Parks & Urban Forestry

The parks system includes more than 800 acres of parkland and facilities serving various interests from sailing, surfing, tennis, league sports, skateboard parks, playgrounds and picnic areas.

All City sports fields will be closed April 13-15 due to inclement weather. We will monitor the weather and field conditions and open the fileds as soon as possible.Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Click here for A Map of 35+ Great Parks and Recreation Facilities to visit in the City of Ventura.

Click here for a Parks Reservation Application and the Parks Use Policy.

Scenic Parks

Arroyo Verde Park

PLEASE NOTE: Arroyo Verde Park may be very crowded on Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012. The park will open at 6:30am and will close at 6:00pm. Parking is $5 per vehicle. The usual re-admission privilege with a paid ticket will not be available on Easter Sunday. Cars will not be allowed to re-enter the park after leaving.

Arroyo Verde Park will be closed for maintenance services on Monday, April 9, 2012 from 6am to 12noon.

(Foothill and Day Roads) is a beautiful and important natural preserve and recreational resource. The park consists of 132 acres of relatively rugged land – featuring 14 acres of tree lined open grass areas, individual picnic/barbecue sites, three group barbecue areas, a nature center, several miles of hiking trails, restrooms and two children’s play areas. A fee for parking is charged at Arroyo Verde Park Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. The fee is $2 per hour, or $5 maximum per day.

Grant Park

(Ferro Drive) offers a spectacular view of the City, the Pacific Ocean and the Channel Islands. In 1782, Franciscan Father Junipero Serra raised a wooden cross on the mountain overlooking his newly established Mission San Buenaventura. Once used as a landmark by mariners at sea, the cross now rests within the 107-acre park. While much of the mountainous terrain is undeveloped, the park features picnic facilities and restrooms.

Dog Parks

Ventura has two areas where dogs are permitted to run free – at Camino Real Park and Arroyo Verde Park.

Camino Real, located at Dean Drive and Varsity Street, has a fenced in area in the southwest corner of the park, thanks to generous donations from members of the local Dog Owners Group (D.O.G.). Hours of the dog park are dawn to dusk. Double gates allow both small and large dogs to enter and exit the area safely.

Arroyo Verde Park at Foothill and Day Road, has a designated off-leash area for use at specific times. Hours are Tuesday – Sunday from 6 – 9 AM excluding holidays and days reserved for special events.

Dog owners are expected to be responsible for their canine companions including keeping them under voice control and cleaning up after them. Volunteers from Citizens for Off-leash Laws and Recreation (C.O.L.L.A.R), monitor both areas. Only non-aggressive, well-socialized dogs are permitted in the off-leash areas. All dogs must be vaccinated for rabies and have a current license. C.O.L.L.A.R. Brochure (Citizens for Off Leash Laws and Recreation).

Cultural Parks

Barranca Vista Park

This very active site located at 7050 East Ralston Street contains the Barranca Vista “Imagination” Center for cultural and fitness programs as well as basketball court, picnic areas and a children’s playground. The park offers year round programming including summer camps and free spring and summer events such as Festival in the Park (with a Kids Swap Meet), Fairy Tales in the Park, Family Summer Concerts. For more information visit this link or call 805.644.6542.

Ventura River Trail

Opened in 1999, the Ventura River Trail is a pedestrian and bicycle path that follows the old Southern Pacific "right of way" from Main Street to Foster Park, 6.3 miles inland. The path links the Ojai Valley and Coastal Omer Rains Trail to create a longer 17-mile bike path recognized as one of the finest in Southern California.

Click here for a Ventura River Trail Brochure

Environmentally, the trail is unique in that it traverses several ecological zones and skirts the edge of habitats important to many resident and migratory birds. Through funding by the City of Ventura Public Art Program, the natural landscape has been further enhanced through the commissioning and installation of artwork that seeks to interpret Ventura's economic, cultural and environmental history.

Sports-Oriented Parks

Ventura Community Park

(901 S. Kimball Road) The park features three large sports fields, a 1.4-mile paved trail and a state of the art aquatics facility with two 25-foot water slides, a recreation pool, competition pool and a water playground for children. For more information click here.

Camino Real Park

(Dean Drive and Varsity Street) is a 38-acre complex including eight tennis courts (lighted), two softball fields (lighted), a regulation softball/baseball diamond (lighted), two youth baseball fields, basketball and sand volleyball courts, snack bar/concession buildings and three children’s play areas. Soccer/football field space, group and individual picnic/barbecue facilities and restrooms are also available.

Fritz Huntsinger Youth Sports Complex

(Telephone Road and Saticoy Ave.) provides two youth softball/baseball fields, a regulation baseball field, two soccer fields, restrooms and picnic/barbecue facilities.

Harry A. Lyon Park

(De Anza Drive at Cameron Street) offers tennis and basketball courts, regulation softball/baseball field (lighted), two youth baseball fields, a 10-acre open grass area, restrooms and barbecue areas.

Westpark Community Center

(450 W. Harrison Ave., 648-1895) offers a softball/soccer field (lighted), two handball courts, children’s play area, horseshoe pits, restrooms and a recreation center. The center features a gymnasium with showers, restrooms, game and crafts rooms, kitchen and community meeting rooms - all available for rental.

Skateboard Parks

Skateboard facilities can be found at Westpark Community Center, Hobert Park and the campus of Pacific High School (Dean Drive and College). These facilities were designed for both the novice and advanced skater. Protective gear is required.

