: : : Pacific Paradise : : :

home SkyWest = Airlines=20 Go! = Publications=20 Inc.

= : : :=20 back to September/October archives

Pacific = Paradise
California's Southern Central Coast
by Betsy Husband

the santa barbara mission = =20

Ventura Keys Harbor =
=
=
=
Oxnard is the gateway to the = Channel Island=20 National Park shown here

=20

CALIFORNIA IS MORE THAN A STATE =E2=80=94 = it=E2=80=99s a state of=20 mind, where the dress code includes shorts and flip-flops year-round and = exercise is simply a lifestyle.

The beach towns are responsible for this = hip-chic=20 way of life, and a 40-mile stretch of the Southern Central Coast has = three that=20 thrive in a Mediterranean climate. Santa Barbara, Ventura and Oxnard, = while=20 similar in many ways, strive hard to maintain their individuality. = There=E2=80=99s=20 enough diversion to stay active for weeks, but any one town makes for a = perfect=20 weekend getaway.

Sunshine beckons the young-at-heart to = come out and=20 play, and in Santa Barbara they take their play seriously. The smooth = three-mile=20 waterfront-walk begs for bikes, roller-blades and casual walkers. Beyond = the=20 sand, dolphins and surfers ride the waves together.

Reminiscent of a scene on the Riviera, = hillside=20 homes bask in golden light as the sun slips into the ocean. Seaside = restaurants=20 serve fish caught that day paired with fresh produce from a street = market and=20 wines from local vineyards. Visitors sip their favorite vintage while = watching=20 yachts glide into the harbor.

But there=E2=80=99s a twist. A group of = tanned and toned=20 bodies in board shorts and bikinis play beach volleyball as mothers on = roller=20 blades push baby strollers. Welcome to the American Riviera.

Santa Barbara

Get to know Santa Barbara on foot. Your = walking=20 options are unlimited, from the famous Red Tile Walking Tour to miles of = hiking=20 trails in Los Padres National Forest, minutes from downtown. A=20 three-and-a-half-mile favorite walk (round-trip) follows Shoreline Drive = from=20 the Santa Barbara Harbor to the =E2=80=9CMesa.=E2=80=9D If = you=E2=80=99re lucky enough to be there on a=20 Saturday during lobster season, October through March, go early and = watch Sam=20 Shrout selling live spiny lobster, crab and fish from his boat. Eyes = light up=20 and smiles appear in anticipation of a lobster dinner. Children watch in = awe as=20 Shrout cuts the claws off red rock crab, explaining that crab claws are = a=20 renewable resource if the crab is returned to the ocean where they can = grow back=20 again.

Head up the coast as it rises gradually to = Shoreline=20 Park, a grassy picnic area on the bluffs. Continue through a = neighborhood lined=20 with palm trees and blooming bougainvilleas. Here, vistas span the = ocean. At the=20 top of the hill the road intersects with Cliff Drive, where a grocery = store=20 stands ready to impress. In fact, it=E2=80=99s worth a visit to Santa = Barbara to shop at=20 Lazy Acres. By now you=E2=80=99ll be ready for a snack, and this is the = place to find=20 one. Serving everything from sushi and whole-grain salads to meatloaf, = fresh=20 breads and pastries, it has something for everyone. A pleasant dining = area=20 beckons. It=E2=80=99s an ideal spot to relax and enjoy your treats. = Afterwards, cruise=20 through the rest of the store just to take it all in; the fresh flowers = and=20 extensive wine selection will amaze you.

Although your return route is the same, = the scenery=20 changes. The new view captures fresh charm =E2=80=94 the houses on the = hills, the city,=20 wharf and harbor, and sailboats flaunting their colorful spinnakers. = This is=20 Santa Barbara at its finest.

Ventura

Twenty-seven miles down the coast, Ventura = is a=20 destination in itself. Ethnic restaurants, boutiques and galleries = surround the=20 landmark Mission San Buenaventura. Established in 1782, it=E2=80=99s = just a few blocks=20 from Hell=E2=80=99s Angels headquarters. The odd juxtaposition reflects = Ventura=E2=80=99s own=20 fusion of old traditions and new ideas. The impressive State Historical = Landmark=20 City Hall, built in 1912, stands proudly at the top of California = Street. Follow=20 that thoroughfare to the ocean where a mile-long promenade extends from = the pier=20 to Surfer=E2=80=99s Point, a famous Ventura beach.

Todd Collart, a 35-year-resident, has been = witness=20 to the community=E2=80=99s growth. =E2=80=9COur downtown is the = blue-collar antidote to tawny=20 Santa Barbara. The second-hand thrift stores that we were so famous for = are=20 nearly all gone, but the few that still remain are like garnish on a = dinner=20 plate.=E2=80=9D He pointed out that part of what makes Ventura special = is that it=E2=80=99s a=20 walkable city surrounded by two natural rivers with wetlands that = attract=20 several different species of birds.

