Family Getaway in Oxnard, California

By October 25, 2016Posts

Things to do in Oxnard California

We have traveled to a few of the cities along Central California’s coast line but had never been to Oxnard California before. We were so pleasantly surprised and instantly fell in love with the beauty of this marina city!

things to do in oxnard california

Since we hadn’t been here before, we found VisitOxnard to be a perfect place to start in planning our itinerary for our short family getaway. Here we found a huge list of the best that Oxnard has to offered! We were able to narrow down what we wanted and would be able to do traveling with our little Global Adventuress. There is so much we can’t wait to come back and do but here is what we would recommend for things to do in Oxnard California!

What to do!

  1. Island Packers Tour

    A must on our list of things to do in Oxnard, CA! Island Packers takes off from the Channel Islands Marina and sails off to a few different tours. We took the trip to Anacapa Island, the closest island to the mainland. The waters were so calm and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. The ride was a little over an hour to Anacapa Island were we docked and had 4 hours to explore before the boat came back and we set sail home. Anacapa Island is home to some beautiful views of cliffs and the Pacific coast. You can hike the entire island in just about an hour! Overnight trips are available for campers as well! Bring your kayak, scuba gear and camera to make the most of your time on the island. And be sure to pack a lunch!

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    things to do in oxnard california
    Little Global Adventuress Recommends: Bringing snacks along, collecting rocks along the path, getting a popsicle on the ride home and spotting dolphins along the way!

  2. Maritime Museum

    There were so many museums in Oxnard we wanted to visit, but this was the one we couldn’t pass up. The museum is filled with intricate models of ships from around the world and of all sizes. These models are world class and take 3-4 years to complete. There are stunning paintings of ships at sea and an interactive area above for kids to learn more about life at sea–including life in the sea!

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    Little Global Adventuress Recommends: The Playmobile display and the sea life displays upstairs!

  3. Channel Islands Beach

    Beautiful, and clean. The beaches in Oxnard are perfect to spend the whole day!
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  4. Visit Strawberry Farms

    Oxnard is known for its California Strawberry Festival each year in late spring. We visited it mid fall but still got to see the beautiful fields and taste some delicious produce! It’s a must!
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  5. Kayaking

    On our next trip we are signing up for some Blue Ocean Kayaking. There were plenty of places to take the kids for a class as well.

  6. Jetskiing

    Ocean jetskiing anyone? We wanted to try this one as well!

  7. Wheel Fun Rentals

    This is such a fun way to see the beach and the city of Oxnard. Rental rates by the hour, and available right outside the Embassy Suites by Hilton at Mandalay Bay.

    So much more available! Check out Visit Oxnard’s list of things to do for local events and more things to do!
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Where to Stay

 Embassy Suites by Hilton at Mandalay Bay

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There really couldn’t be a better place, especially to spend as a family! The Embassy Suites is right on the beach which is the first of many reasons to stay here. We arrived a little earlier than expected but the staff was so gracious and accomodating in getting our room ready quickly and giving us a few things we could do in the mean time. We explored the beautiful grounds and our little Global Adventuress got a sneak peak at their amazing pool!

We stayed in a beautiful ocean view suite, that really was ocean view!
things to do in oxnard california

Definitely one of our favorites was the made to order breakfast each morning! What could be better than a fresh omelet and bacon for breakfast.

Little Global Adventuress recommends: The pool! This was a highlight for our little who could have spent hours in that pool. And for breakfast, the fresh fruit and blueberry muffins was a huge hit.

Where to Dine

Moqueca

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A true Brazilian cuisine experience! We loved the theme and the view from our dinner. Right on the Channel Islands Harbor, this restaurant has a diverse menu that ranges from traditional Moqueca to a great steak and spaghetti. Their appetizers include traditional dishes that are refreshing and spicy. Try the eggplant tempenade! They also have an array of delicious fresh juices that are a must try!

Little Global Adventuress Recommends: The cashew fruit juice was a smoothie of delicious flavors, and the spaghetti was a delicious surprise!

The Waterside Restaurant and Wine Bar

things to do in oxnard california
We loved everything here from the atmosphere, view, to the savory food! We had a beautiful view outside right on the harbor that got even better with the live band! All the food was a hit, even with the littlest Global Adventuress–especially their fries! We finished off the evening with hot chocolate. They also have an extensive menu of amazing wines available.
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The Best Breakfast Cafe
things to do in oxnard california

This was our first stop as we entered Oxnard, CA and it did not disappoint. The staff was perfect and efficient. The food was filling and definitely the best breakfast and lunch we have had in a long time.

Coming up in 2016!

Oxnard is gearing up to ring in the holidays with a series of festive events ranging from massive lights displays to holiday boat parades to tempting tamales!

Oxnard kicks off the holiday season with the 66th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting set for Friday, December 2 at 5:30 p.m. at Plaza Park, Downtown Oxnard.  The annual event features Ventura County’s tallest Christmas tree – 110 feet high!

A beloved event for the whole family, the 55th Annual Oxnard Christmas Parade takes place on Saturday, December 3 at 10 a.m. to 12 noon in Downtown Oxnard.

Channel Islands Harbor lights up for the season with its 51st Annual Parade of Lights taking place on Saturday, December 10.

Travel Resources

Visit Oxnard, CA— For more ideas of what to do, where to stay and dine and all things Oxnard visit their website and plan your California getaway today!

Acknowledgements

Global Adventuress would like to give a huge thanks to the Oxnard Bureau of tourism and VisitOxnard for hosting and helping us in planning our stay here. Janis was a knowledgable resource that helped us fall in love with this beautiful city!

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