The first historic housing tracks in Ventura with Spanish-style bungalows and Victorian homes from the late 1800’s to early 1900’s.
Cons
- Some of the streets and homes have not been taken care of and look a little more run-down.
- Parking can be tough on many of the streets, in part because of lack of garage and off-street parking.
- The houses tend to be packed in tightly together with smaller lots and overhead wires.
- The main street Ventura Avenue also has some more industrial looking areas. Â
Hillside Neighborhood (forest green on map)
Most Hillside homes are works of art. Even the more basic ones are exceptional because of their ocean, Channel Islands and mountain views.Â
The Hillside neighborhood (forest green on map) is located minutes to the downtown, beaches, boardwalk, pier, and outdoor pedestrian mall .
Neighbors tend to know each other. You often see people walking and jogging up and down the hills. You also are more likely to feel the cool ocean breeze when it picks up.
This neighborhood is right next door to several fantastic Ventura attractions including:
- The Botanical gardens, which is a large hiking gardens.
- The Serra Cross mountain top with mind blowing views of the ocean, the city, coastlines and mountains.Â
- Ventura's pedestrian mall with a super fun variety of local shops, restaurants and entertainment.
Hillside Homes
- There is a fascinating mixture of Mediterranean, Victorian (from early 1900's), Modern, Traditional and a few townhomes. The majority of homes are multilevel.
- The homes are located close to each other but usually have deeper, longer lots.
- Prices range from around $900,000 to $4 million depending on the size and view.
Cons
- The traffic can get really bad on weekends and holidays especially in the Summer.
- Narrow streets and steep drop offs can make driving a little scary.
- Increased fire danger risk with the foothills and mountains.
Downtown Neighborhood (light green on map)
Marvel at Ventura's history in the downtown. You'll see well kept Victorian homes, parks with ancient, enormous trees and landmarks like the Mission San Buenaventura.Â
This is one of the best small city downtowns in the country! Hang out at the amazing beaches, boardwalk and pier. Get a bite to eat at highly rated restaurants and enjoy local breweries. Shop at the Pedestrian Mall with an impressive variety of locally owned stores.
The downtown borders Ventura’s beaches and boardwalk on one side and the foothills and Westside neighborhoods to the north.
To learn more about the downtown, check out our video on the top spots in the downtown.
Downtown Homes
- Condos, townhomes and apartments are mixed in with historic, modern, 1950's style, well-maintained and also run down homes.
- As you move uphill you’ll see that some homes have amazing ocean views. The flatter south side of this neighborhood is super close to the beach, boardwalk, pier and Surfers Point (with some of the best waves and surfers).
- Homes range from the 600’s for a condo to 2.5 million for the larger Victorian homes or homes on the hill.
Cons
- Parking is limited and during the busier weekends and holidays, the traffic is bad.Â
- The lots tend to be on the small side and some homes are in disrepair.
- There is increased traffic and parking problems because of lots of new condo construction.
- Recent rain storms have caused flooding in this area.Â
- It is more expensive for a similar sized home as compared to the East side of Ventura.
Midtown (pink on map)
Midtown has it all with the Community Hospital, Pacific View Mall and lots of locally owned shops, restaurants and hangouts.
This fun neighborhood is located just east of the downtown, but is still only 10 minutes from the beach and easy access to highway 101 and the Santa Paula freeway.
Midtown Homes
- Styles also include: condos, townhomes and 1950’s ranch-style homes.
- The homes get less expensive as you get closer to the busy Santa Paula Freeway and highway 101. Homes range from the high 300’s for a condo to 1.8 million for a fully remodeled custom home with an additional living space.
Cons
- There is quite a bit of traffic in this area and also homelessness can be an issue.
- Can be more expensive for a similar sized home as compared to the East side of Ventura.
College Neighborhood (orange on map)
The College neighborhood, has a slightly more spread out, suburban feel with less traffic than midtown and downtown. It is easy to get around with several local and intercity buses.
This neighborhood is located on the East End of Ventura, further away from the beaches and the downtown.
College is also the educational and sporting center of the city. Locals are passionate about supporting their teams at Ventura Community College and two high schools.
There is amazing hiking with ocean views at Arroyo Verde Park, including a newer playground and a large grassy park.
For an in depth look at the College Neighborhood, click here.
College Homes
- Homes range from the high 300’s for a condo to 3 million for a fully remodeled custom home with a view from the hillside of the mountains, Channel islands and ocean.
- There are three distinct areas: 1) Homes on the hillside which tend to be larger and semi custom. 2) 1970's- 1990's detached, two story homes located to the north of Ventura Community College and 3) On the south side of the college, there is a mix of townhomes, condos and 1950's-1960's ranch style homes.
Thille and Montalvo (aqua and rusty red on map)
A big reason residents love this area is because all of the close activities and entertainment!
These include:
- Great restaurants, gym, grocery stores, Barnes and Noble, and Green Thumb Nursery (our favorite spot to buy lots of plants and herbs.)
- An Escape room, Sky Zone, Ventura Aquatic Center and Ventura County Government Center.
- A large gorgeous park and running/biking trails that connect to the Ventura Community Park and Ventura Aquatic Center.
The Thille and Montalvo neighborhoods are also located on the eastern side of Ventura.
Cons
- Fire danger is more of a risk, as the neighborhood connects to the foothills and the mountains. Homes were destroyed in the Thomas fire in 2017.
- Make sure to have a sewer line inspection when buying a home in this and other neighborhoods as well. Orangeburg piping is common for older homes and causes costly repairs.
