I visited downtown Ventura last weekend. Much to my surprise, it was a happening place! I was amazed at the number and variety of restaurants, clubs, and activities.
Although we were in Ventura earlier this year in March, on that trip we drove directly to the Harbor on a Friday evening. We had dinner at a restaurant, and slept on our dive boat in preparation for an early morning departure for scuba diving the Channel Islands. Our favorite Santa Barbara seafood restaurant, Brophy Bros, has a restaurant located there. The Harbor offers a great selection of other fun eateries and bars.
That Saturday we dove around Anacapa Island (the closest to Ventura) at three different locations. The most exciting was on the west side of the island, where we swam with a large group of sea lions, who followed us around and played with us.
During our visit last weekend—primarily for a high school football game—we stayed at a motel walking distance to the beach and historic pier, and a block to the downtown area.
After an early dinner on the pier to watch a spectacular sunset, we headed out to the game. Our first stop back in town, around 10:00 p.m., was the Bombay Bar & Grill which we had been advised was a dancing “hotspot.” Expecting to see a crowd of 20- and 30-somethings, we were greeted by a large group of all ages, dancing to a live band playing current top 40’s. No cover charge to enter! There was plenty of room at the bar, which was nice, and the bartender kindly held my purse while dancing. In the back of the restaurant, the club scene with a DJ was just getting started. Definitely a younger set there—and the action starts later.
Next we headed out on California towards Main Street, and crossed to another restaurant where we heard live music playing. On Main Street itself, we were greeted by more music on all sides. It felt like a battle of the bands. We heard everything from Jazz and Reggae to Rock and Hip Hop. I can’t wait to go back and explore some more!
No comments:
Post a Comment