<figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ae222ffe793e12971426485?format=jpeg" height="2822" width="3762" alt="The writer sits on a large rock in front of a chill beach in Ventura, California."><figcaption>Ventura's beaches are calm and low-key.<p class="copyright">Liana Minassian</p></figcaption></figure><ul class="summary-list"><li>I live in California and love visiting new towns and cities off the <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/favorite-weekend-trip-southern-california-oceanside-beaches-food-train-2026-10" data-autoaffiliated="false">Amtrak Pacific Surfliner route</a>.</li><li>One of my favorite places to visit is Ventura, a coastal city with great food and thrift shopping.</li><li>I love how easy it is to get around Ventura without a car, and an Amtrak ticket from LA is just $22.</li></ul><p>Given the opportunity, I'd happily travel everywhere by train. Luckily, I live in <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/southern-california-places-worth-visiting-spots-to-skip-local-recommendations">Southern California</a>, where I can easily explore neighborhoods up and down the coast via the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner.</p><p>This beautiful coastal train runs all the way from San Diego to San Luis Obispo, and I've discovered tons of <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-small-towns-west-coast-frequent-traveler-recommendations-2025-4">cool towns</a> 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.</p><p>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.</p><h2 id="ecd33b21-024d-4e1f-bf89-56823e5a88d3" data-toc-id="ecd33b21-024d-4e1f-bf89-56823e5a88d3">The train ride to Ventura is short and affordable</h2><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ae22e7aca24d51c5f89fded?format=jpeg" height="1086" width="1476" alt="The writer sitting on an Amtrak train, with trees visible out the window, eating a breakfast burrito."><figcaption>I'll often eat a quick breakfast on the Amtrak.<p class="copyright">Liana Minassian</p></figcaption></figure><p>A one-way ticket from the Hollywood Burbank Airport station costs just $22 and gets me to Ventura within an hour and a half.</p><p>One of the perks of <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/first-amtrak-trip-things-that-surprised-me">traveling by Amtrak</a>, 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).</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><h2 id="dd6af842-9a5e-45a5-908b-85f69eeb4a22" data-toc-id="dd6af842-9a5e-45a5-908b-85f69eeb4a22">Downtown Ventura is full of thrift shops and quirky small businesses</h2><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ae23d7bca24d51c5f89fe6b?format=jpeg" height="1068" width="1462" alt="The writer poses in front of The Calico Cat Bookshop in Ventura, California."><figcaption>There's no shortage of cute local shops here.<p class="copyright">Liana Minassian</p></figcaption></figure><p>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.</p><p>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 <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-start-vintage-clothing-store-resale-business-2023-4">run a vintage shop</a> on Etsy and source some of my finds from there.</p><p>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.</p><h2 id="cfe79646-b348-4aea-a5f9-b5d4845b8be4" data-toc-id="cfe79646-b348-4aea-a5f9-b5d4845b8be4">From award-winning fish tacos to tiki drinks, Ventura has a great food and drink scene</h2><p>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.</p><p>Depending on my mood later in the day, I'll either grab a fun drink at VenTiki Lounge to chill out or a <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-place-to-get-an-iced-chai-photos-2022-7">vanilla chai</a> from Palermo Coffee & Gifts as a pick-me-up.</p><p>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.</p><h2 id="3cddbfc0-8771-49d8-a715-1de7b2008baa" data-toc-id="3cddbfc0-8771-49d8-a715-1de7b2008baa">My favorite part is spending a day without driving</h2><figure><img src="https://i.insider.com/6ae23db3e793e1297142658f?format=jpeg" height="1074" width="1444" alt="The writer holding up a peace sign in front of a quiet beach in Ventura, California."><figcaption>Whenever I want to spend a day without driving, I head to Ventura.<p class="copyright">Liana Minassian</p></figcaption></figure><p>Ventura is such a <a target="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-rhode-island-town-to-visit-summer-charlestown-new-england-2026-7">great day trip</a> 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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><div class="read-original">Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/favorite-day-trip-southern-california-what-to-do-ventura-amtrak-2026-11">Business Insider</a></div>
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