Given the opportunity, I’d happily travel everywhere by train. Luckily, I live in Southern California, where I can easily explore neighborhoods up and down the coast via the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner.
This beautiful coastal train runs all the way from San Diego to San Luis Obispo, and I’ve discovered tons of cool towns and cities simply by exploring the stops along the route. One of my favorites is the city of Ventura: It’s an easy, $22 day trip from my nearest train station in Los Angeles.
Ventura is a historic beach town north of LA with a wealth of attractions, from relaxing, surfer-laden beaches to eclectic shopping and delicious food.
The train ride to Ventura is short and affordable
Liana Minassian
A one-way ticket from the Hollywood Burbank Airport station costs just $22 and gets me to Ventura within an hour and a half.
One of the perks of traveling by Amtrak, instead of by car or bus, is the café car experience. If I don’t have time for Starbucks in the morning, I’ll grab a coffee and a vegetarian breakfast burrito with cheese, eggs, and potatoes (and then douse it in hot sauce or ketchup).
I also love that Ventura’s beach is just a block from the train station. This means I don’t have to pay for parking or fight for a good beachside spot.
The beach is typically the first place I go upon arriving. I walk south toward the pier, down the paved promenade that runs along Surfers Point.
Sometimes, I’ll roam the pier and get a fish taco or elote from Beach House Tacos. But usually, I just sit in the sand with a good book and lounge for an hour or so, relaxing in the sun.
Before I leave the beach, I like to indulge my inner child and use the swing at the small playground right on the sand. Swinging toward the ocean always makes me feel like I could soar right over the waves.
Downtown Ventura is full of thrift shops and quirky small businesses
Liana Minassian
One of my favorite reasons to take a day trip to Ventura at all (besides the beach) is to go thrifting. The downtown area, especially Main Street, has a plethora of vintage and thrift shops.
Coalition Thrift Store is always at the top of my list. It has an incredible, reasonably priced selection of both modern and vintage pieces. I run a vintage shop on Etsy and source some of my finds from there.
I’m also a huge bookworm, so the used bookstore, The Calico Cat Bookshop, and romance novel store Smitten are usually next on my list.
From award-winning fish tacos to tiki drinks, Ventura has a great food and drink scene
When hunger strikes, I’ll usually grab some pub grub at one of the gastropubs in the area, like Finney’s Crafthouse. I’m also a fan of Spencer Makenzie’s, which has a fish taco that locals voted best in Ventura. Eating seafood when I’m next to the ocean is a must.
Depending on my mood later in the day, I’ll either grab a fun drink at VenTiki Lounge to chill out or a vanilla chai from Palermo Coffee & Gifts as a pick-me-up.
My last stop of the day, however, is always Tony’s Pizzaria, just a block from the train station. I’ll grab a slice of cheese pizza for my trip home.
My favorite part is spending a day without driving
Liana Minassian
Ventura is such a great day trip because, unlike most of LA, it’s easy to explore on foot. I can get my steps in, then relax with my feet up on the train ride home.
If I’m taking the train after 8 p.m., I might even treat myself to a cocktail during Amtrak’s after-hours happy hour, something that’s impossible to do while driving.
By the time I get back to LA, I’ve squeezed a beach day, some shopping, and plenty of good seafood into a 12-hour day trip — all without ever having to set foot in a car.
