Ventura - Premier Visitors Guide 2007-2008 - (Page 15) F ather Serra aptly named this mission town after Saint Bonaventure—San Buenaventura, or the “City of Good Fortune”—and the revitalized historic downtown cultural district embodies many of Ventura’s golden blessings. Mission San Buenaventura, historic homes, museums, locally owned shops, art galleries and some of Southern California’s finest restaurants adorn the palm-lined streets. For map of Cultural District see page 24. Explore the Sights One of the best things about downtown is its “strollability”— it’s small enough to navigate comfortably on foot in an afternoon. From northbound Hwy. 101, exit at California Street and you’ll instantly feel as if you’re entering the “real” California of decades past. (From southbound 101, take the Main Street exit.) If you arrive by train, Ventura’s AMTRAK platform is conveniently located near downtown, just steps from the beach, hotels and the gates to Ventura County Fairgrounds and Derby Club. Almost everything is a short walk from the platform. However you arrive, start your touring at the Visitors Center at S. California and Santa Clara streets, where you can ask questions and pick up walking tour guides to the historic district, antique shops and other themed tours. You can also view fascinating exhibits at the C Street Surf Museum housed in the same space. At the corner of California and Main, take in the Erle Stanley Gardner Building, the “Birthplace of Perry Mason.” Look up the hill, and you can’t miss San Buenaventura City Hall (501 Poli St., 654-7850). Built in 1912 and used as a courthouse until 1972, the impos- ing Beaux Arts edifice is now a State Historical Landmark. Doric columns, marble floors, a domed stained-glass ceiling, a sweeping main stairway, and the expressive faces of 24 terra cotta friars are just a few of the special architectural features. It also offers glorious views of the city and the ocean beyond. Stop by for a self-guided tour or opt for an organized tour. Open Monday–Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Turn right on Main Street and head for Albinger Archaeological Museum (113 E. Main St., 648-5823). History comes alive at this small but fascinating museum at the site of an archeological dig that began in the 1970s and continues less actively today. The museum is open Wednesday–Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the summer; and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends the rest of the year. Admission is free. Next stop: Mission San Buenaventura (211 E. Main Street, 643-4318, www.sanbuenaventuramission.org). Founded in 1782, this was the ninth of (continued on page 17) “Find cool clothes and cooler jazz in Ventura’s blossoming downtown.”— Sunset Magazine CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM: MARK DOLYAK, SURF MUSEUM, MARK DOLYAK Local history is evident throughout downtown Ventura. Clockwise from above left: Early surf pioneers honored at the Visitors Center C Street Surf Museum. Historic artifacts on display at Albinger Archaeological Museum. Mural on Figueroa Plaza depicts the 19th century Chinese Fire Brigade. W W W. V E N T U R A - U S A . C O M 15 http://www.sanbuenaventuramission.org http://WWW.VENTURA-USA.COM
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