The extensive bike trails and lovely = climate draw=20 world-class bicyclists for winter training here. Rent a bike from = Ventura Bike=20 Depot and ride the trail from the beach to Ojai, a small, upscale artist = community 15 miles inland. It=E2=80=99s full of Beverly Hills-type = shops, art galleries=20 and restaurants du jour. It=E2=80=99s also fun to cruise the 13-mile = coastal trail and=20 watch sunbathers, sailboats, surfers and kiteboarders. You may want to = drive to=20 Ojai with your golf clubs=E2=80=94the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa has one of = America=E2=80=99s=20 premier championship courses=E2=80=94or pick up a game at the lovely = Soule Park Golf=20 Club, a public course with a spectacular view.

Patagonia =E2=80=94 based in Ventura = =E2=80=94 has a retail store=20 offering a wide selection of adventure wear. Down the street from = Patagonia,=20 Real Cheap Sports offers several brands of outdoor clothes and gear, = including=20 Patagonia, at outlet prices.

Warm, sunny autumn days are best spent on = the water.=20 At the Ventura Harbor, Ventura Boat Rentals offers a 40-minute narrated = tour of=20 the harbor, but you can also rent a boat by the hour or day. Whether you = choose=20 to go by kayak, paddleboat, electric craft or fishing rig, spend at = least part=20 of your day touring the Ventura Keys. This is the ultimate = insider=E2=80=99s view of=20 Ventura. Beautiful boats tied to private docks decorate homes that use = the=20 harbor as their playground. Your imagination will run wild as you skim = along the=20 water with a fish-eye view of the homes and boats.

The headquarters for the Channel Islands = National=20 Park is at the Ventura Harbor, and their visitor=E2=80=99s center is a = good resource for=20 information about the islands. A living tide pool and full-sized = displays of=20 island fauna along with a 20-minute video will entice you to spend a day = on one=20 of the islands. Rangers and volunteers can assist you in finding=20 transportation.

In keeping with a Mediterranean theme, = don=E2=80=99t pass up=20 The Greek at the Harbor, a waterfront restaurant that serves a delicious = lunch=20 sampler including a selection of both hot and cold appetizers. A glass = of Greek=20 wine will complement both the food and the day.

Oxnard

Oxnard is sweet! The southernmost beach = town on the=20 Central Coast is the strawberry capital of the world and home to the = J.M.=20 Smucker Company=E2=80=99s fruit processing plant. On the south end of = town, Herzog Wine=20 Cellars=E2=80=99 state-of-the-art winery and tasting room offers an = introduction to=20 their award-winning selection. Try the perfect food and wine pairing for = lunch=20 or dinner at the Herzog on-site restaurant Tierra Sur. Chef Todd = Aarons=E2=80=99=20 Mediterranean-inspired cuisine reflects an impressive r=C3=A9sum=C3=A9. = His background=20 includes the Zuni Caf=C3=A9 in San Francisco and the Savoy in New = York.

Industry and agriculture are the pulse of = this=20 coastal community but the Channel Islands Harbor is its soul. Hollywood = Beach=20 sits on one side of the spit and the harbor on the other, so everything = aquatic=20 is within walking distance. Leave your car at Oxnard Beach Park, a = large, grassy=20 picnic area with ample parking. Walk south along the boardwalk to the = new=20 Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort and rent a bike, surrey or scooter = from=20 Wheel Fun Rentals, or try your skills with surfing or kayaking lessons. = After=20 you=E2=80=99ve worked up your appetite, have breakfast or lunch at Mrs. = Olson=E2=80=99s Coffee=20 Hut, a friendly, local hangout between the beach and the harbor.

Across the street, grab a water taxi for a = cheap=20 harbor tour. As a gateway to the Channel Islands National Park, the = harbor has=20 many opportunities for adventure. Whale-watching tours are high on the = list from=20 January through March, and divers enjoy plying the spectacular waters = around the=20 Channel Islands. While in Oxnard, don=E2=80=99t miss the Ventura County = Maritime Museum=20 and its exquisite collection of ship models and world-class marine=20 paintings.

Island Packers, the concessionaire for the = national=20 park, has boats leaving from both the Ventura Harbor and the Channel = Islands=20 Harbor. A day trip to hike on one of the islands often includes whale = and=20 dolphin sightings. Take water and food, as the islands have no = amenities.

A favorite harbor activity is the = progressive dining=20 experience. The Harbor Water Taxi takes you from appetizers at one = restaurant to=20 entr=C3=A9es at another, ending with dessert at a third. Groups of at = least six are=20 required, and reservations must be made in advance to customize your own = menu=20 and itinerary. Grab some friends and have some fun!

Water, warm weather, plenty of activity = and=20 excellent restaurants =E2=80=94 the Southern Central Coast has all of = the advantages of=20 Southern California, minus the crowds. This is my idea of a true Pacific = paradise.

SkyWest Delta Connection serves these = California Beach=20 Towns with daily flights to and from Salt Lake = City.=20

SkyWest United Express serves Imperial = County with=20 daily flights to and from Los Angeles.

TOP=20 OF PAGE

=C2=A92007 Go! Publications Inc. Any = copying or=20 redistribution of contents of this website without permission is = expressly=20 prohibited.
The inflight magazine of SkyWest Airlines, = operating=20 as Delta Connection and United Express.