Ventura Beaches

There are two main beaches in the City of Ventura and several other beaches located to the north and south of Ventura that are considered as part of the Ventura Community. The two city beaches extend from Surfers Point to the Ventura Marina with the Ventura State Beach between them, that is controlled by the State of California.

NORTH OF THE STATE BEACH – Also referred to as C Street , because it starts near California Street, the beach begins east of the Ventura Pier and ends at Surfers Point. Known for its long surf runs, this beach is considered to be premier surfing spots in the California Coast. The sandy beach fronting the Ventura Promenade and the Crown Plaza Hotel is considered to be one of the top family California beaches as well.

SOUTH OF THE STATE BEACH – Spanning the entire Pierpont Beach community, the Pierpont Beach starts at Camden Lane, and extends all the way to Marina Park, a 15 acre beachfront park at the south end of Pierpont Boulevard. The park has docks to launch kayaks, paddle boards, and other small craft that can be carried in. It is also a good place to board boats that come from other docks or marinas. The dock is also used for fishing, so you will want to take care not to disturb others when launching your craft. It also has lots of parking a great play area for children.

WARNING: This beach can be dangerous, as the rock jetties create rip tides that can take swimmers into deeper water very quickly. Though conditions in Ventura are mostly mild, please take caution to study weather conditions before letting children or inexperienced swimmers in the water, and when in the water, stay away from the jetties.

The three beaches to the south surround the Ventura Harbor and are managed by the Ventura Port District:

Harbor Cove Beach – Also called Mother’s Beach, is known as one of the safest beaches. Within the Ventura harbor it has few waves to deal with, if any. This beach is ideal for families with small children and a great place to fly kites, play volleyball, or launch kayaks and paddle boards. It is also home for the Hokuloa Outrigger Canoe Club, is across the street from the Harbor Cove Cafe, and next to the Channel Islands National Park Center. The park currently has fee admission and free parking and large restrooms closeby.

South Jetty Beach – This beach is directly across the harbor on Spinnaker Drive. It is a great beach for viewing sunsets. It is not only a great place to surf, it also offers some great shore fishing. It is not a good beach for inexperienced swimmers, as there are no lifeguards and the beach can have strong riptides.

The south jetty can be seen on the beach across Spinnaker Drive and the Ventura Harbor.

Surfer’s Knoll Beach – The second turnoff to the left Spinnaker Drive will land in a parking lot with access to both South Jetty Beach and Surfer’s Knoll Beach Park. Though beautiful, it can be a windy location in late morning into late afternoon. The high level of sand on the beach is directly related to the windy conditions there, so make sure you check the weather conditions before planning your day there. The wonderful thing about this beach is that is directly across the shopping and restaurants in the Ventura Harbor, where there are many things to do.

Interactive Map