City Golf Courses

Buenaventura Golf Course

located at 5882 Olivas Park Drive, offers recreational players and seniors a chance to experience traditional golf with tree-lined fairways and tour caliber greens. Ranked as Best Public Golf Course Renovation in 2005 by Golf Digest Magazine Buenaventura has become a favorite by residents and visitors alike. For more information visit www.buenaventuragolf.com

Olivas Links Golf Course

located at 3750 Olivas Park Drive, offers unique challenges for players of all skill levels. Dramatically redesigned in 2007 from a traditional course to a link-style course, Olivas has become the destination of choice for those players looking for a challenging golf experience. Planted with Sea Isle paspalum turf that offers a durable smooth playing surface, Olivas has achieved a status most courses only dream about. Top #10 Municipal Golf Course in the Nation for 2009 Golf Week Magazine. For more information visit www.olivaslinks.com

Beachfront Parks

Surfers’ Point at Seaside Park

(Figueroa Street at the Promenade) enjoys a reputation as one of the area’s most popular surfing and windsurfing beaches. The park features showers, picnic facilities, restrooms and is connected with the Ventura Pier by a scenic landscaped Promenade walkway and the Omer Rains Bike Trail.

Marina Park

(South end of Pierpont Boulevard) is 15 acres of beachfront fun located next to the Ventura Harbor. Colorful sailboats can be seen from pathways and lookout points as they leave the harbor while windsurfers slice across the ocean and children climb aboard the play ship San Salvador. Sailing lessons are offered nearby (with advance reservations) and anglers may drop a line from the park’s fishing dock. Individual picnic/barbecue facilities, sand volleyball court, a hand-launch boat dock, children’s play area and restrooms can also be found at the park.

Harbor Cove Beach

(West end of Spinnaker Drive) just across the harbor from Marina Park, is considered to be the City’s safest swimming beach, protected from strong currents by a jetty and the marina. Restrooms and a children’s play area are also available at this popular site.

Next to Harbor Cove Beach is the Channel Islands National Park Headquarters (658-5700) where visitors can get information about exciting day trips and overnight outings to the islands - located within eyesight of the coast - for camping, hiking, snorkeling or scuba diving.

For more information please take a look at the following sites:

County of Ventura
Ventura County Parks

California
State Parks
- Ventura Area State Parks
California State Parks Foundation

United States
National Parks Service
- Channel Islands National Park
Recreation.gov

Contact the City of Ventura Parks Divison by phone at 805-652-4550 or visit their offices at 336 Sanjon Road.

Parks Division Master Plans

Shaping Westpark For The Future

Westpark is the city's oldest athletic and recreational complex - built in 1950. It is also one of the most heavily used city park facilities and was last renovated in the 1980s. Recognizing the need to update the facility, the City Council hired the firm of Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects to develop a conceptual management plan for the site. The Plan is now complete.

The process involved a significant amount of citizen input that lead to creative and innovative approaches for improving the park. The finished Plan includes four schemes for renovating, rehabilitating or constructing new facilities. Costs range from two to twenty million dollars. The project is included in the City's Capital Improvement Plan for phased future implementation as funds become available.

View the Westpark Capital Management Phasing Plan (PDF, 943KB)

Cemetery Memorial Park Improvements

Cemetery Memorial Park Landscape Master Plan ( click for larger view )

Ventura’s seven-acre Cemetery Memorial Park is situated on a hill with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands. The site was an active cemetery until 1944 when burials were prohibited within the city limits. The City assumed responsibility for the site and created the open green space so enjoyed today. Several years ago, because of concerns about deteriorating infrastructure and competing uses of the site, City Council approved developing a capital action plan for the park. Following significant public input and review, Council approved a $250,000 plan that includes repair of the historic WPA wall and stairs, a limited memorial wall with historic headstones and interpretation, enhancement of the Veterans’ flagpole area, a historical exhibit at the Museum of Ventura County, and continuation of the city’s grave marker program. View the September 2008 Plan Presentation (pdf)

Cemetery Memorial Park Signs and Improvements Project

The scope of work for this project includes the installation of name signs and information about the site, repairs to the rock wall, landscaping improvements and a small memorial wall/area at the flag pole. Public review is available for the Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration now through May 31, 2011. Comments can be submitted to Lucho Rodriguez by e-mail at lrodriguez@cityofventura.net, mail to 501 Poli Street, Room 110, or fax to ( 805) 641-2775.

Click here to view the Cemetery Park Draft Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration

Click here to view the Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration

Grant Park Master Plan

Situated above historical downtown Ventura, our 107-acre Grant Park is primarily open space. The City Council approved a project to develop a master plan for the park; however, the project has been deferred until funding becomes available.

Help keep our parks, beaches and public areas clean. . . Become a Mutt Mitt Station Sponsor!

"Doo" the right thing to keep our community clean and beautiful. Always remember to pick up after your dog. With more than 10,000 licensed dogs in the City of Ventura, and one million people visitng our popular parks annually, there's definitely a need for everyone to "Doo" the right thing.

Ventura's Mutt Mitt Program provides degradable pet wates pick-up bags at dispensing stations throughout the city. Cleaning up pet waste and disposing of it properly in the trash is important to our community's health and quality of life.

You can make a difference and become a Mutt Mitt Station Sponsor today -- download the Sponsorhip brochure.

Join these station sponsors and help make a big difference in Ventura's beautiful parks, beaches, public areas and ocean: Anacapa Animal Hospital, Buena Animal Hospital, Community Memorial Health System, Draganchuk Alarm Systems, Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura, Whisenhut Communications, and Your Pet's Nanny.