Thille/Montalvo Homes
In these neighborhoods you can almost say that a builder put a wish list of different styles of homes in a salad spinner. Then they built the homes where the papers flew out! Homes include:
- Manufactured homes in a gated senior development for 55+. You also own the land in this development.
- Apartments, townhomes, smaller and older condos built in the 1970’s and newer high end condos built in the early 2000’s.
- Single family homes built in the 1950’s, including small bungalows to large custom homes built in the early 2000’s.
- Prices range from the mid 300’s up to 1.2 million.
Cons
Because of it's location next to shopping areas, there is more of an issue with homelessness in this neighborhood.
There is lots of traffic due to all of the shopping areas and its location next to Highways 101 and 126 (Santa Paula Freeway).
Poinsettia Neighborhood (light green on map)
Poinsettia is estate living at its finest and an oasis tucked away from the city. Enjoy established trees, panoramic views of the mountains, ocean, Channel Islands and Ventura skyline.
Take a breath full of what can only be described as peace. Take a hike on one of the many trails in Harmon Canyon preserve, visit nearby Kimball Park Aquatic Center and become a member of the 5 star Ondulando Swim and Tennis club.Â
The Poinsettia neighborhood is nestled into the foot hills, just east of the College neighborhood on the eastern side of Ventura.
This neighborhood is still just a short drive from the beach and Ventura’s historic downtown.
Poinsettia Homes
In Poinsettia, just think custom homes, including a large lot (some with fantastic views), easy access to the beach and trails and a price tag ranging from 1.1 to 2.5 million.
- Homes built between the 1960’s and new construction.
- There's a mix of custom homes, newer modular homes and many empty lots as well.
- The modular homes (built in the factory) tend to sell for less than homes built on site, but also cost less to build.
- Styles in this neighborhood range from more traditional to Mediterranean or Modern.
Cons
Poinsettia was hit hard by the Thomas fire. Its foothills location increases the fire risk.
There is no available nearby shopping in the neighborhood.
Juanamaria, Saticoy and West Saticoy (olive, light blue, off white on map)
The Juanamaria area neighborhoods have a very suburban feel with mostly newer homes. They are removed from the downtown and midtown bustle. But it's still easy to drive to the oceans, restaurant and all the fun Ventura activities.Â
Juana Maria and Saticoy are located on the Eastern end of Ventura (orange and purple sections on the right side of the map).
Juanamaria, Saticoy and West Saticoy Homes
These neighborhoods have lots of newer homes with above average build. Most of the homes were built in the 1990’s through present day.
These neighborhoods are located on the Eastern end of Ventura.
Prices range from the $400s for a manufactured home, up to nearly 2 million for a large custom house on over an acre of land.
Most of the newer homes can be bought for around $800,000 to $1 million. 60’s style homes sell in the 700’s and the town homes and condos go for as low as the 500’s.
Home styles include:
- Condos, attached single family homes, town homes and detached single family tract and custom homes.
- Manufactured homes, where one buyer has to be 55+ years of age. Everyone living in the home has to be over 45.Â
Cons
- Very limited shopping. There is not even a grocery store unless you travel down the street to the Montalvo neighborhood.
- It can get dusty and smelly from nearby agriculture when the wind blows.Â
Pierpont (mustard yellow on map)
"When we looked at homes together, they took us out into local grocery stores and parks, and Keziah sparked conversations to introduce us to the locals and neighbors. This allowed us to ask questions about the area that could not be answered on a home-buying app or even by other realtors. We were getting honest responses from the actual people who lived there. That feedback was very valuable and helpful!" --Amanda Gurrola (google, Jan 2024)
Pierpont! This is the neighborhood for surfing, swimming, beach-combing, sailing, and paddling in the canals and Ventura Harbor. There are fun neighborhood restaurants and hangouts.
Pierpont is separated from the rest of Ventura by Highway 101, helping to reduce traffic and further increase the zen-like atmosphere.
Marina Park is a fantastic asset for the neighborhood. It's a 15 acre, grassy park right next to the ocean with volleyball, barbecue grills and outdoor yoga and exercise classes.
There are no crowds during the week, outside of the summer. There are also man-made lava rock outcroppings that ensure safer swimming conditions and low rip-tides risk.
Homes
- You will find smaller homes built in the 1920’s -1960’s. Larger homes started being built in the 70’s.
- Some lots have been scraped and new contemporary homes were built as recently at 2022.Â
- Prices range in this area from the mid 500’s for a ranch-style condo to over 6 million.
- There are two types of waterfront living. Some homes are located on the beach and others are located on the canals. Many homes have their own private docks.
We hope you found this helpful! What do you think, about these Vetura neighborhoods? Could You Live Here? We'd also love to hear about any other topics you would like us to cover. Please comment below.
Ventura Overview
Ventura Neighborhoods
Lifestyle Ventura
Hi there, we are Bart and Keziah
When helping our customers buy and sell real estate — it’s all about using our experience, effective communication and teamwork to simplify the process and get the best results for you.
Give us a call/text/email. Let’s have a short talk. Absolutely no pressure. Let's figure out if we will be a good fit to work together.
"When we looked at homes together, they took us out into local grocery stores and parks, and Keziah sparked conversations to introduce us to the locals and neighbors. This allowed us to ask questions about the area that could not be answered on a home-buying app or even by other realtors. We were getting honest responses from the actual people who lived there. That feedback was very valuable and helpful!" --Amanda Gurrola (google, Jan 2024)
Westside> You meaan The Avenue? That is what we locals, who were born and raised here will always call it, Regardless of how much you try to gentrify it.